Restaurants Posts

Vote for the best pizza, burger, Asian, vegetarian, Mexican and Italian restaurants

Oct 29, 2013 No Comments

In the top four categories below, an elimination round was held to determine the finalists. In the last two, the number of nominees was short enough to skip an elimination round.

Which restaurant serves the best pizza?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Thirsty Pagan Brewing — 45.9 percent
Pizza Lucé — 24.7 percent
Sammy”s Pizza — 17.6 percent
Vintage Italian Pizza — 11.8 percent

Which restaurant serves the best burgers?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Anchor Bar — 61.3 percent
Fitger’s Brewhouse — 38.7 percent

Which restaurant serves the best Asian food?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Hanabi Japanese Cuisine — 36.6 percent
Pak’s Green Corner — 25.4 percent
Taste of Saigon — 22.5 percent
Sala Thai Restaurant — 15.5 percent

Which restaurant has the best vegetarian food?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Duluth Grill — 64.3 percent
At Sara’s Table / Chester Creek Café — 35.7 percent

Which restaurant serves the best Mexican food?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Mexico Lindo — 29.5 percent
None are worthy — 25.6 percent
Azteca’s Mexican Grill — 19.2 percent
Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant — 14.1 percent
Little Angie’s Cantina and Grill — 6.4 percent
Maya Family Mexican Restaurant — 5.1 percent

Which restaurant serves the best Italian food?

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This poll is closed. The results were:

Va Bene Caffé — 40 percent
Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar — 18.8 percent
Valentini’s Vicino Lago — 18.8 percent
Gannucci’s Italian Market — 17.6 percent
Green Mill — 4.7 percent


Polls, Restaurants

Poll: Best Restaurant for Vegetarians

Oct 25, 2013 No Comments

There are no strictly vegetarian restaurants in the Duluth area, but there are a few that go out of their way to provide good vegetarian options on their menus. Which ones are the best? That’s for you to decide. So we ask …

What is the best Duluth-area restaurant for vegetarians?

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This poll is now closed. The restaurants advancing to the final round are At Sara’s Table / Chester Creek Café and Duluth Grill.


Polls, Restaurants

Before Big Daddy’s Burgers …

Oct 23, 2013 3 Comments

I’ve been to Big Daddy’s Burgers in Piedmont a couple of times and liked it, I need to go again sometime. However, I have a memory of another diner, an even smaller one, just next door to Big Daddy’s, (to the left at the end of the building). When I was kid, likely in the mid-to-late 1980s, my Grandma took me there when we were visiting my Great Grandma at Viewcrest nursing home. I may have only been there once, maybe twice, but it made an impression, mostly due to it’s size, it was the very definition of a hole-in-the-wall diner. There was a lunch counter that ran most of the length of it, the cook made the food right behind it, I don’t think there were even any tables, just the counter since it was so small.

Does anyone remember this place, the name, and I know this is stretching it, but perhaps pictures? It’s just one of those childhood memories that has stuck with me, and I’d love a little history? Thanks in advance!


History, Restaurants , ,

Poll: Best Asian Food in the Duluth Area

Oct 22, 2013 No Comments

The nominations are in; now it’s time to pick the finalists.

Which restaurant serves the best Asian food?

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This poll is now closed. The restaurants advancing to the final round are Hanabi Japanese Cuisine, Pak’s Green Corner, Taste of Saigon and Sala Thai.


Polls, Restaurants

Poll: Best Burgers in the Duluth Area

Oct 21, 2013 No Comments

Let the elimination round begin.

Which restaurant serves the best burgers?

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This poll is now closed. The restaurants advancing to the final round are the Anchor Bar and Fitger’s Brewhouse.


Polls, Restaurants

Poll: Best Pizza in the Duluth Area

Oct 20, 2013 No Comments

The nominations are in, and it’s time to whittle down the options. So we ask …

Who makes the best pizza?

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This poll is now closed. The restaurants advancing to the final round are Pizza Lucé, Sammy’s Pizza, Thirsty Pagan Brewing and Vintage Italian Pizza.


Polls, Restaurants

Perfect Lunch Restaurant: Northern Waters Smokehaus

Oct 18, 2013 13 Comments

When it comes to lunch in Duluth, the sandwich is king. Not one pizza place, burger joint or Asian restaurant managed to crack the top four in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to determine the best lunch restaurants. Furthermore, the place with the best sandwiches in town, Northern Waters Smokehaus, smoked the competition. A solid majority of 55.4 percent of voters agreed Northern Waters is the best mid-day meal around.

Clearly the deliciousness is no secret — there’s almost always a noon-hour line at Northern Waters.

NWS-lunch-line

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Polls, Restaurants ,

PDD Awards: The Next Six

Oct 17, 2013 31 Comments

We’re going to accelerate the process of the PDD Awards IndexPDD Awards and conclude the Food & Drink category before the end of the month, then take a break so you can focus on political voting.

