Pros: Cozy setting, hygge-centric, lovely spot to eat lunch near Lake Superior (across the street from the lake so views are limited). We split the ahi tuna tacos in a wonton shell, mussels, fries, and the salmon burger on black brioche. The food was perfect and the wine list paired nicely. Blueberry pie with ice cream was the perfect dessert! Cons: Our server was intolerably slow and inattentive. It took some time to even place an initial drink order, and he disappeared for long periods of time in between retrieving food or drinks, so asking for follow up items (like a refill on water) was impossible. He forgot things we ordered, and we had to track him down in the restaurant to finally pay and get out of there. We'll be back, but definitely will avoid sitting in his section again if possible! read more

This is our gem in the north. We make a few annual visits to Duluth and this is always on our itinerary. Consistently delicious menu and wine list. Great service every time. As the name suggests, the view is lovely. There's something magical about a place like this. One more thing... AHI TUNA TACOS! read more

What an amazing place... the food, atmosphere, and service was incredible. Worth the drive from Minneapolis. read more

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We went to NSC to celebrate a big life event. We were dressed up and prepared the spend some extra money. The restaurant looks like a regular setting for a mid level restaurant. It is rustic and wholesome with large tomatos outside. We made a reservation and was seated promptly upon arrival. We got an encouragement to buy their appetizer and chose not to. They give a small handful of pistachios and charge a few dollars for any extra. Ok so we are in a nice place, but it has to get better. Look at the menu and it is fairly simple. Husband ordered duck and I order a $17 lobster roll. Fries will cost you $8, a bowl of soup? $8. Lemonade? $4.50 each. The kids meal are typical items and priced fairly at $7. The smallest glass of wine. At least $10. This place really does nickel and dime you read more

I had really high expectations for this place, seeing as I'd heard about it for years, but never been. When my boyfriend & I went up to Duluth for a weekend getaway, our B&B offered us a $50 gift certificate to one of four restaurants in the area. We chose the Scenic Cafe because we'd heard it was veg-friendly, and we knew it would be a pretty drive up there. Well, it was a pretty drive, but it was not vegan-friendly in the least. Even when I called to make the reservation, I asked the hostess who answered the phone if they had any vegan dishes. (I didn't see any on the menu posted on their website.) She said that "practically anything" can be made vegan, and to just ask our server for vegan options when we arrive. She even said the chefs "enjoy the challenge" of creating vegan dishes when necessary. After we were seated & had looked over the menu (not seeing anything vegan, and only a couple vegetarian options), I asked our waitress what could be made vegan. She gave me a blank stare for a few seconds, and then said, "Ummm, I don't really know." Then she looked over the menu in front of me, starting to point at things, then pulling her finger away. Eventually, she said we could get the Ratatouille Lasagna without any of the cheese on it (which took away half of the ingredients, since most of the vegetables & noodles were covered in cream), and the Tempeh Reuben without the dressing. She said the chefs couldn't make anything special (which I wouldn't even normally ask, but the hostess I spoke with said they would if necessary). The vegetables in the dishes we received were flavorful, but all in all, it was really boring. Also, each dish was something like $18, and they really literally were pretty much just grilled veggies, since they took away all the expensive ingredients... The Reuben didn't even have ANY sort of dressing on the toasted bread. I knew it wouldn't have the Russian Dressing (it had sour cream or something in it), but they really didn't even have any hummus, non-dairy mayo or non-dairy butter, or other vinaigrette or SOMETHING to put on it to make it somewhat exciting & not super dry?? I dunno. I hate complaining & sounding like "the picky vegan" (I'm really not)... And I wouldn't normally fault a restaurant for not having a lot of veg options, but I specifically asked the receptionist well in advance of our reservation (i.e. gave them warning that vegans were coming) what could be made vegan, and she assured me we would have plenty of things to choose from. We didn't. I really don't understand the hype, and I don't think I'll be back, especially considering the prices... At least not until they get some suitable vegan options on their menu. read more

