Rochester Magazine | June/July 2024

We are excited to announce a unique opportunity for discerning homeowners in the Rochester area to build their dream home through a collaborative partnership between Swanson Homes and Modern Oasis. By combining Swanson Homes’ legacy of exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail with Modern Oasis’ innovative and contemporary design expertise, this collaboration promises to deliver stunning living spaces that effortlessly blend style, functionality, and sophistication. We invite you to explore the possibilities and create a home that reflects your distinct taste and lifestyle. Come see our latest architectural showpiece June 7th-23rd during the Artisan Home Tour (home #2) in Medina, MN.

Five free bands! Five straight Sundays! Your Riverside Music Series (formerly Down By The Riverside) Choose-Your-OwnAdventure flowchart; The China plates stuck into the walls of downtown’s “adult” shop; Three Ways You Can Help ...; more

24 An “unexpected” legacy

After a lifetime in Rochester’s restaurant industry, Dennis and Lynn Wong took their last shift in March. The restaurant business “wasn’t something we’d planned to go into,” says Dennis. That was 40 years—and 10 Rochester restaurants—ago.

40 Going Green

The city’s top seven salad places (and you’re going to need to star visiting these, after you see the Best Desserts story).

50 100 Days of Summer: Your Can’t-Miss Event Calendar

From the Pine Island Cheese Festival (June 1) to Mantorville’s Marigold Days (September 8), we’ve got your day-by-day, pull-out-of-the-magazine, hang-onyour-fridge calendar for summer fun.

52 Cheesecake. Cake. Tiramisu. Donuts. Tiramisu. Pavlova.

Six of your favorite Rochester restaurant desserts. Oh, man.

16 Random Rochesterite

Ted Grevelis, an account executive at Gaming Arts, talks about selling slot machines, owning race horses, and his winding road to Rochester (via Boston, D.C., Guam, Vegas ...).

23

Three Ways You Can Help

One group doing good in Rochester. And how you can make a difference for them.

Rochester, Retro 60 The Walk Through

Inside a $1M cabin “Up North.”

74 Ten (or so) questions

Drew Block, longtime Rochester Royals player/manager and 2009 Mayo grad, talks baseball, family, and favorite teachers (at Bamber Valley, Willow Creek, and Mayo).

THE POST BULLETIN COMPANY

Publisher FORUM COMMUNICATIONS CO.

Editor STEVE LANGE 507-285-7770 slange@rochestermagazine.com

Advertising Director

TESSA OLIVE 507-281-7469 tolive@rochestermagazine.com

Advertising MELISSA CHERRY

ADAM GEHLING LISA SCHELL advertising@rochestermagazine.com

Graphic Designers MOLLIE BURLINGAME BETH KROHN

Contributing Writers ALEXA ANDERSON

JENNIFER HAUGEN KOSKI

HADLEY LANGE ELLIOT MANN

Photo Supervisor JOE AHLQUIST

Contributing Photographers MAYA GIRON KEN KLOTZBACH OLIVE JUICE STUDIOS

GET HOME DELIVERY!

For $29.95, you’ll get a year’s subscription to Rochester Magazine. Or $50 for two years. $65 for three years.

Just call 507-285-7676.

Volume twenty-five I Number six/seven Rochester Magazine is produced monthly by the Rochester Post Bulletin, and distributed throughout Rochester, MN. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Editor, Rochester Magazine, 1700 Greenview Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902 or SLange@rochestermagazine.com. Call 507-285-7676 for home delivery ($29.95 for 11 issues).

Junk Drawer

Three things you didn't know about this issue. Until now.

1. In April, the Post Bulletin and Rochester Magazine hosted our first Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours in our new location (well, new since 2019 at least). And we set a BAH attendance record, with 175 people showing up! (They told us it was a record, anyway, and we’re going with that.)

2. Attendees (and we’re not rubbing it in, we’re really using this as a teaser so that you’ll will come to our next party if you get invited) got to eat free food (like bacon-wrapped tenderloins from Pinnacle Catering), drink free beer, and meet Jeff Kiger. They got to see our cool office and talk to the Answer Man (though they didn’t know it when they did).

3. Maybe coolest of all, they got to have their photo taken in front of a big Rochester Magazine cover.

shortcuts

one band. three platinum albums.

no charge!

EVERCLEAR KICKS OFF RIVERSIDE MUSIC SERIES

BY HADLEY LANGE

The 90’s alternative rock band Everclear kicks off week one of the five-week Riverside Music Series (formerly Down By The Riverside) with their three platinum albums and a handful of big hits.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

After his band Colorfinger broke up in 1992, Art Alexakis placed an ad for band members. With newfound bassist Craig Montoya and drummer Scott Cuthbert, Alexakis formed Everclear. The band takes its name from the “infamous grain alcohol” known to contain up to 95% alcohol which Alexakis called “pure, white evil.”

