This is in the cutest, vintage old building off the main street running through downtown Alexandria. You can park in the lot in the back or park on the street. It's a little hard to spot because the sign doesn't stand out and it's tucked between buildings. You order at the counter and they will bring your food to you. I love the idea the owner has about bringing fresh locally farmed ingredients to the menu. The menu is simple and it was perfect for lunch. We tried the tomato basil soup, smoked turkey sandwich and chicken salad sandwich. Everything tasted so good! Just a heads up, they aren't huge sandwiches but it was plenty for me. read more

Let's describe the restaurant - a french restaurant "out of place" in Alexandria Minnesota. So they serve sandwiches at lunch and dinner as a necessary way to provide interest in the restaurant. But - they have a very interesting french style dinner menu as well. Intriguing. We were traveling and our anniversary was while we were in Alexandria. We wanted something special, and a french dinner seemed cool. But wait. They had a "chef's table" as well. Not an everyday thing, and not inexpensive, but - a chef's table in Alexandria Minnesota? We were totally there. A five course meal, wines accompanying, and it was totally delightful. We often blog our travels, and we wrote pages about this meal. Kudos to Matthew and Amber! read more

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An impromptu stop passing thru but an absolute gem. Fantastic and friendly service and the food was delicious and we left without post-meal regret. Highly recommend! Wish it was located back where we're from - we'd be regulars. Thanks for delicious cookie too! read more

Bautiful little bistro! Like walking into New Orleans with the atmosphere. The food is all homemade and amazing! read more

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I tried the tomato soup and the Cuban sandwich. Both were very flavorful and the ingredients were all excellent quality. Service was quick and the atmosphere was homey and pleasant read more

LA FERME - tomato soup and the Cuban sandwhich - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

This quaint little place is farm to table with all locally sourced ingredients and it shows in the quality, taste, and presentation. If you are looking for a place to grab brunch or even just a light lunch this is the place. Definitely coming back to try their dinner menu. read more

LA FERME - the interior of a restaurant - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

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A significant wedding anniversary celebration happened while my spouse and I were traveling. We found ourselves in Alexandria, MN on our special day and choose to celebrate our union at La Ferme. We truly had a five star dining experience. Our meal was totally amazing from the beginning course to the finish. Seated at the Chef's Table we placed ourselves in the very capable hands of Chef Matthew and Wine Aficionado Amber. Our experience began with prosecco, followed by an amuse bouche. This was followed with an Asian Fusion appetizer complimented with an Eden Valley Dry Riesling. Our next course was pheasant complimented with a Dry Rose. This course was followed by lamb sausage sourced from their farm and paired with a Pinotage. Then the best, in my opinion, - Ox Tail paired with a Toscana. The last course was dessert, Pot de Creme, and it was fabulous! Dessert was paired with a Sherry - One we will seek out when we return home. This meal was amazing. The pictures I've posted will allow you to dine with your eyes. read more

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I always enjoy the freshly cooked food at La Ferme. I love the unique soups. The ambiance is fairly simple but the servers are professional and helpful read more

We have been to this restaurant several times while my husband has a conference at Arrowwood resort. The food and service are excellent! I loved the pasta. So delicious and creamy with tasty vegetables. My husbands meal of pork chops was the best he has ever tasted. It really is fine food made well. Please don't miss this opportunity to enjoy fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. We enjoy it every year. Only wish we lived closer! read more

Solid ratings but misleading/not worth the price. Ambiance and service were good. Food was another disappointing story. We ordered a $25 pizza (not French) which was stone dry and not edible. We ordered the $50 steak which was good (not French) but there were not enough potatoes. Wish there were more substance. Spent almost $200 for our special occasion but would not recommend based on food. read more

Unique meals in Alexandria with a focus on fresh ingredients. Enjoy the eclectic environment, wish they were open more! My favorite lunch time item is the Thai Noodle Salad with buckwheat noodles fresh bell peppers, pea pods and carrots. read more