New Scenic Cafe - Ratatouille Lasagna - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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When I first read the overtly-gushing reviews of this restaurant on Yelp I was a bit skeptical. But now that I've eaten there I am joining the ranks. This restaurant is fantastic, and I never expected to be so impressed. The options are creative and interesting and simple enough that the actual taste of the food shines through. Great micro-brew and independent beer menu ranging from $3.50-$4.50. My date and I indulged with two appetizers, two entrees, two desserts, a bottle of wine, coffee and beer and walked out having spent under $150. This is unheard of for restaurants of this caliber. For appetizers we had a steamed tamale with shrimp, chorizo and mole, and pate au pain which was chicken & duck liver, pistachios, cognac, mustard and wild swedish lingonberries with bread. The masa of the tamale was a little on the dry side (maybe some lard or butter in there would have helped), but otherwise both appetizers were excellent. Neither my date and I would usually order anything involving liver, but we both had an inkling that it would not be a mistake. And it was not. It was absolutely stunning. The entrees were a 1) cumin-scented pork tenderloin with port-fortified cherries over yukon potato puree and rutabaga and 2) a duck breast lightly rubbed with garam massala served over haricot verts, sweet potatoes, and port-soaked cherries. Both of the meats were done rare, which was absolutely perfect. In both of the dishes, the seasonings were perfect to compliment the flavors of the meats. For dessert we had 1) a goat cheesecake with port-fortified cherries and fried basil and 2) profiteroles filled with ice cream and topped with caramel and hazelnuts. By this point I was really, really full, but I did. not. care. The goat cheesecake was decadent, but not sweet, which my date polished off - and he does not like goat cheese, as a rule. I was partial to the profiteroles with a cup of french press coffee (which is the only kind of coffee that they serve). The server was excellent. He was laid back, but knew a ton about the food (and when we stumped him about the seasoning on the duck, he found out for us). I can't wait to go back to this place! read more

This restaurant came highly recommend. Many customers came to the restaurant from MNLPS/St. Paul. However, our experience was not good. Our waiter made US wait while he promoted his career and himself to other guests who he felt could further his musical career. All of that was fine, except we, and other guests, had to wait for water, drink orders, explanation of menu/special items, while he loudly bragged about his musical prowess. It was our impression that the entire wait staff was doing us a favor to serve us. The Caprese salad was good; the hangar steak was tough and had some gristle. There was no offer of bread, salt, pepper, or even additional water. Once served, we were ignored until it was time to order dessert, which, by that time, we declined. We were given the check, we paid it, and left without fuss. All in all it was an overpriced, disappointing meal. The view, however , was quite nice. Hence, the name. read more

Quite possibly the best restaurant in Minnesota. Don't let the yawn-inducing label "contemporary American" fool you. This is real food cooked and presented with amazing care and skill. I've never had a bad meal here (I've forgiven a too-salty vegetarian risotto as a fluke mistake), and the view of Lake Superior really makes this wildly romantic at dinner. Reservations are required on weekends. You should plan several weeks ahead in the summer. I've known people to drive 200+ miles just to eat here, and I don't think that's at all insane. One small gripe is that the menu remains somewhat static. This is usually offset by nightly specials (and they are often really special), but as a frequent diner I would like the chef to mix it up a little more. I should have proposed here. It's really that wonderful. read more

WOW. This was without a doubt one of the best meals I have ever had. This is especially surprising because I was not expecting this place to be in Duluth (no offense), and the restaurant, from the outside, kind of looks like a place where you could stop to get waffles on your way to Palisades. I'm going to talk about the food now, and forgive me if it sounds gushy. The appetizers are big, which is great. My boyfriend and I split a pistachio-crusted goat cheese salad and it was superb. For the entrees, he had lamb with mascarpone spinach (I will never be able to have it any other way again) and I had the duck with onions, blue cheese, and apricot chutney. Both meals were phenomenal and not too big or small. Dessert was a very refreshing, inventive key lime panna cotta with huckleberries and mint. We also had their very strong coffee, which was delicious. The service is great. They have their timing down pat, and our server was really sweet. She figured out what our food allergy situation was based on what questions we asked about the appetizer, and then told us what we could have for dessert. On top of it all, the prices are extremely reasonable. My boyfriend said that he thought they had left off a dish when he got the bill. Overall, this restaurant was a perfect end to the evening. I will definitely be coming here again. read more

Who would have thought that Duluth would house such culinary delights. I came here with my parents, my sister and her fiance (who are both foodies from Manhattan). And we were all impressed. The food here rivals any big city cuisine. The food was fresh, innovative, and authentic (they weren't masked with heavy sauces - as some places tend to do). As Bony's review stated, its very much like Napa or Sonoma Valley. read more

