Great brunch- Fried cauliflower is unique, spicy, and just perfect. I either love or hate French toast, this was a love -not overly soggy!!! apple accomplishment was not too sweet, yum. It's nicely decorated and has a good laid back but lively vibe. Friendly & capable staff read more

I love the food on the Cafe side of Alma, but i hate the service. Everyone that works there ignores me everytime I go, they're so unfriendly and inattentive. I will stand by the counter to try to get their attention and they will look right past me. They all act like they're too cool to do their job (I promise Im not a grumpy boomer, I am young and work i a restaurant too) read more

My mom and I went to Alma on Friday night (yay to vaccination requirement!!) and had such a lovely experience. James H was our server and he was excellent! Food and wine was . Worth every penny for a special dinner out. read more

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This is my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis. Their 3 course meals were phenomenal and the 2014 wine from Oregon and the 2014 wine from Spain complimented the meal well for the 4 of us. I had Yellowtail 1st course, squid 2nd course, and duck 3rd course and they were all very fresh and delicious. However, for the cost, some may prefer other options but was definitely best meal I have ever had in Minneapolis (1st time was 10+ years ago). read more

Excellent meal and drink, and excellent support from Adam. A nice variety of Italian-inspired courses tonight. read more

Alma - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I misread Alma and thought it was Llama. Very close names, I think it's understandable. Luckily, it paid off, because I happened to hoof in on a day when they were serving burgers. Which I guess isn't every day? I don't really understand. But I will say, the burger was outstanding. My waiter said "brb" when he left me once, which I think means "bro, right bro?" That made me feel good, that he'd call a different species a bro. Cool place. read more

Alma - Burger. Bro, right bro? - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Very very good, maybe one of my new favorites and I am a foodie. The menu isn't really as much of a tasting menu as it is a fixe prix create your own. There is no reason to go a la carte. The salmon tartare and the duck were awesome. The Beet Ravioli was funky - stretched my horizons a bit and wasn't my favorite. The lamb could have been a better choice but as I said I had duck for the finale. Just knowing that there are menu options that are VERY unique makes you want to go here vs the other restaurants that don't take chances. But go in knowing that you might have to pick something that you have never tried because of those chances. Oh and I really appreciate that when we booked, we let them know that it was our 5 year anniversary and we'd like the best table they could recommend, and they delivered on that and the overall experience. No freebies, not that we expected any. read more

Certainly one of the better places to eat in Minneapolis, but not in the elite category of Piccolo or LBV. The food ranged from excellent (the quail was perfect) to good (the lamb) to, honestly, bland and uninteresting ( the nettle souffle), The service is good, but tends towards the stuffy end, and i was disappointed our server did not walk us through our dishes. Final tally: two prix fixe menus with dessert, coffee and one bottle of wine: $225 before tip. I had a tough time with the star rating on this one--my better half said it was clearly a 3-star Yelp based on the food and the value, but I felt it was closer to a 4.. so 4 it is, but just by a hair. read more

Alma has been on my list of places to try out for years - and so thrilled that I was able to try out this well loved spot. We visited on a Wednesday night - we had a reservation but there seemed to be a handful of tables open + plenty of open seats at the bar. We enjoyed their winter prix fixe menu - 3 courses with the options to add on a wine pairing, an appetizer or dessert. From the winter menu some of our favorites included the butternut squash soup, lobster bread pudding and the sea scallops. Every dish we had was flavorful and felt fairly generous in terms of portion for a prix fixe menu restaurant. We also tried the Sorghum Old Fashioned, Fennel Sezerac and the "My Friend Lorena" cocktails - all of which were super flavorful and booze forward in flavor. A few pros: -Great food - very flavorful and fresh -Loved the ability to add on a few options - like the appetizers or desserts -Impressive, flavorful cocktails -Offer a coat check at the entrance - which seems to be a rare feature A few cons: -I was disappointed in the level of service - at a higher end restaurant I expected to get a more robust tour of the menu. Our server didn't offer any explanation of the dishes until we asked for more details. She also would seemed to be MIA for long portions of the night. -Limited parking Definitely worth checking out - especially for a special occasion or date night! read more