My wife and I were looking for a spot to celebrate a significant anniversary. Lucky for us we decided to try La Ferme for dinner. We opted for the three-course chef's table dinner which began with a wonderful Prosecco. Our first course was a Mexican inspired Elote accompanied by a Sonoma County Chardonnay--not exactly French, but amazing! Our entree was a filet mignon with oven roasted potatoes and a sour cherry Demi glacé and an Italian Rosso. Dessert was cheesecake with caramel sauce. Our evening was perfect! Matthew and Amber are wonderful hosts who obviously love making others happy. La Ferme should not be missed if you are in or near Alexandria, Minnesota. read more

A new French Bistro on Broadway in this Northern Minnesota resort town???? Let's go!...and try it for lunch. Being a smaller community of just 13,000 residents, "Alec", as it is known to locals,is generally not a hotbed for French cuisine. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by La Ferme's 4.5 star Yelp rating with a respectable 54 reviews. When I saw that fellow Yelper Annie P from St. Paul awarded the restaurant a perfect 5 star, there was no turning back. We arrived right at noon and ran into the height of the downtown lunch crowd. About 10 people had already queued up to order at the counter. We ordered the day's sandwich special...the Tuscan Turkey sandwich with a cup of their featured Tomato Basil Soup. The Sammy was made with smoked turkey, melted Swiss, a tomato slice and pesto sauce on grilled ciabatta bread. Complimented by the thick and rich Tomato Basil, filled with a million diced bits of juicy tomatoes, this soup and sandwich was a total winner. We also ordered a Tuscan Grilled Cheese sandwich made with Provolone, pesto sauce and a slice of tomato on grilled mule-grain. It also put a 'W' on the scoreboard and easily explained how La FERME maintains a 4.5 star rating after this, its 55th review. Tastefully decorated throughout with a farm-to-table theme, La FERME also has tables outside on both its frontage on Broadway and in the rear backing up to the parking lot. Highly recommended for lunch and can't wait to try it for dinner. read more

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You walk up and order at and then take a seat wherever you would like (outdoor seating available as well as inside) they will call your name when your order is ready or bring it to you if they aren't too busy! Grilled cheese was amazing, got the tomato soup too! Great combo. My husband got the burger and it was cooked to perfection along with the broccoli chicken soup. Everything was absolutely great, even the house made chips and tea were to die for. Thanks for the great lunch! read more

My son thought the Italian Combo sandwich and Tomato Basil soup were awesome. We will stop in again next time we visit town. Hoping to try dinner next time. read more

Excellent distanced dinner here on the back patio. Very cute space protected from the wind. Was a great spot we had the creative flavorful pizza and steak both were fabulous. Can't wait to stop in for some takeout. Definitely the best place in town for a fancy date night out too. read more

LA FERME - Distancing on the back patio! - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

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Fantastic food and service. Matt always has something new and intriguing to order plus he uses as much local product in his preparation. Five stars! read more

Amazing service and even more amazing food! My Fiancé ordered the Chipotle Turkey sandwich with the soup of the day(Duck Dumpling) She absolutely fell in love with the soup. I was a bit more conservative on my pallet and stuck with a Bacon Cheese burger(Bizzo Burger) with fried potatoes. Everything was cooked to perfection. The setting for the restaurant was homely and intimate. The other guests were all enjoying them selves as well, adding to the pleasant ambiance. I highly recommend anyone new to area to give La Ferme a try. If we lived closer, I could see myself being a regular. Thank you Amber and Matthew for the hospitality! read more

Best place in the area! Atmosphere is great, food and service is amazing! Highly recommend

Delicious in every way! Creative cuisine with locally sourced foods. Truely the best dining in all of the lakes area.

While on a trip back home I decided to swing off the interstate and look for a bite. I pulled up my trusty Yelp! app and lo and behold La Ferme intrigued me. While Alexandria is best known as a 'lakes resort gateway' I wasn't expecting a 'farm to table'/french bistro style restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised with the decor and beer selection. The lunch menu is fairly small, but the food itself is delicious. The freshness of the ingredients is apparent and that can make a world of difference. I had a chipotle turkey on whole grain and was not disappointed. The aioli was quite tasty and the shaved turkey was moist. The pricing was reasonable and the decor was tasteful. If I'm ever back that way again, I'd definitely stop in again. read more

