I've been here a few times for different meals but finally got to experience their patio so it's time for a review. The patio is perfection but always packed. We went for a late brunch around 1:30 so were able to score a table almost immediately. The service wasn't great, which is why I docked a star, and I don't love that they hover over you while you pay/tip. I had the brisket grits which was good, but my friend had a quiche which is what I'll get next time and looked even better. Brunch menu is small but decent. We also had a few cocktails which we liked I've also been inside for brunch as well as pre-movie snacks/drinks at the bar and it's a cool vibe! read more

Aster Cafe - Brisket grits - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Alright, Minnesota, patio season is here. This is an Unforgettable Food Adventure! Ice-cold tap beer, taste-bud fireworks, and an ambiance that'll make you smile like never before! This restaurant has it all. Prepare for mind-blowing flavors, refreshing sips, and an atmosphere that keeps the good times rollin'. #FoodieFun #ColdBeersGoodVibes read more

Aster Cafe - a plate of food and a glass of beer - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Aster cafe is a fun place to see live music and grab a drink. I would recommend getting food elsewhere as it's mediocre. However, the service and music make the venue worth it. I also appreciate the location right on the river. read more

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I love sitting on the patio at the Astor café in the summertime drinking their sangria. The service was great as well as the food. read more

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Great atmosphere, service and food. On the banks of the Mississippi, a nice outdoor patio table is a must to enjoy an afternoon out. The menu isn't huge, but everything on it fills a need. We ordered brisket tacos and pepperoni flatbread. A glass of sangria was perfect for the casual atmosphere. Food was quick and tasty, the server was friendly and attentive. Parking is always a challenge in the St Anthony Main area, so be prepared to walk a few blocks. Give it a whirl! read more

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Super cute! Allergens clearly labeled, gluten free bread available for all sandwiches

Unfortunately, came down with some sickness this week that's leaving me trapped in my room. However, I've been blessed with a great roommate who is willing to pick up some food for me and drop it by my door. Last night, he picked me up an Aster Nouveau sandwich for takeout for me. Since he picked it up for me, I really can't comment on the service or the ambiance, although I have heard that the location is prime. What I can comment on is the food I ate - we live pretty close by so I was able to eat it almost immediately which is great. When I opened up the box, I was immediately a little disappointed. Having paid $21 (incl tax and tip) I was expecting a beautiful, thick sandwich, but it was a bit average looking in aesthetics and fillings. However, it all comes down to the taste. The sandwich is filled with spring greens, grilled chicken, prosciutto, tomatoes, and "balsamic mayo". I was disappointed as there was only like 2 slices of prosciutto and not that much chicken or spring greens. When I took a bite I was underwhelmed - the ratio of fillings to bread was too low and I thought that made the whole sandwich taste a little bland. On top of that, I thought the chicken was pretty dry. Considering it was just a sandwich and it cost over $20, I'd definitely pass on this. Overall, a disappointing meal for me, I'd be willing to give it another try if there was a reason, but not sure that will be anytime soon. read more

Aster Cafe - Aster Nouveau (Takeout) - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Was invited to a Bluegrass brunch here and enjoyed! The space is definitely cozy, maybe even a bit cramped and a little dim. This didn't really bother me, but wanted to be clear in the review if it's not a good thing for others. Brunch had both breakfast and lunch items, traditional with a little flare. The two I brunched with had the brisket grits, I went with the Thai peanut noodles. Noodles were good, a hair spicy. Our server was excellent, knowing when to come over between music as to not interrupt that experience. Would recommend a visit during music or not. read more

Food 4/5 - This is such a cute spot in St. Anthony Main. The patio is always crowded. I loved the pepperoni pizza and the fresh roasted acorn squash salad. They have some yummy brunch options as well but I didn't love the fennel sausage on the eggs Benedict but everything else was great. Service / Ambiance 4/5 - We got our food within a timely manner and our server was very nice and helpful. Overall great experience at Aster Cafe! read more

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Ambience - 5/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 4/5 Value - 4/5 The food was good, cafe menu with salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches. The service was slow and our appetizers came out the same time as the meal. Outdoor seating was beautiful and shaded and inside was old and unique. read more

I FINALLY got to check out this amazing patio. My friends have been raving about this place and we finally decided to meet up here on a beautiful October afternoon. Unfortunately our service was horrible -- waiting over 15 minutes to even get acknowledged, then our food coming out well before our drinks. The server wasn't even apologetic ... very odd. My brother got a salmon salad ... it was the saltiest "salad" I'd ever tasted. With a tiny sliver of salmon. I did like the humus platter-- amazing and fresh flavors. Our drinks were good - especially the specialty cocktail: the midlife crisis with gin and ginger. Fortunately, the setting makes up for the crappy service. I'd like to give it another try sometime... read more