Be prepared for a wait. We went at 1pm on a Monday afternoon and waited nearly an hour to be seated. There is a nice garden area outdoors for waiting. We visited this place based on Yelp reviews and the "good for kids" rating. The last part is probably true, as they have a decent kids menu and even crayons. The kids grilled cheese was just right. The adult meals varied a little more. My special Knife River herring sandwich was good, even if it was mostly bread. My wife's heirloom tomato "salad" consisted of 6 tiny cherry tomatoes halved with a pinch of cheese and herbs. This would be small for an appetizer and for a $12 salad it was VERY disappointing. The service was poor. We saw our waitress exactly twice and her only words were literally "are you ready?" - we placed our orders without a word from her, and she delivered the check with no offer of dessert, drink refills, or anything. The busser refilled our waters once, our food was delivered silently without a word (after a half hour), and we were never thanked. Did we do something wrong? Our 6 year old quietly colored the whole time but I wonder, like others have said here, if children are not actually welcome. read more

Nestled in a small off road cabin; it is a hidden gem of northern Minnesota... I was skeptical when I first saw the place, but was wonderfully surprised at the food! The best part of the restaurant is that they use local ingredients that are fresh and in season. I have always visited their restaurant every time I visit North Shore, but their menu changes every time I am there to reflect the ingredients that are in season. The food presentation is also very delicate and fantastic. It reminds me of a 5 star restaurant in the cities, but at a reasonable price. I highly recommend this place to everyone! read more

Think you'll find nothing but chains and supper clubs when you get this far north? Wrong! New Scenic Cafe delivers on a level on par (if not surpassing) most of the locally sourced food movement type restaurants that dot the Minneapolis/St. Paul landscape. We spent a cozy NYE here with good friends. The menu is everchanging so it's somewhat worthless to rave about certain selections, but I can say that the rabbit confit and seared elk appetizers were superb. It is a tidge pricey, but you get what you pay for and you can taste the quality of ingredients that go into every dish here. The portions (as in most high end restaurants) are somewhat small so big old men looking for big old entrees will likely fare better elsewhere. :) If you go and they happen to have the goat cheese cheesecake on the menu - order two! Best cheesecake I've ever had, light and creamy and topped with orange blossom flavored spun sugar (cotton candy-esque stuff that looks oddly like hair). Check it out. I'll betcha you'll like it. read more

First off, visitors to the New Scenic Cafe's website will note that the owners list every employee, each with a short bio. They will also note that this includes the restaurant's dishwashers(!), who also happen to all be women(!!!). As a one-time disher, and long-time appreciator of women, this simple act spoke well for the cafe before I'd even tried a bite of the food, and pretty much accounts for one of my four assigned stars. The food here is quite nice. There were a couple of execution issues with the starters my girlfriend and I chose, but they tasted good. The main issue was their sheer size; I suspect that New Scenic is attempting to counter culture/sticker shock on behalf of people who aren't used to smaller appetizer courses, or smaller courses in general. We had ordered two dishes to share, and found ourselves a bit overwhelmed. Our beet salad benefited from the addition of slivered haricot vert, which provided a pleasant alternate sweetness to the earthy roasted beets, and our pheasant confit was tasty (if way too plentiful for the supplied bread). She had the pheasant as her main course, while I tried the lamb meatloaf. Both dishes were presented in what has become standard "New American" style; unpretentiously, but with attention to contrasts of color and flavor. Mine came complete with an expertly plated egg yolk, which added a nice extra dimension to the mild lamb. Her dish was a bit tough, but well seasoned and paired nicely with a julienne of pear. We both thought our food was on par with some of the spendier joints in the Cities, and reasonably priced. However, the real shining moment of our meals came in the form of dessert. This is a course that I often feel kind of let down by at most finer-dining establishments. Too often, pastry chefs try too hard to impress. Perhaps they'll like us better if we combine four different (yet basically identical) kinds of cookies with 6 random, paint-daubed sauces, I imagine them fretting... But New Scenic Cafe impresses through simplicity. Girlfriend got the creme brulee, which was generous. She was thoroughly pleased. I had a bite, and agreed; most of the sweetness came from the caramelized surface, instead of the creamy part (which was more concerned with real vanilla beans). My millefeuille was excellent, as well. Again, not overly sweet, with the lemon curd studded with little flavor surprises in the form of candied blueberries. Really, really nice. On the night of our visit, the service seemed to be a bit chaotic. One group arrived to find their reservation had been misplaced. For our part, when we called we were advised to not bother making reservations, and that we would likely only have a 20 minute wait. It was closer to 45 minutes, but the restaurant does have several dedicated waiting-for-tables tables, and we were able to enjoy beverages in the meantime. Other than those glitches, the servers were natural and warm, and our food arrived promptly when ordered. If you are looking for some real higher-end cooking in the Northshore region, get out of Duluth's overpriced mediocrity and head to the New Scenic Cafe. read more