After stopping this summer, we decided that we HAD to stop again for a dinner meal. After a couple of false starts, we made it tonight. Everything was as wonderful as we were hoping it would be. We had the same waitress that we spoke with this summer. She remembered us and we continued our conversation with where we left off. We did go there to eat and eat we did. I had the sausage appetizer, my wife the salad. My sausages were served with sauces that went very well with the sausage. My wife could not get over how fresh the salad appeared. For my main course, I did the pastured beef (tonight, it was a NY strip) and my wife had the chicken. My steak was awesome. Served with a red wine reduction and amazing mashed tates (it was supposed to come with mashed sweet potatoes, but I just had to say no to those. Maybe they were fine, but I doubt there is enough butter in Minnesota for me to eat sweet potatoes anywhere. Alas, I digress.....) Bonnie enjoyed her chicken, beans and cornbread, saying that she order that again, but would also like to try other things on the menu. Seriously. I would like to try more of the sandwiches, more of the main courses and the desserts. We each had the homemade cookies, saw someone getting one of the cakes and it looked like a to die for kind of thing too. This is a gem for outstate Minnesota. read more

We were on a walk and got hungry and decided we wanted some food. We searched and found La Ferme At first, I was a bit skeptical about a fine dining establishment in such a small town. We even made a joke about making reservations. Then we pulled up and there was ample parking all around. The restaurant is very cozy and the décor reminds me of a farm house until I went to the bathroom and saw a cool vault door. If you go you must check out the vault! Our server was very very friendly. We both had the steak and once are steak arrived I took some time to look at it. Im not use to having all types of random greens and decoration of that quantity on my steak. If Gordon Ramsey would of seen it he would of said a carnivorous cow ate another cow then some plants then vomited. I parted the greens away and I cut into my steak. ... I have eaten at many steak places and this steak was amazing. The best steak I have had in Minnesota . it was soo tender that I was able to cut it with my fork. The only steak I have ever had better was in Gillette Wyoming. If you had the steak at the strip club in saint paul or Murrays or Ruth Chris then you need to try this steak. Just ignore all the greens and potatoes and trust me any steak you can cut with a fork like butter is good. The meat at La Ferme is to notch and the food was very good. The portion size is good and the wine list is very good. The selection went from you local wines to your California all the way to your chateau margaux. These guys are not messing around. Everything we had was very good the only thing I was a little suspicious about was the amuse bouche.. You can say I was not amused because the chicken wing was cold. However that maybe the way it was supposed to be served so I did not say anything. The mash potatoes were very good even though the steak was sunk in them. The salad was good. All the food had good flavor and the right amount of spice. Again, the steak was divine and I would most definitely make a special trip there again to have it again. This spot gets a solid 5 stars read more

The decoration was cute and I love the plants. My boyfriend and I ordered the halibut and sirloin steak. The halibut was dry and overcooked. The orzo was also not seasoned very strongly. The sirloin steak was cooked medium. We let the server know about the steak and she offered to remake it. We don't we fine with eating it but they didn't deduct any of the price off of it. The red wine reduction was good but could have had a little balsamic vinaigrette in it as well to add more flavor. Tomato soup was ok but it would have been better if it wasn't left chunky with tomato and onion chunks. The bread was good! It also would be nice if they offered salt and pepper at the table. read more

Interesting, comfortable place to have a meal. Enjoyed it greatly and will return. There were 3 in our group for lunch and we each had something different. I had a pastrami and fried egg sandwich with tomato bisque. Wonderful. The fellow who served us was a trained chef who recommended a wine that was wonderful. Can't wait to return for an evening meal. read more

LA FERME - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

Wonderful experience in a place where everything is made from local farms or producers! The wine selection is one of the best in out state Minnesota! read more