WHERE HAVE I HEARD THOSE SONGS?

Songs from an American Movie isn’t just the title of two of Everclear’s albums–their songs are also on the soundtracks of several movies

including American Pie (“Everything to Everyone”), Romeo + Juliet (“Local God”), and Scream 2 (“The Swing”).

BILLBOARD.

Of their 11 studio albums two–Sparkle and Fade and Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile–have gone platinum. So Much for the Afterglow went double platinum. And expect to hear hits like “Wonderful”; “Father Of Mine”; “Heartspark Dollarsign”; and “Santa Monica (Watch the World Die).”

AND OPENER CINDY LAWSON! Cindy Lawson has been called “an American singer/songwriter both charming and profane; a sweet and sassy mix of Ronnie Spector and Iggy Pop.” Lawson fronted the all-female Minneapolis rockers The Clams from 1985-89, then eventually took a 25-year hiatus before returning to the music scene with rave reviews.

Everclear, with opener Cindy Lawson, is playing the free show at Mayo Park as part of the Riverside Music Series on Sunday, July 14. Opening acts start at 7 p.m. and play roughly 45 minutes, with headliners starting soon after and playing until 9:30 or so. downtownrochestermn.com, 507-328-2200.

Five free bands! FIVE

STRAIGHT SUNDAYS!

(Your Riverside Music Series Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Flowchart.)

WANT TO RATE THE FIVE FREE BANDS FOR THIS YEAR’S RIVERSIDE MUSIC SERIES (FORMERLY DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE)? NO PROBLEM. WE’VE CREATED THIS HANDY CHART TO CHOOSE FOR YOU.

Are you ready toJamout?

Yes!

Especially if by “JAM OUT” you mean “‘90s alt rock meets power pop” or “like listening to a classic rock/pop jukebox”!

Are you ready to play air guitar? And scream along to the lyrics

Are you ready to dance? Dance hard?

Riverside Music Series concerts are held in Rochester’s Mayo Park at 7pm. In the past, opening acts play roughly 45 minutes, with headliners starting soon after and playing until 9:30 or so.

Sort of.

Especially if that includes a “fusion of country, rock, and hip-hop” or “singersongwriter American pop” or “blues poetry”!

Yes!

Hmmm. That kind of dancing may be more appropriate for the people who want to JAM OUT.

Sort of.

Neat! When you are “sort of” dancing, what do you want to be thinking about? (Pick one.)

That’s cool. We love people watching at Riverside Music! So we’ll be watching you!

Oh, YEAH! Not really. Sort of, I guess.

Hmmm. Maybe you should rethink your “Are you ready to JAM OUT answer.” Maybe you’re a “sort of.”

I want to be thinking about hopping trains, burning up highways, and running from some danger but also running toward something harder to define and even harder to catch.

I want to think about a melodic sense of craft of the singersongwriter at a piano.

I like thinking about Kentucky. And blue-collar stuff. And country storytelling.

This is working out perfectly for you.

My big black boots and an old suitcase. I do believe I’ll find myself a new place.

What lyrics do you most want to scream along to (while playing air guitar)? (Pick one.)

Um, OK. That’s specific.

Do you love the 2002 hit “A Thousand Miles”?

What will you be wearing and carrying? And what do you believe you might find?

“We can live beside the ocean. Leave the fire behind. Swim out past the breakers. Watch the world die.”

All the lyrics! I want to know all the lyrics to every song!

Everclear

JULY 14

The style: “West Coast alt rock meets power pop, from grunge-punk to grunge to post-grunge with pop rock thrown in.”

The songs: “Father Of Mine”; “Heartspark Dollarsign”; “I Will Buy You A New Life”; “Santa Monica (Watch The World Die)” (if you ever listened to alt radio in the 90s you will know this one.)

Opening act:  Cindy Lawson

Oh, YEAH!

I’m singing it in my head right now. “If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by?”

I’ve never heard it.

Well, you will. And you’ll probably recognize it.

Elvie Shane Band

JULY 21

The style: “A sharp-edged fusion of country, rock, and hip-hop” and “a new voice of the damaged, addicted, and lost in country music.”

The songs: “My Boy”; “County Roads”; “First Place (feat. Little Big Town)”

Opening act: Aaron Simmons

Vanessa Carlton

JULY 28

The style: “American pop and rock dr iven by a singer-songwriter and piano vibe.” Her debut album, “Be Not Nobody” went platinum in 2002.

