I have been wanting to try this place for years. It has received numerous awards from all over MN but I was always a little scared that I would leave with an empty wallet. To make it more of an adventure, my girlfriend and I biked to the restaurant on Saturday and got there about noon. 14mi from my house along the beautiful Hwy 61. We got there at the perfect time because 10 minutes later there was a wait list when we were seated immediately (reservations are recommended). The hosts were friendly and our waitress was super nice. The décor inside is classy and there is all sorts of nice artwork on the walls. The items on the menu are super creative and interesting. They had some nice specials too. I chose the tempeh Ruben and my GF had the BLT with spicy bacon. We both LOVED our meals. My sandwich was thick and had great flavors and textures. NSCafe knows how to make a great lunch and it came with fresh fruit for dessert. My sandwich was 11 dollars and the BLT was 13. Not bad for a classy lunch on the North Shore of Lake Superior. I will definitely come back. read more

Great food. Came for lunch. Nice lakefront view. Great small unique menu to challenge the pallet. High end options.

Visited this place for the first time in December for lunch. It was in mid afternoon, so the vibe was laid back and service was very attentive. Had a wonderful experience overall. Food was very fresh and tasted like it was made with great care. I had the walleye sandwich, house salad, and for dessert, a berry and cream cheese torte. Overall, not spectacular or mind blowing, but it was "lunch food" after all. Many of the dinner entrees sounded incredible and more creative, so I knew I would be back. Returned in mid January quite late on a Friday evening. It was quite busy, but as it was close to 8:30/9:00, tables started filtering out and the place became less hectic feeling. Our server (don't remember his name) started out very well -- insightful, knowledgeable and welcoming. We ordered the recommended squash blossoms stuffed with seafood mousse for an appetizer and were delicious. After that, we ordered salads and our entrees. This is when everything starts going down hill. After waiting for 20 minutes, we realized that we hadn't received our salads yet. Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, I thought I would wait another couple of minutes thinking they were still coming and it was just busy. But sure enough, as another 10 minutes roll by, still no salads. Then came our entrees. Being very forgiving and not one to complain, I let it go and decided that I probably didn't need the extra food after all. The entrees looked and tasted delicious. However, they were barely warm. Not that temperature affects taste too much, but you should still expect food to come out hot at a lauded restaurant like this. While we ate our entrees, the waiter stopped by, almost nervously, once at our table to ask how everything was. My girlfriend and I couldn't help but notice that he might have realized that he screwed up by not bringing our salads because of they he was acting. This behavior unfortunately continued the rest of the evening and eventually we felt that he was just antsy to leave for the night. Now, having been a server before, I can forgive people for messing up. But one of the key things is to always own up to your mistakes and find a way to make things better -- don't ignore the situation. Since he didn't I and the fact that the food came out barely warm, I can't but not give this place a 3 star rating even though I want to give it at least a 4. With excellent service and hot food, it would have been close to 5 stars. Overall, I am willing to give this place another shot when I am back up in Duluth. It is a very unique restaurant with innovative and delicious food. But things like I have mentioned above can ruin an experience, especially when you're paying $100 for a night out. Inconsistency in the mind and palate of the patron is a very bad thing for a restaurant. I hope they address these things in the future. read more

Worst food ever and yet nice waitress. Our chicken sandwich was over cooked that I left the chicken and ate a sandwich with three asparagus spears. Two small pieces of cheese. Very unfriendly hostess too. Flies everywhere and very messy. Son recommend and very unimpressed, read more

I wish I could give this restaurant 10 stars! The New Scenic Cafe is always our treat on the way up north. The food is superb; we have never been let down. It exceeds our expectations every time. This last time we ordered the ahi tuna tacos for an appetizer and I'm still dreaming about them. Every salad we've ordered there has been delicious. And the fries that come with the burger are some of the best I've ever had. There are plenty of vegetarian options, as well as meat and fish options. Make sure you have a reservation or be prepared to wait quite a while but trust me it is worth it!! My only request- PLEASE bring the tempeh Rueben back! read more