The next six categories to be voted on will be:

  • Best Pizza Restaurant
  • Best Burger Restaurant
  • Best Asian Restaurant
  • Best Italian Restaurant
  • Best Mexican Restaurant
  • Best Vegetarian Restaurant

So spout out your nominees for all six categories in the comments here, and we’ll start the voting when it seems like you’re about done.


Restaurants

Best Lunch in the Duluth Area

Oct 15, 2013 No Comments

Our previous poll tells us the top four lunch restaurants in Duluth are: How Sweet it is Cakes Deli, Northern Waters Smokehaus, Red Mug Coffeehouse and Bake Shop and Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake. Now it’s time to pick a winner, so again we ask …

Which restaurant serves the best lunch?

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This poll is now closed. The results are:

Northern Waters Smokehaus — 55.4 percent
How Sweet it is Cakes Deli — 21.5 percent
Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake — 13.9 percent
Red Mug Coffeehouse and Bake Shop — 9.2 percent


Polls, Restaurants

Good restaurant with good wine

Oct 13, 2013 4 Comments

I know where to go for good beer and food in the area, but not so much anymore where to go for good wine and food. I know Bellisio’s touts its wine selection. What else is there? Lake Avenue Cafe? Va Bene? Others? I like places that make an effort to feature local, sustainable and organic food.


Recommendations, Restaurants

Best Duluth Lunch Poll

Oct 11, 2013 No Comments

Earlier this week, PDD asked where the best lunch is in Duluth. We got 31 different answers. Now it’s time to see which of those answers hold weight. It’s time to roll out the fancy polling tool.

Which restaurant serves the best lunch?

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This poll is now closed. Four restaurants move on to the finals:

How Sweet it is Cakes
Northern Waters Smokehaus
Red Mug Coffeehouse and Bake Shop
Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake


Polls, Restaurants

Best Restaurant for Lunch

Oct 08, 2013 32 Comments

Next up in the series of polls for the <PDD Awards Index>PDD Awards, we will determine the best lunch restaurant in the Duluth area. We’re taking nominations in the comments to this post, then a poll will follow, as usual.

For some of you, the ideal lunch is the place that kicks out the fastest, cheapest grub. Others might prefer a slow-pace escape from the daily grind. Either notion is fine, but the majority vote will decide what is best.

Once again, we define our territory: Any restaurant in Duluth or 10 miles of its border is eligible. So establishments in Superior, Hermantown, Proctor and the various bordering townships all qualify; Two Harbors, Cloquet and farther away municipalities are out of bounds.


Restaurants

Ugly Stick Saloon

Oct 06, 2013 13 Comments

IMG_4512 (800x533)

A splash of Coyote Ugly is in the city of Superior, just minutes off of the Bong Bridge on Belknap Street, in the former dining area of the Shack.

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Restaurants ,

Perfect Restaurant: New Scenic Café

Oct 04, 2013 9 Comments

You have to leave Duluth to get to its best restaurant. The New Scenic Café is located about three miles beyond the city’s northeastern border, in Duluth Township — roughly a 20-minute drive from the center of the Zenith City. It’s a drive Duluthians and tourists alike have been happy to take repeatedly during the 14 years since chef Scott Graden and his aunt Rita Bergstedt opened their contemporary American restaurant.

NewScenicScottGraden
Above: New Scenic Owner Scott Graden

The location on the scenic North Shore Drive is a big part of the allure, but what’s so new about this 14-year-old café? The menu, that’s what. It’s always new, changing with the seasons. Today one might try the seared duck breast or ratatouille lasagna, while six months ago the lamb meatloaf was the temptation of the moment.

Sure, it’s the kind of place ham-and-eggers will make fun of, scoffing at the prices and snickering at the notion of an “heirloom” tomato, but it’s hard to be the best restaurant in the area without a hint of snootiness. At least it’s a North Shore brand of foodie snootiness, where your flannel shirt and/or socks with sandals will fit in just fine.

Props must go out to the runners up in this poll, because the voting was close. New Scenic edged out Zeitgeist Arts Café by two percentage points, and Zeitgeist edged out Duluth Grill by three percentage points. A bit behind the top three, but still pulling nearly 15 percent of the vote, was Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar.

PDD Awards Index


Polls, Restaurants ,

Best Twin Ports Dining Deal Rooms

Oct 03, 2013 8 Comments

Can the PDD faithful help me find some private dining “deal room” options in the Twin Ports?

I’m tapped out on my short list of places to broker deals with customers and vendors. I often need to have a quiet area for two to six people to conduct business over a working lunch.

Some deals are very casual and low key, some not as much. Some are software demos and require a screen and projector — these are not very high-brow affairs, so …

Serve me up some critiques on food, atmosphere, memorable experience and privacy please.


Recommendations, Restaurants
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