The songs: “Ordinary Day”; “White Houses”; and her 2002 Top 5 hit “A Thousand Miles”

Opening act: Adam Bohanan

Nat Myers

AUGUST 4

The style: Described as a “KoreanAmer ican blues poet,” Myers brings “a raspy singing voice and steel guitar” as he “puts a new twist on some of America’s oldest music.”

The songs: “75–71”; “Cigarette Blues”; “Hobo Wine Blues”

Opening act: Molly Brandt

Max Weinberg’s Jukebox

AUGUST 11

The style: “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and the bandleader for Conan O’Brien) invites the audience to create the setlist.”

The songs: You’ll know them all. Think “Mony Mony”; “Daydream Believer”; “Pink Cadillac”; “Proud Mary” ...

Opening act:  The Orange Goodness

5k Every Day Through May.

BY STEVE LANGE

In early April, my entire family—daughter Hadley in Madison, son Henry in Milwaukee, daughter Emma in Belgium, wife Lindy in Rochester—accepted my challenge to walk 5,000 steps per day, every day, for the next two months.

I call it the 5k Per Day Through May Challenge. People I’ve since told that to have been more impressed than they should be, though I realized later many of them probably thought I was running a 5k every day. I have not reached out to clarify.

I started this challenge on a Tuesday in April, after I checked my steps for the day. They were at 46. It was 2 p.m.

Here’s something I realize about myself: I am motivated by made-up competitions.

As a kid, I routinely fell for my mom’s “Who can clean up their bedroom the fastest?” trick. I understood what was happening, I just couldn’t help myself.

As an adult, I routinely fall for Lindy’s “Who can pick up 20 things in the living room the fastest?” trick. I understand what is happening, I just can’t help myself.

To force myself to get in shape, I sent out the following text to our family chat: “Today, I’m starting 7k Every Day Through May, in which I need to walk—every day—7,000 steps.”

Then, needing to pick up a part for my car, I walked—walked!—to the AutoZone on Broadway, from our home near Ben Franklin Elementary. That was, I realized when I got back, only 3,000 steps.

I then sent out the following text to our family chat: “Today, I’m starting my 5k Every Day Through May, in which I need to walk— every day—5,000 steps.”

Everyone was in.

I’m sure there are people openly scoffing as they read this at 7 a.m. having already run three miles while wearing those wristband weights, but still. It’s a start.

Here’s something I realize about myself: I don’t like walking. I will circle Menards parking lot for an embarrassing amount of time trying to score the spot closest to the cart corral closest to the store.

When our new neighbors moved in, they brought with them a golf cart, which they use to drive around their yard. I think about that a lot.

I do, though, like hiking, and hike Carley or Izaak Walton Wetlands or Root River Park most every week.

My buddy Ken and I take a big backpacking trip—the Porkies or SHT or Black Elk Wilderness—every year, and we don’t shy away from the rougher routes.

KEN: I’m sure sore from yesterday’s rougher route, and really hoping we shy away from that today. So, what trails are we taking this morning?

ME: Well, we’ll climb Satan’s Tail up to Beelzebub’s Horn, then scramble down Free Fall Death Gulch into the Bottomless Pit of Lucifer’s Espohagus by dinner. KEN: That doesn’t sound very ... ME: We better get a move on if we want to get though the Devil’s Privates by sundown.

Also, I enjoy geocaching. I have an app. It’s not unusual for me to text Lindy something like: “I just hiked two miles though heavy nettles. Found an old mayonnaise jar filled with three pennies and a Hello Kitty keychain!”

But a paved sidewalk to Scooter’s Coffee, a half-mile walk? I’ll take the neighbors’ golf cart, thanks.

On April 10, we kicked off 5k Per Day Through May.

I started walking through our neighborhood before work. Through the Post Bulletin’s neighborhood during work. To Scooter’s Coffee on weekend mornings.

On week two, son Henry and I drove to Toronto for a chess tournament, and got to our hotel at 11 p.m. I had one hour to get 2,000 more steps. I’m not sure how long Henry let me pace frantically around the

hotel room before he told me we were on Eastern Time. It was tomorrow.

That was my first—and so far only—miss at 5k steps per day.

I now park at Cascade Lake Park to walk to Little Thistle Brewing. Park at Little Thistle Brewing to walk to LTS Brewing Company. Park at Cascade Lake Park to walk to Thesis Beer Project.

I park at the far corner of Menards.

Last Friday, after working all day and playing in a poker tournament all night, I got home at 11:15. I had 800 total steps. I took off powerwalking through the neighborhood.