New Scenic is awesome! I recommend ordering whatever the chef's special of the day is-- it is always amazing. We had the ahi tacos and a fish sandwich last time we were there. I looked out at the lake and felt like we were actually in Europe, dining at a seaside bistro. The beer and wine list is great too-- they even have Borealis Fermentery if you request it. read more

I've been to about 35 countries and New Scenic Cafe makes the list representing the Upper Midwest / Scandinavian / Nortg shore fine cuisine. Some dishes were "only" very good and a few were some of the best I've had. Service and view great. Don't miss this place if you are in the area! read more

Hands down one of the top 5 dishes I've ever eaten in my entire life. Had one of the specials recommend by the waitstaff. It was a miso sea bass absolutely blown away by how well it was cooked and complexity of the flavor. I ate here in June 14' it's now February 15' and I still think about this dish! Location is beautiful they were very busy considering it was like 3pm on a Saturday. I wish I didn't live four hours from here because I would go back weekly!! read more

Aside from the delicious jalapeño bacon avocado BLT, the service was NOT good. It was a busy lunch time but no apologies for the neglect in attentiveness or long wait for our check, which goes a long way with me. The Butternut Squash Stew was a complete misrepresentation of what it really was, which might have been loved by someone who was wanting a black bean, basil, tomato based stew with small pieces of squash. The Reidel wine glasses and stamped silver cutlery were nice touches but not worth the prices nor service. Will not be returning! read more

This has got to be the best restaurant in Duluth. The service is fantastic and the food is really delicious. Also, the prices are amazing for the quality of food. I wish I had gone more often while living in MN! read more

I chose the New Scenic Cafe for a north shore lunch on a Saturday during peak tourism season. We were immediately seated and enjoyed a lovely view of Lake Superior. The menu was diverse and creative with a terrific selection of local and organic options. I ordered the wild mushroom crepe which was beautifully presented, richly flavorful and prepared to perfection! My companion ordered the sashimi avocado tacos and his experience was similar. The service was also superb! Highly recommended! read more

The food at the New Scenic Cafe is incredible. The view is amazing and the atmosphere is delightful. I daydream about the pistachio encrusted goat cheese salad (made into a sandwich on cranberry walnut bread). It's the best thing I have ever eaten. The ahi tuna tacos are also amazing. So is their dessert. All of their desserts. Seriously, you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't go to Scenic. read more

I ordered the lobster roll and when it arrived I realized it had been placed on a toasted hotdog bun. Come on, use a decent bread. I also had the house salad with walnut blue cheese dressing. The addition of marinated grapes to the salad was a little over the top for me and too sweet. The waitstaff was lovely, though, and the ambiance was nice. read more

This was an extremely pleasant lunch spot. We had amazing food and service and would definitely recommend eating here.

After hearing so many wonderful things about the New Scenic Cafe I was elated to be meeting friends there for dinner! Atmosphere quaint, taste of the food was delightful......three of the four of us received our food cold and the forth was undercooked! Told the waiter and he said he would inform the kitchen....there was no apology, or routing back with us on it! Appeared to be understaffed as well. Very disappointed, will not be back! read more

What a meal we had at the New Scenic Cafe. We went there for the first time in May and it was great!!!. They had these mussels in a curry sauce and I never thought I could love mussels so much. Awesome. They also had a lovely duck breast and a steak done in a mole sauce. You wouldn't think of adding steak to a mole but that man it was as good a dish as you'll find out there. My fiancee, who's a Wisconsinite, did complain about the somewhat austere atmosphere of the place. It is very Scandinavian in spirit as people speak in hushed tones. The service was very knowledgeable and friendly with no pretention at all. Plus you have a view of Lake Superior. I will definitely go back. read more