This was a great experience. The staff was wonderful, we had the perfect corner table so windows behind and on the side of us. The wine pairing is a must! We cannot wait to see what the fall menu will be. The smoked blue cheese had me searching online the next day. Our server was wonderful she would bring the wine bottle over so we could take a picture of it, if we liked it. read more

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A really nice meal in a casual nicely appointed setting. We had an early sitting as we were dining with an infant. The place was full, but we were seated promptly and the servers attended to everything. The ambience was great and the noise level was low so we could have pleasant dinner conversation. Start with one of their freshly made, seasonal cocktails. The three course fall menu is on full display. Hard to know what to pick - you won't go wrong with anything. We tried the soft cooked egg, the fried Brussels Sprouts and the Roasted Celery Root. All were bursting with flavor. The middle course of whey cooked polenta and the torchio pasta were sublime. Duck two ways and the braised lamb & clams were the all-star entrees. We skipped dessert. Good selection of wines. However, I do recommend you take the optional pairing. Alma is a restaurant for foodies and people who like good, well prepared, fresh ingredients, presented beautifully meals. It's no wonder the chef has been a national semi-finalist for a James Beard Award twice. He deserves to win. Best wishes in 2019. read more

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I planned to go to Alma Cafe for a long time. We finally decided to go. The floor and the ceiling and the picture really made the space vibrant. We came in with high expectations. The coffee cake and the latte was good. I would come back here for the pastry and the coffee. My husband had Biscuit and Gravy and I had Steak amd Eggs. The crispy potatoes were literally the star of the dish! The steak was medium instead of medium rare. The steak was dry too. The egg was too wet. My husband's biscuit was meh, lackluster. Would come back here but not for the brunch read more

A bit disappointing considering all the hype behind this place. Was ready to get blown away considering my fellow Yelpers kept on raving about this place. I've had it in my bookmarks for quite some time and finally pulled the trigger on it. Not going to say it was bad, but it was not that great. The place is pretty cool, warranting an "oh wow" as soon as I walked in. They got a pretty cool atmosphere and setting. Good first impression. Started on a high note with the house-made Ricotta cheese and bread, which was delicious. The cauliflower, on the other hand, was lackluster; minimum amounts of flavor and just meh. The beet salad was also ok but nothing to write home about. On to the main plates. The pork chop was decent, well prepared and with a good presentation but its not something I would order again. The lamb burger was again, ok but would not come back for it. The lack of options on the menu was also disappointing. I'm curious to try their full-blown 3 course meal but after our experience I'm feeling doubtful and with so many good options around I'm not sure I'll make it back any time soon. Funny because all 3 of my friends that I met here were surprised I picked this place for dinner because they'd been here before and all agreed that for the money it's not worth it. Two of them even ate before to save themselves the unnecessary cost and just swung by just for drinks lol.... read more

LOVED this café. LOVED the food. Bone Broth. Two eggs w/ Crispy Potatoes, Toast & Apple Butter. Baked Egg Strata: Roasted Mushrooms, Gruyere, Tomato Conserva & Bibb Salad. Brioche French Toast: Apple Jam, Roasted Apples, Maple & Candied Almonds. Everything was so good. We would definitely return. read more

I was really underwhelmed by this place, but still glad to try it. Pros: The ambiance is nice and the decor is favorable. Scallops were very tasty. Cons: Our server had no sense of humor at all and was less then outgoing. Almost seemed put out. Portions were very small. I understand that some upscale places aren't huge into their portions, but I don't want to leave a place hungry after paying for an expensive meal. read more