Absolutely wonderful! Just 7 miles north of Duluth along the scenic drive. You will feel like you're way up north but so close to the city I've been here twice and both times it has been great I had the pumpkin parsnip soup and a salad. Everything is made with fresh ingredients. My companions raved about their food! All fresh ingredients with an outstanding menu. If you are someone who really appreciates what a chef can do then youneed to go to this restaurant! read more

With the exception of some good places in Grand Marais, the North Shore of Lake Superior is not known for its food. Most eateries have some variant of "Bar and Grill" in their name, and place no emphasis on fresh ingredients. Diners resort to ordering pasties in hope of getting a carrot. Thank goodness for the New Scenic Cafe, an oasis of freshness and creativity. Over the course of 5 lunchtime visits over the last two years, I have been deeply impressed by the attention this restaurant pays to fresh and seasonal ingredients, locally inspired dishes (call it Minneapolis-North Shore fushion), and service. Ahi tuna tacos in light wonton shells make a crispy, piquant appetizer, and are almost outdone by the accompanying Asian cole slaw. Fresh wasabi, hard to find even in the big city, really makes the tacos hum. Heirloom tomato BLTs come on fantastically fresh and perfectly toasted sourdough bread from The Ashland Baking Company. Earlier in the season asparagus stars in a ciabatta sandwich with egg, gruyere, frisee, butter and lemon basil aioli. Both rival sandwiches at Birchwood in Minneapolis, or Olive et Gourmando in Montreal. Bringing your kids? Suggest the waffles, savory and artistically stacked, accompanied by whipped cream and berries that burst with flavor. Food writers often suggest that one should order a dish that sounds strange, because a restaurant will likely only risk putting such a dish on the menu if it is really good. So try that tempeh reuben with gruyere on double dark raisin rye. It has the complex layering of flavors and textures of a traditional version with none of the pit-in-your-stomach after effects. Wash it down with blackberry lemonade, which starts out yellow with deep purple streaks and becomes bright pink with a gentle stir. Fresh, healthful, innovative, and Minnesotan. Right on Old Highway 61. Make a reservation for your way up, and while there, I bet you'll make another for the way back. read more

A foodie's delight! Strange...we drive into the parking lot and see the building is a dressed up tailer...go figure. When you get inside and read the menu the experience begins. Wonderful menu variety. Great pricing and knowledgeable service. Excellent value. There were so many items I wanted to try. The special of the day...the locally caught herring sandwich was difficult to pass on. I had the seared chicken breast sandwich with brie, asparagus, lemon basil aioli, on cranberry pecan sourdough toasted bread. Amazing! My wife had the asparagus and egg sandwich with gruyere, frisée butter, lemon basil aioli, ciabatta bun. Terrific! We will make this a regular stop when we come back to the north shore. (By the way, we found this place via Yelp - thank you!) read more

The New Scenic Cafe really is the best place to eat for MANY miles around! Don't be put off by the non-descript building or the modest decor inside, the food is unbelievably good. My husband and I make a point of eating here every time we visit Duluth. They've got plenty for me (a vegetarian) and enough for him (a non-adventurous meat-and-potatoes person) to keep us both VERY happy. Even the garnishes on the plates are delicious! Last time it was a perfectly ripened strawberry, a sliver of sweet melon, and a forkful of greens dressed with a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette. All fabulous! And that was just the GARNISH. read more

The food is as good as everyone says. The menu is on the high side of eclectic, so if you're a "meat & potatoes" kind of person I'd look elsewhere. I would also make a different choice if I were on any kind of a schedule, or looking for strong service. I've been to Scenic twice and both times had the same experience. Both times had a reservation, both times waited at least 45 minutes. The wait staff treated this as no big deal, and in fact this seemed the norm. Clearly they heavily overbook each and every night. The meal service was, to say the least, leisurely. There is no sense of urgency. The place is a converted house done up with some nice touches inside, but very cramped, hot in the summer, and only one unisex bathroom. There is a view if you sit near a window, but it's not like it sits right on the lake which is what I was expecting from their description. Overall my experience there reminded me of many a New York City establishment where they treat you like you're lucky to be there. Next time I'll go up the road to Nokomis, where they want my business. read more

