Few People Know One Of The Nicest Restaurants In America Is Hiding In Small-Town Minnesota

This is the Land of 10,000 Lakes, so all our restaurants are arguably "nice" - it’s just our nature - but if you’re looking for a nice small-town restaurant in Minnesota, head to Bernie’s in East Grand Forks. It’s a hometown joint that’s generating a lot of buzz.

Food Network celebrity and cookbook author Molly Yeh, along with her husband, Nick Hagen, opened Bernie’s in East Grand Forks in 2022.

The restaurant is an upscale counter-service concept that’s open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and happy hour.

The dining room is austerely elegant.

The simplicity of the space is echoed by the restaurant’s cuisine, which is inspired by local, Midwestern, and Scandinavian flavors and ingredients.

Breakfast dishes range from oatmeal or whitefish toast to smörgåsbord.

The menu also includes sandwiches and soups, including Yeh’s famous knoephla soup. It's one of the things that makes Molly Yeh's restaurant reviews so positive.

A selection of succulent salads and a regular smattering of specials are also available.

Those who enjoy a little bump with their brunch or who stop in for happy hour will be pleased with Bernie’s bar offerings.

Order your usual or sample from the bold selection of craft cocktails, like the cranberry shrub.

In addition to Molly Yeh's Bernie's restaurant menu, it also offers a bakery case.

There’s even a market for your postprandial shopping pleasure.

Check Bernie’s website to see its business hours and complete menu or to order online. Apart from Bernie’s, there are plenty of other nice small-town restaurants in Minnesota that are well worth checking out.

Have you had a chance to visit Bernie’s in East Grand Forks yet? Are there any other hometown favorites that can go toe-to-toe with the country’s best restaurants? Let us know in the comments.