The patio makes the spot. The food is meh as is the service too. But for a bright sunny day the outside atmosphere and the weirdo people watching is the best, P.S. don't eat inside you will be sad. read more

One of the best places to have fun & good food, with your family, your love and friends! Hi recommend! Thank you so much for making our night! read more

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I didn't realize how beautiful mpls was until I sat here and watched the sunset over the skyline. Perfect patio on a nice summer day, and the Hawaiian sandwich didn't miss -1 : Wouldn't recommended the flatbreads. Friend had an upset stomach after. Oh! And the refreshing non-alcoholic drink (The Mirage) was a hit. My friends ordered it after trying mine ;) read more

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Immersed in the warm embrace of the basking sun, we reveled in the enchanting view of the Minneapolis skyline. Our leisurely afternoon was graced by the presence of dear friends and made even more delightful by the exquisite culinary offerings. What more could one possibly aspire to find in such a splendid convergence of nature, friendship, and culinary mastery? Service is prompt and attentive too. read more

Aster Cafe - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Food pretty good. Not crazy about being charged an extra $6 each for sitting inside because an average band happened to be playing. But our server Kiernan made up for it. Super friendly & welcoming. Thx! read more

A favorite past-time the summer is to sit outside enjoying the lovely view of the Mississippi at Aster Café. Well for the first time, I proposed to my friends to visit Aster in the winter. Which turned out to be just an awesome experience and a new favorite past time for winter! First the parking - there is a parking ramp that you just take an elevator down straight to the restaurant, so there is no need to park outside and walk through the nasty snow and sleet to arrive at the restaurant. When we visited, Patty and the Buttons, who preaches the gospel of hot rhythm and happy feet was playing, and they were awesome! Food was wonderful. Myself and another friend got the Salmon salad, which was delish and another friend got the Amish sandwich which he said was delish as well. We really enjoyed a lovely Sunday afternoon lunch in mid winter of Minnesota. Highly recommend! read more

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Such a wonderful patio for summer night. Nothing bad to say. Food was yummy(not out of this world, but yummy) and ambiance was so fun. Service was good. read more

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Had a pretty good brunch at Aster Cafe on Sunday morning at 10:00 am. The brunch menu is super tiny but thankfully I was able to find something that I really liked! I ordered the Brisket Grits and my friends ordered the Veggie Quiche and the Lox. Brisket Grits were super good and the grits were surprisingly thick. Per my friend, the Veggie Quiche was nice and fluffy, eggy, and said she would get it again. My other friend liked the Lox and said it was a step above Bruegger's Bagels. They also have a bunch of great looking cocktails! (Pro tip: order a cocktail called "Old Cuban" which is off the menu and it's sooo good! Not sure what all is in it but it's fantastic). All in all it has a great outdoor seating area nearby the river. I would come back! read more

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I recently went to Aster Cafe for brunch with my partner's family. I've been wanting to try Aster Cafe for a while, I've heard wonderful things about the patio. Also, the views of Minneapolis from the restaurant are incredible. I got the brisket grits, which was definitely a menu item I'm not used to seeing in Minnesota. I'm not a huge poached egg fan, but I really enjoyed it in this dish. The addition of the brisket and roasted peppers added another level of flavor. I would definitely not skip this unique dish! I also had a bite of the french toast bake, which was pretty good. I was hoping for a bit more traditional tres leches flavor. I want to go back to try dinner and cocktails! Service was quick and food was also out pretty fast. *Notes: -We were not able to make a reservation for 6 online and needed to call ahead. -There's street parking around the restaurant. -It's a little tricky to find the way in! read more

Aster Cafe - Interior. - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Finally got to check out Aster Cafe and I was not disappointed. I stopped in to take advantage of the deal they have with The Main Cinema - (eat at Aster on Wednesday and get BOGO movie tickets on the same day). I ordered the mushroom flatbread and street noodles to share, two beers, and a chartreuse swizzle. My partner and I both enjoyed the food and drinks. My favorite of the two entrees were the street noodles - they had a nice bit of spice to them and the peanut sauce was tasty. The flatbread was my partner's favorite, and it was also a deal as flatbreads are only $10 on Wednesdays. One thing to note is that the food came out very quickly, which was awesome as we were hungry and hoping to get to the movie on time. The aesthetic of Aster was very cool, but very moody. Even with the large windows, it was very dark whereas I felt like I was sitting in a cave. I would come back as I hope to visit the patio and take in the views I hear about or to catch some live music! An artist was setting up to play, but unfortunately we didn't get to stay for it. read more