One of the highlights of every trip to the North Shore is a meal at the New Scenic Cafe. Last Sunday we ordered our meal as a take out since we are trying to be extra careful during the Covid pandemic. We ordered the French onion soup, sashimi tacos and a dessert. Delicious, as always. read more

I went here for lunch on a weekday on the way to do some hiking in Gooseberry, this place reminds me alittle of being in Napa or Sonoma Valley, it has that feel of the wine country ambiance. The menu is seasonal using mainly organic ingredients, I had the braised pork sandwich, which was quite tender & flavorful. Other people had the salad/soup/bread combo for $9, which was quite a bit of food. So stop by here if you're going to do some hiking or outdoor activity on the way or even I would consider this place for dinnertime since they had an interesting wine selection. read more

The food here was amazing. I love the location, and the vibe is so perfect. My only complaint, is that I showed up with a couple of kids, and it was like I showed up with two small people filled with horror and disease. The server never spoke to the kids, and the only time he looked at them was down his nose. It was a bummer for the parents, but kids being what they are I don't think they even noticed. I'd come again, and I'd bring my kids, both to enjoy the food, and to see if I can make the server squirm. read more

We had the most amazing meal and service tonight. I wanted to write a review while all was fresh in my mind. The menu was small but very interesting and innovative. I had salmon; my husband had sausage served with sweet peas, carrots, potatoes and black rice. We loved the seasonings for both meals. Desserts were also excellent (Opera Cake and Romeo and Juliette). And the service was just incredible. We realized we were going to be a bit (10 minutes) late so we called to make sure it was okay. Peyton assured us it would be fine; she took note of it, and when we got there she seated us. Very welcoming and helpful. Our server, Adam, was wonderful. How do you get it just right? Professional but personable, knowledgeable without being pushy, gracious, considerate. Excellent service. This was our anniversary and we were so glad we chose New Scenic Cafe. We would be back in a heartbeat. Thank you so much! read more

Our first time to Duluth, we wanted to find the best Duluth had to offer. Driving up to New Scenic Cafe, you're not sure what to expect. In the end, NSC gave us exactly what we wanted, amazing food in a humble environment. We had Mussels in a beautiful curry sauce. Best mussels I've ever had, ever. The Mrs. had the Walleye Sandwich, crusted with pistachios, uber delicious. I had a breakfast sandwich with ham, tomatoes, and gruyere cheese, also scrumptious. Prices were also super reasonable, being around 10 each for starters and entrees at lunch. If you're ever in town, please stop by. You won't regret it. read more

Stopped by because of the Yelp reviews and it was good, but different than I thought it was going to be. It is a little on the pricey side and the menu is fairly limited. You have two main options - sandwiches for $10-$12 or entrees for $22-$26. If you like classic pub sandwiches with fries, this is not the place for you. If you like trendy California gourmet style then this will be a home run for you. We ordered the prime rib sandwich and the chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich was good but the prime rib was just average. Service was pretty good. We probably won't be back only because we would want to try different places but also it's not our kind of place. Give me the classic pub sandwich with fries... read more

Place was quaint, food was outstanding. Interesting blend of domestic and foreign options. Def not what an eastcoaster like me thought I'd be get from Duluth lakeside dining. It was 2+ weeks ago that I was there so my memory's not super strong on what everyone got amid a long road trip vacation eating out every night, but I do remember I got the sandwich on black brioche roll. Short wait, busy on a Monday evening. Prices reasonable, including drinks. Owner present. 4 stars b/c the deviled eggs app keeps sucking us in and is never a wow. I think this one was 3 half eggs for $8 and they weren't better than my mom's picnic eggs which prob cost $.35/piece to make and taste great. Strong recommend. read more