Stopped by Restaurant Alma for date night last night. I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant with the large windows and exposed brick walls. Since my hubby and I gave up meat for Lent, Restaurant Alma was the perfect choice. They offer tons of vegetarian options and even have a vegetarian tasting menu. The regular tasting menu is $48 for three courses and dessert and the vegetarian tasting menu is $38 for four courses and dessert. Tempting as the tasting menu was, we opted for the a la carte menu. We started with the salmon tartare that is served over avocado and generously seasoned with dill. I loved the flavor of this dish, it reminded me of Mexico with the bright flavors of lime, avocado and salmon. For our entrees, I ordered the Ricotta Gnocchi with chard and roasted squash, and my husband had the Gold Beet Ravioli with smoked butter, currants and pickled cabbage. The gnocchi was bursting with flavor, but I thought it was a little heavy on the salt. I loved the roasted squash and kale. One other recommendation for this dish would be to slightly sear the gnocchi so they had a less mushy texture. When the soft gnocchi were combined with the soft squash, the dish was a little one dimensional. The Gold Beet Ravioli was another good dish with interesting flavor. I just recently discovered that I liked beets, but the beets in this dish weren't too overpowering. I could definitely taste the smokey butter and the currants added great flavor. The pickled cabbage was a bit overpowering, but overall this was a great dish. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Torte with candied macademia nuts and orange. This dish was dynamite. A lot of restaurants serve flourless chocolate cake, but none are quite like the dish at Restaurant Alma. The extras that come with the cake really made the dish. When I got a bite with the toffeed nuts, smooth and creamy dark chocolate and tart orange it was like party in my mouth. I was really intrigued by their Root Beer Parfait Root Beer Parfait, which is vanilla ice cream, root beer cake and peanut butter anglaise, so we might need to make another trip to Alma before they take it off the menu. read more

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Servers were very nice and attentive. We ordered a cocktail and the prefix dinner with wine. The first course and wine showed up long before we had time to finish our cocktails. The courses were ok but not fabulous. Everything but the main course was served too fast. Did appreciate a tip off on our main course wine. Price tag was very high. Won't go back read more

I ate at the Restaurant Alma, not sure why I can only find the cafe here. Anyway, should you order the wine pairings, keep an eye on the by-the-glass menu. The pairings are short pours rather than full glasses. My three short pours would have been $30 for full glasses, but they charged me $35 for the pairing. They don't show you the bottle, pour tableside, or even tell you the producer, so even if they poured wines that achieved the implied value of the pairings, they're doing it wrong. They made up for it when we talked to them; but honestly, between a chili crepe that didn't taste like chilis (and had surprise onions all over) and noticeably lackluster service, by that time I was over the whole meal. read more

I just went to Alma last night, and happened to catch them on a menu change. Once again, my taste buds were in heaven, and it reiterated that Alma still deserves its 5 stars. I had the tasting menu, and splurged the extra $2 for the gnocchi. The gnocchi was out of this world: buttery, not too salty, huge chunks of seafood and citrus... Two thumbs up. Definitely reiterated that this IS the best restaurant in the Twin Cities! PS And, they take reservations! I came in, I sat down, I ate! How satistifed... read more

After a few attempts to gather my team to test out one of the hottest restaurants in Minneapolis, I finally rounded them up for an evening at Restaurant Alma. We were seated in the intimate upstairs area which is a tucked away loft. The menu changes frequently to ensure freshness of the ingredients, and nothing disappointed us. The food was fantastic - from the fresh green salad with a delightfully fresh dressing, to the earthy orecchiette with lamb sausage to the halibut. I probably loved dessert even more if that's possible. Even though there are only about 6 options for each course, there were so many things that looked good I could go back again a few times before they change the menu again. Our waiter was helpful in description of dishes, had an opinion on what to recommend when asked (which I like), and was honest about wine recommendations regarding what he had tried and liked and what he hadn't. Great place for a small group (definitely fewer than six) whether as a date night, special occasion celebration or with close work colleagues. read more

Always enjoy Alma's. Wish it were easier to get reservations, but I'm a late planner too.

