My girlfriend and I decided to spend the day thrifting, antiquing, and drinking wine, and what…read morebetter place than downtown Hopkins? The interior was super cute, and the space was much larger than we expected. I ordered the red wine flight while my friend chose the white flight. The reds were unique but delicious! It was fun taking a sip, guessing the tasting notes, then checking the informational card to see how close I was. We also split a charcuterie board, which had the perfect variety of meats, cheeses, fruit, and accompaniments to pair with the wines. The staff was incredibly friendly and genuinely eager to help us find wines we'd enjoy. There was also plenty of easy street parking just around the block. We'd definitely come back!

Super fun place for a girls night. Love the changing menu, their variety of events, and seating…read moreoptions. I do wish they were open later - seem to still have many patrons including myself at closing time!

So nice to be able to taste their lovely red wines before purchase. Wonderful tasting room in the…read moreoutskirts of Rochester. I love finding wineries wherever I am.

I enjoyed the event they had today. Had a flight of wine…read morewith pizza. It was so nice out there I hope to go again

They have both a liquor store and a deli on location. I usually start with a walk through the…read moreliquor store where they have a nice selection of wine and beer. As well as a nice mix of whiskey with a few harder to find bourbons from time to time. I then move to their deli where they have a nice mix of meat and cheese. There is also a small seating area around the back of the deli where you can eat and enjoy a glass of wine on location. The staff here is wonderful as they seem happy to help and are knowledgeable about the products sold.

I love this place. The wine and spirits side is open and airy with a comfortable feel. The staff is…read morepretty knowledgeable about just about anything, and I have never been steered wrong in a recommendation when I could not make up my mind. My favorite side is the cheese/deli side. I enjoy Surdyk's, but they seem to have cut back on their product offerings, so I have been coming down here to France 44. They have a wonderfully curated selection of cheese of all varieties. You want soft cheese. If you are unsure of a cheese you might be interested in, the cheesemongers will certainly provide you with a description, and even allow you to sample before you buy. To complement your cheese, there is a nice array of cured meats, crackers, olives, etc to add to the cheese-eating experience. One thing I would add is that this establishment is not unlike shopping at Target. You enter to pick up one or two items, and you leave with much more than you intended.

Our last full day in town we made the short trek out to this winery. The folks are so nice. I am…read morenot big on wine but the better half is. We both found something we liked. The afternoon weather was excellent and it was nice sitting on the patio and relaxing.

Best service I've found at a winery - anywhere. Everyone who works there is so cheerful, friendly…read moreand helpful. They have a large selection of wines and I'm sure everyone can find something they will like. They have a small indoor seating area but if it's nice weather, the patio is beautiful. A pergola shades part of it if you don't want to sit in the sun. During the summer they will have live music and it's very fun. Highly recommend!

Over the last couple of years, I have visited Surdyk's less and less (but probably won't stop until…read morethey no longer carry the one wine only they seem to have). Compared with the other two wine stores I frequent (one big box and one independent, both in uptown), it's so much less friendly and the "consultants" seem less knowledgeable than me. The other day, I asked two ostensibly "wine consultants" about the difference between two producers of red Burgundy (at about the same price point), and neither knew. So I didn't buy either (but went uptown to another place where the consultant easily explained between two producers and then suggested an altogether different one, based on my preferences). Today, I did a pickup of my favorite plus some beer, went into the store, and the tall blonde woman was downright abrupt. Really, do better.

This is specifically a review for their coffee and pastry bar. They have a walk up counter for…read morecoffee and also a variety of pastries (pop tarts, scones, etc). They have some of the best iced lattes I have tried in the twin cities! I typically get an iced miel and it is always made perfectly here. Pricing is very reasonable for the area. All of the pastries have always been delicious as well. A quick, easy spot to get coffee that you wouldn't immediately think about.

Great wine selection, great little appetizers , beautiful scenery and a lot of outdoor seating for…read moresmall groups. The staff is very attentive to the needs of customers. Overall great experience

Enjoyed the outside igloo as the sun set. This place is remarkable, the service is wonderful, and…read moreof course the wine/food is extremely tasty. Would absolutely go back- great experience.

My husband and I decided to do a cooking class and waited until we came across one that sounded…read morereally good; we signed up for a Paella class at Crocus Hill. They provide instructions and some tips and tricks and then each table (2-8 people) work together to prepare the meal. The chef on duty showed us some tips and tricks and then walked around to offer support as we executed the recipes. In our class, we prepped a Mediterranean cake, an arugula salad, and a seafood and chicken paella. It was a fun experience and we had a good time cooking with our table mates. Because we were on a date night cooking night we were given a token for a complementary alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, and there were more available for purchase. Once we finished cooking we sat down and enjoyed our meal and it was really good! I can't wait to make my own salad dressing emulsion at home!

I decided to do a solo date by attending one of their cooking classes making Korean street food. We…read morewere split into groups depending on where we sat. The instructor was friendly and great at giving directions. It was easy to follow along and everyone was friendly. There was a little break halfway through and we were able to explore their shop and we also got some pastry freebies. The food we made was okay comparing to what I've had before at restaurants. I would like to take another class for a different theme. Also, there's a big parking lot in the back and street parking available which made it convenient.

Sunfish moved into the same location as Buon Giorno Italia. The wine selection is small but I do…read moreappreciate that they have their bottles displayed at a slant and not standing up. After purchasing bottles elsewhere and finding a dried out cork, I do appreciate the effort. I was confused about whom to ask if I wanted advice. Most of the staff seem to be employed on the food side here. Prices are about average for a small store.

Sadly, I must update this review and drastically downgrade my rating. We were quite surprised when…read morewe were out near Sunfish to discover they moved about a mile down the street from their original location. No big deal, we followed the signs and located the new location, which is tucked off the road in an odd sort of retail center. Unfortunately, we discovered that the new location shares a space with an Italian cafe or bistro type of restaurant. There is a good amount of wine available, which makes sense I guess. But the beer selection, which used to be among the best-curated and most unique in the area, is now not even worth the stop. The walk-in cooler for beer is a sad, sad state of affairs, especially if you know what the selection used to be like. Certainly, if wine is your thing, I'm sure there's something passable if you need a bottle to go with dinner or take to a party. But if you're looking for beer, move on to a different store. Hit Thomas Liquors or Ale Jail in St. Paul. Sadly, everything that made Sunfish a unique beer lovers' destination is no more. We are truly sad about it. This was one of our favorite hidden gems in the Twin Cities. As an aside, we also were not impressed by the service. When we walked in, a girl rushed up to us and asked if we needed help. I highly suspect she thought we were going to steal something. It did not make us feel welcomed. And then she straight-up lied to us. She told us that most of the beer from the old location had been brought over, which is absolutely not true. I am truly sad to say we will not be back.

Over the border Stuff you can't find in Sota…read moreAlways a must stop I want beer that I have never had before. Casanova is pretty good on fulfilling that request. It's not the biggest make your own singles pack that I have ever seen, but it's pretty good. Lot of stuff that you will not see on the other side of the Saint Croix. Bunch of 608 and Youngblood and some East Coast ones that you will never find in the Twin Cities. There is an attached bar which I have never set foot in until tonight. Closed right when I got there on early Sunday evening. Next time!

Love this place. The vibe makes it a fun shopping experience. So close to our house and love to…read morejust pop in and try a new bottle of wine.