Absolutely fantastic. I can say with relative certainty that this is the best restaurant I've ever been to. I don't get up to the north shore too often, but I'll probably be making a stop here every time I do from now on. The wife and I were in Duluth for our 7th anniversary and we decided to take a scenic evening drive northward from our hotel. We ate a late lunch and thus, we were not overly hungry. When we passed this place, we decided that we would go in and have some dessert, but then we sat down and read the menu and decided that we needed to order some food too. We are sure glad we did! Everything we ordered was delicious. The prices were cheap (on par with Applebees). The presentation was fantastic. And we ended up staying a little past close, but our waitress was still super friendly and helpful. read more

It was a beautiful August day when I manned the old Versa through Duluth on the way to Tofte, Minnesota. A coworker of mine insisted that my car full of North Shore bound travelers needed to stop at New Scenic Café for lunch. And we're glad that we did. New Scenic Café is nestled along North Shore Drive/Hwy 61 on the cusp of Lake Superior. Our party of four ended up waiting about twenty minutes for a table, which didn't bother us too much as we enjoyed lounging in their garden area overlooking the lake. Once we were seated, the service was a little on the slow side. In all, from seating to receiving our food, it took about forty minutes, which was much longer than we were expecting to wait for soup, salads, and sandwiches. The food, however, helped us forget about the long wait time. Their menu seems to change frequently with what's in season. For around $13, my roasted beet salad and cauliflower pepper soup were equally delicious, fresh, fulfilling, and savory. Two of my travel companions had sandwiches - the asparagus and egg sandwich and the chicken breast sandwich - which they claimed were quite tasty but not as incredible as I felt about my salad. Each sandwich was around $10 and came with a side of fresh fruit, a nice deviation from chips or fries. Peering at the table behind us made us wish we would've ordered one of their desserts for they looked fantastically delectable and large enough to feed a table of four. The restaurant itself is quaint and cozy, a true North Shore feel. Our stop at New Scenic Café was the perfect lunch kickoff to a weekend on Lake Superior. Whenever I'm in the Duluth area again, I will definitely consider another lunch trip back to New Scenic and will just have to order two desserts in order to make up for lost dessert time. read more

I know everyone who has Yelped this place has loved it (or liked it alot), but i have to say that it was kind of a let down. I went to the New Senic Cafe a few weeks ago and had their chicken and brie sandwich and a cup of french onion soup. The soup was good, but the sandwich needed salt - i.e. bacon or some other form of pig to give it flavor. Normally, I wouldn't let a sandwich reduce a rating down to 2, but one would think that a good basic sandwich should be a no-brainer - for the New Scenic Cafe it showed that there were no brains in its construction. read more

Double Wow. Wow! No offense to the North Shore, but I never expected to find such a fabulous and inventive restaurant along Hwy 61. In the same vein of California cuisine with simple, stellar ingredients (a la Chez Panisse, IMO), New Scenic has mastered North Shore cooking. Although it's been several months, I still remember my perfect roast chicken with vegetables, cherries, and a cream sauce gravy. The salad we split was awesome and included grapes, cheeses, baby greens, and delicate, crunchy pieces of phyllo dough. It was one of the best salads I've ever had. I was also favorably impressed by the wine list, the unobtrusive service, and the dessert, a panna cotta trio, full of fresh, fresh berries. read more

The only thing you need to know is this is the best place to eat on the North Shore. It is that good. We have never been disappointed. The menu changes seasonally and always carries unique and tasty choices. Starters to try. Curried blue mussels are so good, we once ate them two days in a row. Artichoke slather is unlike any other artichoke dip. Our brother in law still talks about the beet salad--he claims this is the best thing he has ever eaten. It is a seasonal special that we have not tried but definitely will next time we see it. Sandwiches are fantastic. The best sandwich we ever ate was a herring sandwich served on ciabatta, bacon and garlic aioli. WOW. Entrees are always good. Two rules. First, if it says pork belly, order it. Second, if it says duck breast, order that too. Fish entrees are always fabulous. Steak and lobster is to die for. Dessert Rules. If it says goat cheese cheese cake or goat cheese mousse, order it. You will not be disappointed. But for the fact Duluth is over three hours away, I would eat here weekly. It is that good. Kids also have a special menu and this place is very kid friendly. Casual dress is the norm. read more

You're driving outside of Duluth and there's not much, besides moose, to see. So stop in at New Scenic Cafe and satiate your appetite for food that would fit in Marin County without the Marin pricetag. Why isn't the plural of "moose" meese? read more