I was disappointed that this place wasn't better than it was. First, the bartender expressed zero interest in me as a guest. I wasn't expecting much--just a little indication that he wanted me to have a nice dining experience. At one point he removed the bottle of wine in front of me which was for the course I was eating. After a few minutes he placed it back on the edge of the bar and slid it in my direction while I was eating, which was a bit jarring. As far as the food, the butternut squash soup was a little bland. The seafood seemed to be the main ingredient, and I definitely would have liked more flavor from the pieces of squash which were swimming at the bottom of the broth. The mushroom pasta was also bland and the pasta was over cooked. Finally the duck was a bit tough. Maybe it was an "off" night but at the least the service could have been better. People rave about this place, and I'm sure they make very good food, but unfortunately I didn't have the greatest experience. read more

My favorite place in the city for a great dinner experience with great service, each plate melts into your mouth on a perfect combination of flavors. The food is perfectly cooked and pairs perfectly with their great atmosphere. read more

Alma - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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What a great place! We loved the atmosphere! We could visit but it isn't so quiet that you hear your own heartbeat! The wait staff are fantastic! The small plates, entrees and desserts were scrumptious. There is street parking nearby but we enjoyed a leisurely walk from downtown! The small plates of crispy smashed potatoes and the fried cauliflower were fantastic!! read more

Alma - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We went on a mini vacation to Minneapolis and decided to treat ourselves to a dinner here. We made a reservation for ahead of time so that we could be seated inside. We paid in advance when we made the reservation online, then paid on site at the end for additional drinks we ended up ordering. In accordance with safety guidelines, all of the tables were far apart, all staff wore masks, and all customers wore masks unless seated. We had the fall menu (4 courses) for $78 per person, as well as the wine flight for $48 per person. We were first served fresh focaccia bread and sourdough bread along with a special butter, olives, and a fresh cheese from Wisconsin. We told a staff member our choices from the menu at the beginning and from then on, each course was brought out separately. There was some wait time between each course, but we didn't mind since we just filled that time with conversation. The entire dinner ended up taking a full two hours. All of the staff were friendly and the food was all amazing. At the end, they gifted us each with a coconut macaroon. Since they change their menu seasonally, I would love to come here again and try more of their creations. read more

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Ate here for our anniversary last Wednesday. Still has great food, but after experiencing the new Heidi's I don't feel like I can send people here. This is why: Heidi's has better decor, service and outstanding food for less. See Dave A.'s review.... read more

Crazy good service from a waiter named Margot. Felt so cared for, it was out of this world. I WILL be coming back to alma.

Wow! What a great surprise to stumble into this place on our walk to the hotel! We had wonderful cocktails, and the blueberry rhubarb dessert. Wish we would have not been so full as the menu looked amazing! Would definitely suggest a visit if you are looking for unique place with a wonderful ambiance and attention to details! read more

Alma - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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My partner and I did a staycation at Hotel Alma because it is listed as one of the best staycation hotels in the Twin Cities. During our stay we dined at Cafe Alma. Here are my reviews: Hotel Review Once I stopped thinking of Hotel Alma as a "hotel" and started viewing it as a "Bed and Breakfast", I loved it! When I thought of it as a hotel, I wondered why there was no room service, workout facilities, etc. But the place fits in perfectly as a Bed & Breakfast because there are only 7 rooms & a light breakfast is included. You can walk right down to Restaurant Alma or Cafe Alma. I actually loved our room being above the cafe because hearing the noise made me feel like we were in some big, bustling city. In our room, one of the lamps was out and the manager couldn't figure out how to get the TV on. But the service & attentiveness from the staff exceeded our expectations and we were able to enjoy a stay regardless of those two inconveniences. Cafe Review We tossed and turned about dining at the cafe or restaurant or going somewhere near by. Ultimately we landed on eating at the cafe because of the items on the menu & wanting to try a new place. BEST CHOICE EVER! The coconut macaroons are Ah-mazing. We had 2 coconut macaroons, a bread appetizer, Tomato Bread Soup, a Saffron Rice Dish, Ginger Cake, an alcoholic drink & a coke for $60. And the service was top notch. I will be back and will be spreading the news about how wonderful Cafe Alma is. read more

