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    Little Thistle Brewing

    4.5 (53 reviews)
    Open 3:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Little Thistle Brewing Photos

    LITTLE THISTLE BREWING ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Little Thistle Brewing

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    Rick T.

    Tried this place after visiting the area wished we had more time to try more beers. Lots of space mainly outdoors.

    Sarah P.

    While I wasn't able to try everything that Little Thistle had on offer, I was impressed with what I saw. The space is in an industrial area in Rochester but the brewery itself is lovely. There's a large outdoor area with shaded tables and ones in the sun; the entire outdoor area is also dog friendly. They had a food truck there the day I went and while I didn't have any food, it smelled and looked delicious. The taproom has a nice aesthetic with a big open bar for ordering right next to the kegs, mashers, etc where they're brewing away. The beer I had, as well as the four pack I had to go, were delicious IPAs and the other people in my party were also happy with the beers they ordered. If I'm in Rochester again, I'd definitely consider stopping in

    What a great place, fabulous selection of beer and when the Brick Oven pizza bus is there it's a big plus! Staff are so nice and their Grinchy theme is awesome!

    Apple cinnamon kombucha was great!
    Coco P.

    This place is AWESOME! Stumbled across Little Thistle on a quest to find the best trivia in Rochester. The trivia on Wednesday was great, the drinks and ambiance were even better! Lots of great non-alcoholic options like specialty sodas, kombucha (my personal choice), and NA beers. Super relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Great vibes all around! We came when the Duck Truck/Bleu Duck was serving food -- they deserve a separate review (amazing fries). Loved Little Thistle's focus on promoting local vendors!

    Flight
    Alison P.

    Really cool brewery-would be awesome to bike/run to since it's right on a trail. Sounds like they have rotating food trucks on different nights.... And free hot dogs on Tuesdays! Great outdoor patio that is very kid friendly.

    Plenty of indoor seating
    Michelle A.

    We ran across the pedestrian bridge over the highway from Cascade Lake as it's a gorgeous early September day. And given that it's a Sunday, it wasn't too busy. We kind of had to figure out the menu ourselves and at least the girl didn't rush us as there's lots of options to choose from! I got the Black Forest, a barrel-aged imperial stout. It was ok. We also looked on their website to see if a food truck was going to be here and there wasn't any updated information. That's a bummer as there's only food trucks here Thurs - Sat. I do like that it's right on Douglas Trail but my review is it's about 3.7 stars. I look forward to checking out the other breweries in Rochester.

    Second flight, just as delicious!
    Nikki B.

    Finally stopped in on Friday when I got to town. I told the beertender a buddy had been bugging me to come in. She asked his name? When I gave it, she said she knew him.... that lead the way for me to...well be me... the jokester... so LAUGHS were had. Marti helped me build a flight & drink the beers in order. When I went for a second flight, I went to walk away, turned back to ask: which order should I drink them in? Jess "I already numbered them". WOW, Jess is on top of her game!! The gals were lovely!! We joked & discussed other breweries & beers. Upon leaving I asked where the nearest McD's was to buy a pop? Not only did Marti tell me, she gave me turn by turn directions!! Little Thistle...w your delicious beers, fantastic staff, fab tap room, cozy patio & easy parking, you were hands down my favorite brewery of the weekend!! Looking FORWARD to my next delicious & fun stop in!! Cheers!!

    Brave Woman Scotch Ale and a Noyce IPA
    Candace C.

    Spotted Little Thistle while out on a bike ride this morning. Checked out their website and excited to learn that they are open daily for your craft beer enjoyment. We were already planning on visiting a different brewery in Rochester this afternoon. Decided to stop at Little Thistle first - and then move on. Well - our "Brewery Crawl" turned into a one stop shop. Pleasant outdoor area, nice breeze - decided to have two beers here instead of traveling on. We enjoyed the Brave Woman, the Noyce IPA, the Peanut Butter Stout, and the Imperial IPA. Bonus today - we also received two 12 oz beer glasses with a special Little Thistle commissioned design. By pure chance - the artist was in line in front of us. Got to compliment him on his design. The beers were cold and delightful. Sat outdoors under the pergola covered with solar panels. We watched two gentlemen putting the finishing touches on some flower boxes being added to the patio area, enjoyed the breeze and our beverages. Some customers had brought their own lunch with them, a food truck selling pizza arrived around 4:30 for some Happy Hour snacking. Regarding COVID-19 precautions: they have set up a one way customer flow for ordering. Big sign informing you of the procedures in place - and Prince is there to confirm that you read the instructions before you enter. Blue tape on the floor to mark the six feet distancing. Limited customers to the counter at a time. All employees are wearing masks. Outdoor seating is monitored and tables cleaned off as people leave. They are doing it right.