We were driving through the area when I decided to veer off the Interstate into downtown Alexandria for lunch. First, the ambiance. La Ferme is situated along the main street in a string of restaurants and shops. There is a 8 table patio out back, but it overlooks the parking lot and during the day there were delivery trucks serving La Ferme as well as other stores. Perhaps this patio is a bit nicer in the evening? Inside, there are two small dining areas (one of which can be made into a private event space). Not sure if it has waiter service in the evenings, but for lunch, you order from the counter and retrieve your food when it is ready. Although Yelp lists it as French, I found the menu to be full of different cuisines (pun-intended): Cuban pork sandwiches, American egg salad, Italian meats. For lunch, they had several half sandwich and cup of soup combos. I was hungry for a bit more than a cup of soup, so I elected for a bowl of the tomato basil soup. My coworker had the cup size and it would have been more than enough. The tomato basil soup was like none other I've ever enjoyed. It was cream based, but not too heavy, with cubes of tomato throughout. I also munched down an egg salad sandwich, which was just like my mother made. Finally, the lady at the counter suggested we try a housemade cookie. When I asked what was inside them, she said "chocolate, coconut, walnuts and raisins". I said "are eat of those different cookies?" She said "nope, all in one cookie." I said sold and we loved every bite of it! read more

Always a must stop for anyone who loves food in its natural form! The best in town! Best in the area! read more

LA FERME - Hot Turkey Pepper Soup! - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

We have stopped here a couple of times - always attentive service and great food with beautiful presentation. Also menu varies depending on the season which makes it more fun. The decor is clean and simple and modern in an old building which I personally like. read more

Oyster mushroom crostini (free): Taste -10 you could have convinced me I was eatimg oysters. Clean, salty goodness. Value -10 it was free! Braised pork belly, pickled ramp arepas ($8): Taste - 6 the three arepas came out looking great. My mouth was watering. When I bit into the first arepa, I was disappointed. It was fine, and if you're into subtle you'll really like it. I took points away because was expecting more sweet and salty from the ramps and pork belly. Value - 8 points for size of the plate, price point seemed generous. Morels, quinoa, fiddlehead ferns, cashew vinaigrette ($17): Taste - 10 this was my first time eating morels, and I was not disappointed. The quinoa was soft, the fiddlehead ferns were crisp, morels popped, and the cashew vinaigrette tied it together. Value - 8 Atmosphere: 9 - beautiful, well decorated space. It was converted from an old bank and there is a dinning room inside an old vault that you can reserve. The history of the building is subtle, classic, and not at all in your face. Would I go back? In a heart beat. read more

Friday had the Salmon with asparagus and fiddle heads and the fabulous mushroom soup. Food like this isn't easy to find in a metropolitan area, but we are blessed to have a place like Le Ferme that is always creating, not just interesting, but also such flavorful food. Matt and his whole team do an outstanding job of using what's in season and reading your palette into craving more. And that's just the food; always unique and interesting wines and beers, as well read more

Wonderful farm to fork restaurant with a lively combination of seasonal fare creative prepared & well presented. I had meatloaf, meatloaf?!? And it was delightful. The seasonings were innovative & subtle. The texture was light, with the perfect mouth feel. The gravy included morel mushrooms (in season now) and cartot ribbons cooked al dente for a light crunch with each bite. My companion's Cuban sandwich was prepared on a fresh baked bun. The meat was good quality. The sauce was "yummy." The desserts we had were chocolate lava cake & mango cheesecake. Both were light and fluffy. Both were delicious. Run, don't walk to this intimate restaurant. read more

I was here this past weekend for a private party so I can't speak to how they operate on a day to day basis. I can however tell you about how incredible they were on this particular evening. First things first: the beer selection. It was amazing. I love trying out smaller local breweries when I travel, and there was no shortage of them here. I first tried the Ultra Gnar Gnar IPA from Base Camp Brewing Co. This was followed by an Iron Horse from Fargo Brewing Co, and last but not least I enjoyed a Fascist Pig Ale from Finch's Beer co. What I'm getting at here, is that a small restaurant, in a small town decided that they were going to cater to all types of beer snobs, and this particular snob is quite appreciative for that! The food was nothing short of spectacular. I had a tenderloin that was seated on top of a bed of mashed potatoes and green beans. The other option was a Marlin, which to my surprise looked amazing. I wish I had let my glutonous side take over and ordered both meals ahead of time. The atmosphere here was awesome, I wish more places were setup like this. They had me with their beer list, they got me further with the food, and I knew I loved this place on my way to the restroom where I cam across an homage to the Simpson's. Please keep up the great work. La Ferme is now a go to location for us when we're visiting our family. Thank you for the great evening. read more