Don't come for brunch. Might be a good spot to drink a coffee and eat some pastries, but not for brunch. You order your food at the counter and wait for someone to bring you the order. Ours took too long to be delivered to our table and they brought it in parts (we were a party of two, not a big order at all). The waitress, who is clearly not there to help you, had a little bad attitude when I asked about our order. The food was ok. I have to believe the good ratings are for the dinner. read more

I can say few restaurants I have been to are deserving of a full five stars but Restaurant Alma certainly deserves all of the acclaim it has received thus far and all that it will receive from me. Restaurant Alma is one of those rare establishments that not only sets you at ease when you arrive but maintains a level of comparability throughout the meal that can get lost among other high class venues. To start off our table was treated to glass of champagne which set the stage for the rest of the evening. While there were several options that caught my eye for the first course I had the Marlin Tartare with yam crisps and jalapeno sauce. It was a really well composed dish that maintained a balance of flavors and textural elements throughout. For the second course I had the Lamb and Sticky Rice. The sauce was a red chili sauce with just the right amount of heart, and crispy shallots were sprinkled across the top with paper thin slices of cucumber. Normally I am not a cucumber fan but on some dishes I've learned to just go with the intention of chef and I'm rarely disappointed. My entree was a perfectly roasted Sturgeon seated on a warm potato salad and sprinkled with sliced snap peas, all coated beneath a light chorizo jus. The entire meal featured really unique flavor pairings which were only made more enjoyable by our wine pairings. I would consider this among the best restaurants I've been to, and certainly a shining example for others to emulate both in terms of cuisine and ambiance. read more

Alma - Chickpea and Squid Salad - Cafes Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We came here for my husbands birthday, planning to splurge & have a fun night out while we had a babysitter. From the start of the experience I felt a little confused by Alma, but still wanted to give it a try because it came so highly recommended. As I made the reservation i kept wavering between the restaurant & the cafe, unsure what to choose, nothing on yelp or their website seemed to explain the perks of one vs the other. When we arrived we were greeted warmly & invited to wait at the bar until our table was ready. A bar back greeted us & mentioned twice that he could go get the bartender if we wanted to order drinks. He was nice, but I still felt like I was inconveniencing someone who wasn't ready to serve guests. My husband got a cocktail & thought it was well made & delicious. He made conversation with the bartender a bit, but the vibe I picked up was that he had somewhere else he needed or wanted to be. About ten mins after our reservation time passed we were brought to our table (hostess was very professional & kind). When the server arrived we asked for recommendations on how & what to order. He explained that we should order everything at once so he could course it for us. I've worked in a restaurant that ran that way so I get that concept. However when we began choosing things & asking for suggestions between 1 dish or another he kept telling us to get both rather than helping us actually decide. The sales pitch was a bit too heavy handed for my tastes & descriptions were a little lacking. This is a picky thing to note but there seemed to be a lot of staff, many of them standing around chatting with each other or looking bored. I had noted in our reservation that we were there to celebrate a birthday. At one point during our meal, our server approached us & said "I heard it's your birthday, happy birthday!" to me... rather than to my husband. oops, so close! The food we got started our GREAT but then faltered a bit: cauliflower (A). We then got shrimp(C+) smashed potato (D) & tenderloin (B-). Luckily we left on a good note, carrot cake (A). I'm on the fence about wanting to return & possibly try the restaurant side to see if I chose wrong the first time. The service in the cafe was friendly but a little disjointed & sale'sy. The lighting was ambient & the decor was interesting but there wasn't a cohesiveness to it. The prices are higher than other spots with comparable dishes. Wish I was more impressed Alma. read more

