Restaurant review

Good real food: The Birchwood Cafe

Unique twists on good food create a one of a kind experience

by Cristina Anfang
Talon staff writer

I’m what they call a picky eater. I say “no thank you” to any food containing mayo, beans, or cream cheese. Anything that swims, has sour cream, or has a weird name is not something I would normally eat.  So I was a little concerned when I first saw the menu at Birchwood Café. Parsnip & Pear Sandwich? Duck Breast Benedict? Wasn’t really what I was comfortable with. But as soon as I took my first bite of the Pesto Chicken Sandwich, I knew I’d be back.

No matter what you decide on, no matter what time of day, you’re always in for something delicious. This vegetarian friendly restaurant, hidden in a neighborhood just a few blocks from school, is dedicated to “[selecting] only the freshest quality ingredients available,” said the restaurant’s website. All the food is organic, fair trade, and comes from local farmers. The restaurant is always noisy and crowded, but during the warmer months has plenty of comfortable seating outside.

Breakfast is one of my favorites at Birchwood. Scrambled eggs, waffles, and homemade granola are just a few top picks. Birchwood has a special brunch every Sunday, a staple in the community.

Trust me; always leave room for dessert. They always have fantastic baked treats  – key lime pie, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream from Izzy’s Ice Cream in St. Paul. One of my favorites is the homemade ice cream sandwich.

I still won’t touch the Trout pizza, but if you want to try something out of your norm, Birchwood will not disappoint.

Minneapolis, MN 55406

Author

You may also like…

Digital art apps: Which comes out on top?

App review: Which painting and drawing tool is best for you? Digital art is a well-traveled road in modern times, as many artists turn to the unconventional to fulfill their creative desires. The two most prevalent digital art apps both have dedicated fanbases, so...

International Music Can Open Up New Worlds

One summer day, in a house not far from Minnehaha, a family was cooking a delicious Japanese stir-fry dinner. This was none other than the family of Paula Vavreck, a first-year student at MA.  “My mom, as a joke, was like, ‘Hey, Siri, play some Japanese music,’  just...

Summer fun + summer sun = skin damage

Is there such a thing as a safe tan? Do all skin types need sun protection? It's a Sunday in May, and junior Greta Christiansen lays out her towel and favorite skin oils. As she lays down facing the sun, the light gleams on her skin. Baking in the hot sun, she soon...

Unique options for summer fun

What to do in Minnesota when school’s out With summer fast approaching, you need to make plans with your friends. But what’s there to do in Minnesota? Something for every type of friend? Well, here’s a guide of fun things to do for all kinds of groups, locations, and...

100 days of stock market volatility

The scale of the U.S. economy is difficult to wrap our minds around, especially when it is summed up by fluctuating graphs and numbers assigned to seemingly random acronyms that report the fiscal success of America and its citizens. Americans have grown accustomed to...