    Julie M.

    The beer was great and I liked the opportunity to sit outside on a nice day, but I have to say, there are so many breweries in Minnesota, that if you are not going to be full of Minnesota nice, you are not getting my stars. The staff was prompt enough, but really didn't seem engaged. Didn't tell me about the beer. Didn't tell me about the brewery. Didn't tell me about the free hot dogs that night. Every brewery has beer. It's the staff that helps make it special.

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    4 months ago

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    11 months ago

    A fun place to grab a beer or even bring the family! Selection was great as was the staff.

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    2 years ago

    I've love Little Thistle for the location, fun vibe and the great beer!!! The Doug is my favorite! Cheers!

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    2 years ago

    Stopped in for a IPA to take a break from the shopping lines, this one I'm not a fan of, should have stuck with the black forest.

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    3 years ago

    Love their IPAs, nice atmosphere. They occasionally have special events. We like to bike there when the weather is nice.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The place has great ambiance, a great selection of beers, and even things like curling in the winter. Love this place.

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    3 years ago

    Great selection of craft beers. Outdoor and indoor seating. To-go 750mL bottles. Byo food.

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    3 years ago

    A nice alternative if your into brews, I like theirs best in town, plus they have outdoor seating too.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Little Thistle Brewing

    Do they serve food or have food trucks scheduled?

    Food trucks only. Massive parking lot area for them. Hands down biggest brewery patio/parking area Rochester.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Little Thistle Brewing

    The beer I had, as well as the four pack I had to go, were delicious IPAs and the other people in my party were also happy with the beers they ordered.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Reads Landing Brewing Company - Prime rib sandwich with sweet potato tots

    Reads Landing Brewing Company

    4.2(132 reviews)
    32.6 mi
    $$

    I love this spot and am happy to hear there is a new owner the carry on the tradition. It's in a…read moretiny tiny city among the Mississippi. The building is gorgeous inside and out. Lots of memorabilia from long defunct breweries. My Bloody Mary was excellent as were my fish tacos. There are multiple options for pescatarians though probably a bit more challenging for vegans, which is not unusual in this part of the world. While we visited their onsite brewing was on hiatus because they need to be re-licensed after the ownership change. Looking forward to that happening!

    I went to Reid's Landing today and I am revising my rating downward. I still feel this is a…read morebeautiful location and view, especially for eagle watching (we were on our way back from nearby Wabasha, the home of the National Eagle Center). I had the soup special, a bowl of the French Onion Soup, and my wife had the Pub Burger. Although both dishes were presented attractively, neither one had a "wow" factor, and in fact, were bland and lacking in flavor. It's too bad because,I was really in the mood for Onion Soup. The onions were cooked well, but the soup really was lacking in taste. I think the broth tasted like canned broth and did not have any depth of flavor. My wife felt the same way about the hamburger; it also was bland. So neither dish was particularly memorable. So one less star for food. They also loose another star for their continued surcharge for both a credit card and a debit card. When I rated this place two years ago, they were charging a 5% "employee pay supplement" which is no longer legal. However, it is also illegal to charge a 3% surcharge on both credit cards and debit cards (this new law was effective in January of 2025). Restaurants CAN charge for credit cards, but it is illegal to surcharge for debit cards. In fact, not only is this a Minnesota law, it is a Federal law, and part of the rules for Visa and Mastercard. Another option is that restaurants CAN give a cash discount from the menu, but to do that the menu must show prices using the credit card price and state that they give a (in this case) a 3% discount for cash (note: a menu discount, not a menu surcharge). If a credit or debit card is used, then it must match the MENU price and the check needs to show the menu price total, and separately show the cash discount. I tried to show the General Manager this law and explain it, but he was very dismissive and borderline rude. At first he tried to tell me their was a discount for paying in cash, so I asked him if that was discount off of the menu price, and he said no. A lack of a surcharge is NOT a discount; it is a surcharge!