Without a doubt, one of the top five meals I've eaten in my life. The host greeted us in a very welcoming and cheery tone. Simply decorated interior, unassuming on the outside. Didn't spend much time looking at the menu, as the specials sounded too good to pass up. To note, this is not page after page of dining options, instead you are offered a short but well thought out selection of salads, entrees, sandwiches and desserts. The evening's appetizer special, Taleggio Fondue, started the gastro-journey, served with toasted french bread and a cranberry walnut bread. Between the nods and "OMG's", "this is sooo good", I wondered how will I ever come close to duplicating this at home?? Two entree specials arrived with perfect presentation, Squash Ravioli in a velvety cream sauce and Seared Salmon on a bed of small ravioli, chantrel mushrooms, sauteed spinach and bacon. We traded dishes often, thoroughly enjoyed both for different reasons. Spumoni for dessert, and not the traditional ice cream presentation you would think. This was a re-invented chocolate cake layer under a cherry mouse layer and a pistachio topping. Very light and a wonderful way to end an outstanding meal. Service was helpful and attentive. Coffee was perfectly brewed (strong, the way I like it) and flavorful. read more

Had a great experience here with a group of girlfriends. Everything was perfect, especially the tuna tacos. This beats most of the great restaurants I've been to in Los Angeles. We tried many different items and they were all amazing. I can't wait to go there again next time I'm in northern Minnesota. read more

Really cute place!! Stopped here for lunch on our way to Lutsen and had the fish tacos and they were phenomenal!! Waitress was very sweet and even sat us next to the only outlet in the place so I could charge my phone. Soooo good!! read more

How I missed this place, I can't imagine...although the highway is not along the shore anymore, so some places may have changed since we regularly drove this route. The food was great, though the selection of wines was limited. Not bad, just small. For a small restaurant with a presumably more seasonal business, it would be difficult to put much more on the list. The atmosphere was lovely and casual. The service was friendly and terrific. Consumed far more food than necessary. We ordered an appetizer to share, perfect for 2, a little small for 3. But we had also all ordered a meal which more than made up for it. The lamb shanks were succulent, not dry or overcooked. Dessert all around which included something like a dreamsicle/ice cream soda for the 8 year old. Very family friendly, including a sweet garden out front. Our daughter enjoyed taking photos of all the flowers, and I noticed a toddler made 3 trips out there with various family members. read more

I live in San Francisco and was visiting my sister and she took me to this incredible restaurant. She had been raving about it and said it reminded her of me. Being a foodie from one of the best food cities in the country, I was extremely impressed. I had the grouper and it was so delicious and the presentation was just as good as any 5 star restaurant in San Francisco. I will definitely be going back the next time I am in town. read more

We dropped in for lunch without doing any homework on the Scenic Cafe -- and were amazed by the gourmet flair to the food. We wanted to have many of the items on the menu, but stuck with the soup and salad. I never thought I'd write a review on soup and salad, but it was so tasty and wonderful. It was the perfect experience on the last day of my mother's trip to her home town, which she left 60 years ago! Thanks for a fabulous meal, a comfortable dining experience and fabulous views! read more

Overpriced and poor service. Made a reservation for 7:45, when we arrived the snarky hostess told us it was 8, we didn't get seated until 8:15. The soup was good, my entry was awful. Seafood sausage served with salad sized shrimp. I am from Florida if you served those pea sized shrimp in Florida on anything other than a salad you would be out of business in days. My wife ordered a $35 cut of beef. This would have been a sub $20 steak anywhere else. We have eaten a fine restaurants all over the county, this is not one of them. Very expensive and we left hungry, seriously felt like we got taken. read more

A very memorable meal with a great view. Wonderful wine selections. Everyone just loved their food and the service was excellent.

They shared their driveway so we could park our rv and then served a memorable lunch. Don't miss this!