The host staff were among the most incompetent employees, uninterested in doing the very basics of their jobs, that I can recollect experiencing in years and years. I'm talking below Subway level service, and I mean that with no disrespect to Subway. My wife and I were truly dumbfounded. We had a reservation and arrived 10 minutes early and checked in. They said "some tables will be opening up shortly" so we waited right nearby. Flash forward over 20 minutes AFTER our reservation time and I approach the desk to inquire what's going on. The host said "it's a very busy day". Well, OK, isn't that why you take reservations? To, you know, *reserve* a table? Do you have any idea how this is supposed to work? Meanwhile, more and more non-reservation diners trickle in and are all told "some tables are opening up now and we'll be able to seat you in about 20 minutes". Huh? Now we've been waiting for 30 minutes past our reservation time and the host calls out some other party's name who had arrived much later, and my wife interjects what about us? Again, just astoundingly incompetent. I also want to touch on the terrible table service. DO NOT order the $4 bread and butter. Guess what, you're not going to get it until the main course arrives anyway. Even if you ask your server about it after waiting 10 minutes, and they cheerfully reply, "Certainly!" and then nothing happens for another 10 minutes. Again, what did you expect, you're only paying money for something that's complimentary at most fine dining establishments, which this is clearly not. Aaand of course a 20% service charge is mandatory. Which perhaps explains why nobody here cares one whit about doing their jobs. Please, fire all these people and replace them with an iPad kiosk. Lower pails of food to tables from an overhead robotic hook. Or just close down, because it isn't working. read more

I thought the New Scenic Cafe was a little pricey; hence only four stars. But I was impressed by the chef. When we told the waiter that we didn't eat animal products (including sauces with dairy), he told the chef who "simply" whipped up a fabulous wine sauce for the dish we requested. I was quite taken with their flexibility. The food is impressive, but a little out of our price range. read more

New Scenic Cafe once again lived up to some pretty high expectations. After a drive from the Twin Cities, stopped in for lunch on NYE. What a lovely way to close out 2012. I would suggest making reservations, I made them for lunch, and although it was busier than expected, we had a table no problem with a beautiful view of Lake Superior. They have a small but unique list of craft beers but I chose the Chardonnay; after the first visit I absolutely knew Ahi Tacos were on course for the meal! Also tried some of the beet salad; I'm not a huge beet fan but after this dish they are definitely growing on me! The french onion soup was amazing, too! I am excited to plan yet another trip to Duluth and the North Shore, and to make New Scenic Cafe part of the tradition! read more

No trip to Duluth or the North Shore would be complete without a stop at the very scenic New Scenic Cafe. The view of the lake from our table along the windows was stunning! The ambience, service and the original tasty offerings were exceptional. My husband started with the soup of the day, a delicious concoction of tomato, basil, fennel and beans. Our choices of the tacos and lasagna were so fresh and tasty. We can't wait to come back in summer when we can sit out on their front patio and enjoy the amazing Superior view. read more

New Scenic Cafe - Ahi Tuna Tacos - New American Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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This place is everything that I look for in a restaurant. High quality. Personal. Natural. Emphasis on quality (wine and food). Relaxed. I can measure my life by trips to New Scenic Cafe: the years I lived in Duluth and the pennies I'd pinch to indulge in the curried mussels...the summer OMG meal enjoyed after a long camping trip...sharing an endless summer eve with the inlaws (do you remember that Sauvignon Blanc? we still talk about it)...French Onion soup after a long xc ski a few years ago. Luckily the nostalgia does not outshine the quality of the experience. Treat yourself and go there. Make your own memories. read more

My wife's lamb Polenta was exquisite. As was our duck appetizer. That said, the server was about as insincere as a jaded Manhattan cabbie. The duck entre brought together all kinds of great tastes, but they didn't gel--and the duck breast was mostly raw. The wine list was uninspired. read more

Back again for the third time! The ahi tuna taco appetizer was ingenious and the taste amazing! The seared duck was fabulous and the atmosphere just adorable and quaint! A great place to spend a few hours waiting for the Midnight Fun Run to start. read more

I'm so impressed. Nestled in s beautiful hillside overlooking Lake Superior, this is a real classy, yet casual, place. The wait staff is super friendly with a sense of humor. The food is special. Eclectic is the best way to describe it. I had a lobster roll. Rather common complicated with a lot of ingredients, but very, very good. They definitely pull it off. Started with ahi tuna, sashimi tacos. Absolutely sublime. If I lived up here, I'd be there once a week. Highly, highly recommended. read more