Date Night Delight: A Guide to Special Menus in Minneapolis for Duo Dining
BY EMMA GEARY - FEBRUARY 8TH, 2024
If you haven’t noticed, the Twin Cities are a hotbed for culinary talent, and our restaurant scene is one of the best in the country. Especially in these colder months, it’s a perfect time to check off a few restaurants on your must-try list. Curated date-night specials make it even easier to sample the menu and get a taste for each restaurant’s unique atmosphere.
Whether it’s a spontaneous weeknight dinner with your love or a much-needed catch up with your bestie, consider one of these local spots for unique date-night specials!
If you’ve yet to try Bryant Lake Bowl’s “Cheap Date Night” classic, grab your best bowling outfit and get ready to strike. For only $38, you’ll get 2 entrees, a bottle of wine (or 2 beers/NA drinks) game of bowling. This is offered every Monday, all year long!
If you’re looking for a cozy Italian fix, give Terzo’s weeknight date night menu a try, Monday through Thursday. With their coursed menu and a carafe of wine, this makes weeknight dinners a breeze, and far more delicious than anything that’s left over in your fridge.
For a romantic French-bistro date, Barbette is the coziest place to be. Their happy hour amusements, from 2-5pm daily, is a team go-to - we love ordering a Lambrusco and a charcuterie board or dozen oysters for $38. They also host neighborhood night every Sunday from 5pm-close, which is a wonderful opportunity to try even more of their authentically French menu.
Pasta is always a good idea. With Broder’s “After 8” special, which runs from Sunday through Thursday after 8pm, you can get ciccetti, 2 salads, 2 classic pastas, and a wine carafe for only $62. This is the perfect way to try this iconic South Minneapolis spot on a quieter evening with a full menu experience.
Every Thursday at this Whittier staple, get a three course meal for two for only $55 per person. Plus, you can add a mystery bottle of wine for only $20! The menu rotates with a selection of craft cocktails and cozy comfort food, making this the perfect date night to return to again and again.
Our neighbors at Cafe Lurcat are bringing back one of our favorite specials in the Twin Cities, and we are thrilled to be the first to share! Sunday nights at Lurcat are back and better than ever. For $45 per person, you can experience a three course tasting menu of some of their most famous dishes, and add a wine pairing for only $20 extra. This is the perfect way to sample this award-winning menu as a close-out to your weekend.
While it might not be a menu special, taking a cooking class at Cooks Bellecour is the perfect unique way to spend time with your loved ones. With classes ranging from “Croissants 101” to “The Art of Sushi,” there is a cuisine for every kind of foodie to learn from. Have your cake (or pasta, or sushi) and eat it too!
If you’ve yet to visit this moody NE Minneapolis cocktail lounge, take this as your sign to book a table. Every Wednesday, Sonder Shaker offers a date night special for $85 that includes 2 drinks, 1 share plate, 2 entrees, and a dessert. Just steps from Nye’s Piano Bar and a host of other Northeast favorites, this is the perfect place to start (or end!) your evening.
Even More Menus
Looking for even more special menus and must-try spots? Check out MSP Mag Restaurant Week, hosted by our friends at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, which runs bi-annually in both the winter and fall, featuring some of the Twin Cities finest chefs dishing out mouth-watering two and three course prix fixe meals at prices ranging from $15 to $45. Make sure to get your reservations now for the week of February 19-25, 2024!
Emma Geary
Emma is the one writing it all down. She's been with LAB since 2021 and is finishing her MFA in Creative Writing in her spare time. Her favorite color right now is cobalt blue.