Great patio which is dog friendly The tuna appetizer bka Romantic sharable plates good Korean bbq pull pork sandwich good, but not enough of the seaweed salad to taste it A cider on tap and one in a bottle. read more

Beautiful setting and respectable service but the food is not good. The first time I went to the Aster they served a good flatbread mushroom pizza and good drink. That was in October of 22. The second time we had the burrata salad which was good but nothing special. Last night we had the same salad and a basil(?) flatbread (they were out of mushrooms), I didn't see any basil in fact, it was a greasy cheese pizza with a limp crust not a flat bread at all. We had to blot the oil off the top. Our drinks were also substandard. I'm so sad because the setting is amazing. Oh well, maybe new management and a good chef will come there someday. read more

Ordered flatbread. Large size. Great taste. I also got Bloody Mary / spicy and love it.

Many years after my first review, I'd still rate Aster Cafe as a-okay (hence three stars, which is NOT a bad review in my book). The space is old-timey, dark and rustic. Inside an historic property in St. Anthony Main, you get lovely views of downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River. The outdoor patio is also a nice refuge. The restaurant finally offers a couple labeled vegan options, albeit in a hard-to-discern way (an uppercase V is vegetarian and a lowercase v is vegan, but the two look nearly identical, so you end up asking lots of questions no matter what). We got the banh mi ($17) which can be made vegan if you omit the mayo and substitute Herbivorous Butcher Korean BBQ ribs. The bread on this was dry and maybe over-toasted; the Korean BBQ ribs taste okay, but didn't feel appropriate for a banh mi. Herbivorous Butcher's roast beef would be a better option. All together, this sandwich didn't quite come together for me. The chicken curry bowl ($17) can be made vegan if you ask for the Herbivorous Butcher chicken instead. I thought this was a tasty curry with nice, deeply savory undertones. My only gripe is that they used deli slice chicken, which felt odd; cubed or shredded chicken would have been a more logical texture for a dish like this. Aster Cafe also makes strong cocktails but doesn't have a great beer/cider selection. Stop by Aster for a meal and the patio. read more

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Best patio in Minneapolis! If you're looking for a gem of a place with a great patio, this is it. They have great food and a patio full of community members every time I'm here. It's somewhere I always bring my out-of-town guests. The Mirage cocktail is my favorite. Come for their live music too throughout the year. They have a happy hour you can take advantage of and do not take outdoor reservations. read more

Beautiful location and place! We came here for some cocktails before a wedding reception and love the different vibe between inside and outside. The patio had some lovely people out and about for a late Saturday afternoon with quite a few other weddings taking place - not sure if that's why, but it was still lively! We chose to sit inside due to the light brisk fall weather and loved the warm wood and cozy feeling. After getting a group of tables together our group had a great time with even better conversation. All of which felt fueled by the tone of the place! And, our waitress was both sweet and helpful. Would definitely revisit when I come back to Minneapolis the next time! read more

Aster Cafe - Inside the bar - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Food was really good here, if you don't mind not getting everything you ordered or having to pick items off that you requested not be there. They automatically add a 4% "hospitality fee" to your bill but then also expect a tip for mediocre service. We waited 25 minutes for our food order to be taken, had to get our own waters, and my friend waited 20 minutes to have his coffee refilled. There was a nice man playing accordion outside though so that was nice. Will not ever go back. read more

Nice place, cool vibe, beautiful old building but I really didn't like their pricing. We went there to here a band last night - we each had two drinks and the cover charge was $10 a person. The bill was $100! $19 for the weakest, wateriest martini I've ever had - just had one and switched to a beer. Then they put the ticket costs on the food /drink tab so the tip gets figured out based on that total. I won't be back - plenty of other options :) read more

Update! Aster Cafe is still one of the most scenic patios in the city, and I'm happy to report that their brunch was fantastic. Our patio brunch was one of my favorite meals of the summer (though we have not really been to many places to due COVID but still...). You really can't beat the location on a brick street with a skyline view along the river. We had a party of 3.5, with our 10-month old in tow. The staff was accommodating with seating us where there was room for his stroller and high chair. Good news: I found my favorite bagel + lox in the cities. Aster's iteration currently has: lemon and green peppercorn cream cheese, microgreens, aged balsamic, fried capers, and a soft cured egg yolk on an everything bagel. It's ingenious!! I tried a bite of the Aster Benedict with housemade sausage and that was wonderful too, especially the hollandaise. We went on a Saturday but I see that they sometimes have live music during Sunday brunch. Which I realized that earlier in the season! read more