Excellent food and service. As a native northern Californian, I never expected to find a place like this in northern minnesota. So pleasantly surprised, reminds me of home. read more

I have been visiting the Scenic since they opened. The food is always incredible, the service top-notch, and the ambiance perfect for the North Shore location. The fire pit outside is a great place to wait for a table. If you're on a schedule be sure to get a reservation, but it's only busy because it's the best place in or near Duluth. It's not inexpensive and can be tough with young kids, but it's worth the price and a wonderful date spot. read more

I went here with a dear friend a few weeks ago. I had the egg and asparagus sandwich on the ciabatta bread...and I was overwhelmed by its' goodness. What a meal! The ambience is superb (I live in Duluth, and never tire of the bog lake). The server was very nice, and all n all, a terrific meal! read more

Reminiscent of a Sonoma-style restaurant. Food was good, but is a bit 'adventurous' for some, particularly in the midwest. There are many vegetarian options on the menu. The rolls served with soup were delicious! Prices are a little high for what you get. I thought the sandwich prices were fair ($9 - $11) but entrees were a bit steep. This establishment is very cute with a nice atmosphere, but look elsewhere if you aren't a fan of food outside the 'average' American cuisine. Sashimi entrees, avocado sandwiches, and rabbit don't appeal to everyone. I recommend the chicken breast sandwich with asparagus for the less-adventurous eater in a group. read more

We stopped by on a whim not sure what to expect and found the food to be amazing. everything we ordered was bursting with flavor and freshness. The deserts were absolutely to die for. The menu is a bit pricy but I think well worth the quality and thoughtfulness put into it. The service was good too. We thought the music they were playing was a bit stuffy which is not something you usually notice but we couldn't help it. All in all one of my new favorite restaurants. read more

40 minute wait with a reservation explained with "we're running a little late"? Irritating. Consider comping your customers with a free drink or dessert. read more

My wife and I went to the New Scenic Cafe for our 48th Wedding Anniversary. We were definitely not disappointed. Everything from our starter (artichoke slather) to the blackberry/peach pie was well prepared and presented. I had the lamb and my wife had the duck breasts. Both were cooked perfectly. We will definitely be back again. read more

I have been here three times over the last three years and have been quite impressed. I have to say, we were a bit disappointed on our last visit. The service was slow. There was a small swarm of flies hovering around our table and one actually flew into my son's glass of crispin and drowned. Ew. The response by our server, "yeah, it's that time of year". Ever heard of a fly swatter? The food seemed to have been prepared with a little less care. My moms egg sandwich had been over peppered to the point she couldn't eat it. Some of the other dishes were hit or miss. We probably should have complained, but didn't want to focus on the negative since my dad was treating us all. Would like to give it another try, but not sure if we will back. :( read more

Don't miss this place! So darn good in every way. We had a cheeseburger that was out of sight and the egg & asparagus sandwich. The asparagus was so perfectly cooked and the sandwich was on perfectly crusty brioche. Also had a fantastic glass of Rousette. Great service too! A spot not to be missed. read more

It's ok if you like quirky food and being surrounded by people who find themselves trendy and clever. But if you want something out of the ordinary and want a BEAUTFUL drive along Lake Superior's North Shore, give it a try; you won't be disappointed. read more

My boyfriend and I go out to eat almost an excessive amount, and we both commented that this was one of the best meals we have ever had. The server had great suggestions and each course was as delightful as the next. Usually I skip over sandwiches, but that might have been my favorite part so don't count them out. The wine and beer lists were also exceptional. This place is an absolute must when in the area! read more

FABULOUS food & great service!!! 3 kids loved it too! Kids menu is great and reasonably priced. Large beverage menu as well, which is always good! Would love to come back in the summer and sit outside with a cocktail overlooking the lake. read more

Great atmosphere. Excellent service. Decadent gourmet food. The tuna tacos are a must try... they're seasonal but deserve to be on all menus. Best Creme brule I've ever had. Pricey, but well worth it. Can't wait to go back for another special occasion. read more

I haven't eaten at New Scenic Cafe too many times but the food is excellent if you want to upgrade from the usual run of the mill fare. My favorite is the butternut squash ravioli, but everything I have ordered, including starter courses substantial enough to be a stand-alone lunch, has been outstanding. Scott Graden has done a great job of offering a great alternative to the usual offerings. The menu is seasonal, taking good advantage of what is available and turning it into something delectible. read more

Fantastic meal here on Monday December 6th! Amazing to find this kind of creativity and care with the menu in what seems like a fairly remote location to this city dweller. The quail was absolutely outstanding, the service was helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. We wil definately be back and would highly recommend this gem. read more