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Located few blocks away from the Stone Arch Bridge, Alma is an exquisite Prix Fixe Dinner only restaurant. I have been here before with my fiancee in 2014 and had truly enjoyed their food then. This was definitely one of our top to do items during our next trip to Minneapolis. After the james beard nominations came out this year, we found out Alma made it to the semifinals for best restaurant, so this was another reason to pay them another visit. We reached the restaurant 15 mins prior to our reservation as it was very cold outside after visiting Izzys, Stone arch Bridge and Guthrie Theater. We chose from the 3 course menu and decided to share everything. AMUSE BOUCHE Olives and Cheese FIRST COURSE Soft Cooked Eggs Yukon gold potato puree, melted leeks, truffle vinaigrette Butternut Squash Soup gently cooked blue prawns, gnocchi and mint MIDDLE Chestnut bread pudding cipollini Onion, Maine Lobster, red wine reduction Torchio pasta wild mushrooms, butternut squash, rosemary pan sauce ENTREE Sauteed sea scallops smoked celery root puree, lentils du puy, ham hock Pan roasted Mahi Mahi salsify cream, fresh paprika, glazed king crab DESSERT Chocolate Torte apricot sorbet, caramelized hazelnut, salted caramel bits and black tuille This was one the best tasting menus we've been to in Minneapolis. The price point for such wonderful food is also great as compared to similar restaurants in California/Bay Area. https://colorsflavors.wordpress.com/2019/03/08/alma-in-minneapolis/ read more

Beautiful restaurant with unique bites. Really enjoyable place in a cute neighborhood!

Had a really, really lovely breakfast. The brow butter oatmeal is just fantastic -- nutty, milky, and rich -- a nice balance of sweet and savory. The financier brought a much welcomed orange citrus brightness to the whole affair. Prices are incredibly reasonable and the space is gorgeous. read more

Service was sooooo slow despite not being all that busy. Food was really quite disappointing. Had miso salmon, rigatoni, crispy potatoes, lamb sandwich. Was at alma recently and enjoyed our whole meal there so this was an unpleasant surprise. read more

This one is for the pastries. Or at least for one specific pastry: the rhubarb galette. I think I could write an ode to it! Buttery, flaky, crispy pastry dough studded with a deliciously crunchy coat of granulated sugar. The filling was diced rhubarb cooked to that perfect point at the cusp between having some bite and melting in your mouth. And with just enough sugar to tame the sourness of the rhubarb, but not so much as to take it completely away. I ate it on the go and really regretted not having the time to sit down and truly enjoy it. I think I'll have to stop by again and test some more pastries. read more

The two star rating reflects my experience last night dining with a large group (12 people). The restaurant staff didn't seem equipped to deal with the flow of serving so many people. We ordered a few small plates that were shared among the group (course 1). Then placed our dinner orders and most of the people in our group ordered a small plate and a large plate (courses 2 and 3). Unfortunately, there were a couple of us who only ordered an entree, and we were left to sit for about an hour and a half before we got any food. I got the impression that course 3 didn't even get started until quite a while after the course 2 plates were cleared (maybe the kitchen was backed up). To make things worse, the two people in the party who didn't order a small plate were the LAST to get their entree - several minutes past everyone else being served. This is probably a fine place for a couple, but I don't recommend it for a large group. It was on the expensive side - I had a glass of wine and a smallish $14 entree; by the time they added 3% for "cost of staff benefits" and a mandatory 20% gratuity for the large group, I was at $30. read more

Great location for romantic dinners. The owner sat with us and told us about his journey and how supporting his team is important. We will return for certain. read more

I came here with a couple of friends for drinks on a Thursday night, so I can't speak to the food. It was surprisingly busy for a Thursday, but it was still easy to get a table. The drink menu is very unique, and our waitress was very informed about the different choices. I decided on the pink negroni, and it was a very tasty drink. Perfectly balanced bittern with sweet and the right strength. My friends really enjoyed theirs as well, and I think I actually liked my friends Green Isaac more than mine. Overall really great experience. The food menu looked great as well, so I would like to stop by on a future trip to Minneapolis. read more