Aster Cafe - Lox - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The atmosphere and ambience is special. It feels like a café in Europe. They have live music and great food options. You can't beat the view of the river. Went for brunch for the first time, small menu but the Lox was delicious; I would definitely order it again. My friend got the Benedict and would order something else next time. Indoors is best for small groups. Their outdoor patio is large but doesn't take reservations so there might be a short wait at busy times and beautiful days. We each got two drinks and two brunch entrees for about $56 (includes tax, tip, and $5 Cover charge per person for the swing band) read more

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Came for happy hour turned dinner on the river and wasn't disappointed. Signage was confusing trying to find the host. But we found it eventually. Drinks: the nitro sangria on tap 10/10 would recommended! We got a pitcher and sooooo satisfied about it. Food: We ordered the Chile Colorado and the Street Noodles (added chicken). Both were impressive with the flavor profile. Different flavors all together. The noodles were seasoned well. You could tell the chicken didn't come w the meal - it was a shredded salt and pepper chicken. From a family of Asian decent we were satisfied with the flavors but disappointed in the chicken. The Chile Colorado was very good - we did miss a vegetable in the meal something green and lively would have been a great addition. Mole flavor wasn't overpowering but it is a darker Mexican seasoning and I enjoyed it. Husband disappointed in portion size, I was satisfied splitting both entrees. He was still hungry so ordered an artichoke dip. Was highly impressed - focaccia, was really airy and delightful. Service: fine - I asked for entree recommendations and the answer was "artichoke dip" - not an entree. Did redeem themselves but recommendations were taken with a grain of salt. Ambiance: the live guitar music on the patio was beautiful read more

My friend and I swung into Aster Cafe on a Friday afternoon after walking around on the Stone Arch Bridge. We were greeted quickly and opted for a seat on the patio. The patio is adorable, set back a bit from St Anthony Main. It has plenty of shade, good room between tables, and a fun but relaxed atmosphere. Our server quickly came to take our drink orders and we both opted for an Aperol spritz. The drinks were great - a good balance of sweet Prosecco with the bitter Aperol. They were perfectly refreshing for a summer day! We didn't have any food, but after scoping out the dishes being brought to other tables, I'll definitely be back to try it out. read more

I seem to be in the minority here, but this was just underwhelming. I was not excited by the mains on the menu: sandwiches, flatbreads, bowls. The lamb flatbread was fine, but with all of the fantastic pizza options in Minneapolis, it just feels like cheating on your wife. On that note, we ordered the side piece cocktail, which lacked balance. Average service but I understand their patio is always busy. The view and location saved the night from being totally meh. read more

I love Aster Cafe! The ambiance is so lovely and I usually recommend this place to people who are in town for a short time. Love the patio and interior. It's near the stone arch bridge and in a lovely area in general to walk around. The food and drinks are fantastic and the service is always exceptional. They also have live music there sometimes. Highly recommend! read more

Aster cafe is a great social venue for food and drinks alike. I came here as a suggestion from some local friends-- and they love it as well. My first experience was excellent, we had drinks and lovely conversation. My favorite drink was the Bloody Mary- it had just the right amount of spice and even came with a small side of beer, which I didn't realize was a thing! Great experience and location for friends and family! I will be back to try more things in the near future! read more

Aster Cafe - Bloody Mary, with the "side car" - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Loved Asters Cafe! The outdoor patio was wonderful. We went during happy hour and their wine pours are perfect. Got a salad, but wish I had gotten another dish as many of the salads don't have protein. Would go again. read more

Aster Cafe - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is the best gluten free crust I have ever had. It isn't advertised on the menu, so just ask your server. Great drinks, comfy bar.

Great food. Service is decent. Been here twice and the servers were extremely awkward/uncomfortable. LOVE the club sandwich. read more

Aster Cafe - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Aster is great, wonderful patio + view of the river with well spaced tables for social distancing. Had a great server who recommended the best apps. HIGHLY recommend the crab dip! No imitation crab here! I haven't loved seafood around Minni, but this dip was one of the best summer treats I've had in the cities (if you like seafood). Walk up reservations only, so don't try and book in advance, but got a table right away. read more

Aster Cafe - New American Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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