    Photos
    Reads Landing Brewing Company
    Reads Landing Brewing Company - Pub Burger

    Pub Burger

    Reads Landing Brewing Company - Inside Read's Landing

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    Inside Read's Landing

    Hoppy Girl Brewing - Ford's beer is waiting for you

    Hoppy Girl Brewing

    4.9(19 reviews)
    33.1 mi

    We had a little trouble finding it, but it's worth it! We took our three kids tonight and even…read morethough it was pouring rain we made the most of it had a blast. I cannot speak enough of how kind and warm the owner was. She went above and beyond for us and even walked us to our car with umbrellas in the pouring rain. As far as beer, our favorites were the strawberry lemon shandy for a nice fruity summer beer and the Citra/Mosaic IPA. Delicious! We come to Lake Pepin every year and we will definitely be back!

    Hoppy Girl Brewing AKA-Turning Waters Back Alley Brewing is amazing. Brenda and Ford have a lovely…read morebed and breakfast named Turning Waters. When they first started they called the brewery Turning Waters back alley because it was in the garage in the back alley of their Bed and Breakfast. You may think WHAT?!?! Its in a garage...yep its in the garage and its FANTASTIC. This brewery blew me away, and it makes me sad that they are not talked about more in the beer community. Since this awesome brewery is a brewpub you can also find pizza, ice cream, cocktails, wine, and various snacks. The beer is just amazing and the company you meet is even better. I have never had so much fun at a brewery. Brenda and Ford are 100% two of the nicest people we have ever met who also just happen to brew really good beer! I also loved the seltzer- ask for it with a tea bag! I'm serious it's awesome! Please make a visit here!

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    Hoppy Girl Brewing - Citra IPA

    Citra IPA

    Hoppy Girl Brewing - Pumpkin Pie White Russian Slushie

    Pumpkin Pie White Russian Slushie

    Hoppy Girl Brewing - We offer Cutwater Drinks in a can for the non-beer drinkers

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    We offer Cutwater Drinks in a can for the non-beer drinkers

    Terza Ristorante - Fettuccine Chicken Alfredo

    Terza Ristorante

    4.1(396 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    Perfetto I have been…read moreescorting my 91 year old mother to the Mayo Clinic for nearly a year now during her cancer treatments. Yesterday she completed her treatments and I took her to Terza to celebrate. Everything was superb - beginning with the spot on attentive wait staff service, very well crafted Negroni cocktail (love that they use Amaro Montenegro over run of the mill Rosso Vermouth), and the crazy good deep fried cheese balls. These were served with the house "Mother Sauce", which is the chef's grandmother's home recipe. My first comment to the staff was that they could close the restaurant and simply sell this sauce in jars at the grocery store and retire - it's that good. On to the main course, mom had the chicken scallopini with house made taglietelle and I had the house made gnocchi. The chicken was pounded thin and tender, breading perfectly seasoned and sauce well. Generous portion served with 4 cutlets and a nice side of pasta. The house made pasta was tender and paired with a really delicious mushroom sauce (I could just have plate of that for dinner and be happy). But the star of the show was the gnocchi. I have had many gnocchi in Italy. I have made many gnocchi at home. If you have had gnocchi you probably know it can be light or it can sit like a rock in your belly. This gnocchi was on another level. It was so delicate and fluffy, and sauteed to give it a nice browned surface. I cannot say enough about what a skilled and delicate hand it takes to make a gnocchi like this. I would drive the 5 hours back to Rochester just to eat this again. We finished our meal with the dessert special. It was a lemon semolina cake with a perfect sugary crust and an incredible whipped vanilla-marscapone cream and blueberry sauce. Umm - can I have another please? I don't know what else to say but if you are NEAR Rochester you should go eat at Terza.

    Tonight was our last night in town and we finally made it to Terza upon the recommendation of our…read moreclient at Mayo Clinic. We were not disappointed!! The greeting and service was excellent. The manager (owner?) came around to genuinely check on our table and all others. The food each of us had was a 5!! I had gluten free penne with grilled chicken, tomatoes and broccolini in olive oil. It was delicious! My friends/colleagues had other pasta dishes they said were wonderful. We look forward to visiting here again on our next visit!

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    Terza Ristorante
    Terza Ristorante - Crema al Limone

    Crema al Limone

    Terza Ristorante

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    Little Thistle Brewing - beerbar - Updated May 2026

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