I will be back. Every time I visit Alec I plan to stop in. The food was simply amazing. A perfect combination of Midwest heartiness with a dash of urban refinement. My steak was perfection. My partners seafood, an absolute delight. We ate and ate well. The place was quaint in a charming way. Our waitress was wonderfully charming, relaxed, and helpful. La Ferme is good, very good. Do yourself a favor, eat here. Alexandria is full of chain restaurants and mediocre casual dining places. Skip all that nonsense and come here. Don't let the French name fool you into thinking it pretentious or haughty, La Ferme is likely the very best Alec has to offer. read more

Big city quality in the middle of rural Minnesota! HAD AN AMAZING MADE FROM SCRATCH DINNER! The mushroom soup was delicious and the flank steak with wilted spinach and green peppercorn sauce was amazing. The chef got my request for medium rare perfect! The attention to detail and the high quality of the ingredients is refreshing. Everything about the meal was great. The banana cardamom ice cream was creamy smooth except for the little bits of bananas. The wine selection was good and the zin we picked tasty. Recommend that you have a reservation. We got in no problem on a Tuesday tho... superb big city dining experience. Highly recommend. read more

LA FERME - Flank steak with wilted spinach and green peppercorn sauce. Mmmmmmmm - French Near Me - Alexandria, Minnesota

Pleasantly surprised! I took my 3 year old daughter on a dinner date. Amazing food was a given, but the service was unexpected. There was not a printed children's menu and little in the way of entertainment. However, this was not unexpected and the small selection made our choices easy. DO NOT expect this as an overly child-friendly establishment in the evening. The amuse-bouche was offered to both of us without presumptions about what my daughter would eat (spoiler: pretty much everything including that which contains mushrooms and quinoa). The waiter engaged in friendly banter with my daughter, and dealt with it gracefully when she interrupted once. The food was fantastic, I had the soup du jour (Norwegian scallops) and sommer pasta. A "farm to table" promise was kept, the vegetables were definitely fresh! My daughter had the macaroni and cheese; as specified by the waiter, NOT kraft, thank goodness! read more

Seriously. We came here because of all the great reviews and it did not live up to them. I ordered the California Roll. Some of the rice was crunchy, some was mushy, and the roll was warm with mystery meat. When I said I didn't care for the sushi roll, our server said "well, it isn't really sushi." What?!? If it is called a California Roll and has avocado, "crab", vegetable, rice and is wrapped in seaweed, then how is it not sushi? For my meal, I ordered the chicken dish and while the risotto was good, much of the chicken was rubbery. Then there is their emphasis on "farm to fork" and supporting local farmers. Our server made a big deal of that. So is there a farm in northern Minnesota that supplies the sea scallops on the menu ? How about the mystery "crab" meat? Did that come out if Lake Miltona? Too be fair, my husband's New York Strip was a perfect medium rare and had good flavor. And our server was pleasant and appreciative of our honesty but this place did not live up to the hype. I would think twice before eating here. read more

Unbelievable! Everything we had was incredible! The beef special was a top sirloin with fava beans, smoked mashed potatoes, and a red wine reduction. It was excellent and an interesting combination pf flavors. The chicken was even better - chicken breast with risotto cakes and a mushroom purée. Incredible contrasts in flavor and texture; creamy, crispy, earthy, bright, salty, and sweet. The desserts were divine. read more

Totally awesome. Came back when we returned to the area a year after the comment below, and we were more than pleased. Called ahead and our table was waiting for us. The chef provided a interesting starter and we ordered 4 different entrees that were all excellent. I had salmon that was cooked to perfection. The spring roll appetizer was outstanding and the cardamom turmeric ice cream for dessert was phenomenal. This is a "must" if you are in the area and looking for a fine meal. Original 2015 comment. Was not able to eat due to some sort of Open Table booking issue. Received a written apology, so willing to give them a second chance. read more

Good food, friendly service and reasonably priced. All the above is a good measure of a fine establishment. I had the Korean sandwich for lunch and probably would not have the kimchi that was part of the blend. The vegetable soup was tasty and service was fast but they were also not busy over lunch. read more