I’m sure there are Ring camera pics of me on the Nextdoor App with “Did anyone see this guy casing Meadow Park last night? He ‘speedwalked’ by my house like four times ...”

Anyway. I got my 5,000 steps just before midnight, CST.

Also, just before I sit down at, say, my desk or the dinner table, I have taken to walking in a quick circle, just for another 20 steps or so. I call it my “Finish With A Flourish.”

My wife asked me to leave that part out.

Every Wednesday, for the past two months, the entire family sends a screen capture of their steps.

We make notes for the really good days.

From Hadley (our 25-year-old in Madison): “40k in two days visiting Anna in Chicago!”

From Henry (our 22-year-old in Milwaukee): “Worked the Bucks’ playoff game. 15k!”

From Emma (our 17-year-old in Belgium on a Rotary Youth Exchange): “Spent the day in Brussels! 18,140 steps!”

From Lindy: “20k because the kids rode outside at Rideability today!”

From me: “Just made it at 5,040 steps yesterday. My last few ‘Finishes With A Flourish’ put me over the top!”

RandomRochesterite

One resident, numerous anecdotes

Name: Ted Grevelis

Age: 58

Occupation: Account executive at Gaming Arts

Where we found him: Northgate Plaza

What does Gaming Arts do? It’s a slot machine company. I have a territory that ranges from Michigan to the Dakotas. I visit casinos and sell or lease them slot machines. I spend a lot of time on the road. It’s a sales job like any other, except that it’s in a really cool industry!

Are you originally from Rochester? I am not. I’m originally from Massachusetts. I’ve been in Southeast Minnesota for 11, 12 years. Six years in Zumbrota and the last five years right here in the city.

What brought you to Minnesota? Oh my goodness, it’s quite the journey. I grew up just north of Boston in Peabody. I went to college in Maine and majored in government. I interned in Washington D.C., and then went to grad school for a year in Maryland. The master’s in public management was so boring that I decided it wasn’t something I wanted to do. I worked for a congressman from Ohio for a couple of years, moved back to Massachusetts, and got married. My then-wife was a teacher at a time when it was harder to find a teaching job. I saw an ad about teaching on Guam and put it on the fridge as a joke. She said, “Would you be interested …?” Sure! So we spent four years on Guam. Our oldest son was born there. I was a sales executive for Mobile Oil, and traveled around the Pacific. I got to go all over the place—Bangkok, Singapore. It gave you a world perspective that a lot of people don’t get to have. It was fun. When we decided to move back to the mainland, our choices were Houston and Las Vegas—they both needed teachers. We lived in Vegas for eight years

| By JENNIFER KOSKI Photo by JOE AHLQUIST

and that’s when I got into gaming. I got hired by a slot machine company, and worked my way through. I’ve been doing it since 1998 for a few different companies. One is the one who transferred me to Minnesota. That was in 2005, and I’ve been in Minnesota ever since. After this year, Minnesota will be the longest place I’ve ever lived since growing up.

You’re right. That’s quite the journey! What do you do in your time off? My wife and I race horses. We actually met 13 years ago on Kentucky Derby day at Canterbury Park. We have four horses in training right now—three of them are in Canterbury Park and one is running in Texas. We pull together eight, ten, twelve people and everyone kicks in money to buy a horse and we work with a trainer. It keeps us busy for sure.

How did you get into that? When I was in grad school, I only had a partial fellowship, so I needed to earn outside income. I ended up working at a racecourse in Baltimore. I did that a year or two, but was a fan before that—I’d just been a fan my whole life. And the opportunity came up to get into some ownership. So I did just a small, fractional piece of a horse. Now I’ve been racing

How many kids do you

Heather and I have three between the two of us. Our oldest is Heather’s biological son, Andrew. He lives in Rollingstone. Ben lives in Vegas with his wife— he’s the one who was born in Guam. And Forrest, the baby at 24, lives in Logan, Utah.

Of course, I love my wife. We have two little pandemic cats who we love dearly and who are spoiled rotten. We have an off-track thoroughbred that we have boarded over at The Meadows in Rochester and love. Obviously, I love racing, but I also love a lot of horse disciplines. I

love watching show jumping, dressage. And, unfortunately, I love eating. I’m getting better, but the problem in Rochester is that the restaurant scene is getting better and better.

Favorite restaurant in town? I was really excited when Red’s Savoy Pizza came to town. That’s always been a favorite for me. And Sorellina’s is fantastic. It’s closer to my home than Victoria’s, the food is fantastic, and the people are great.

What do you like about Rochester? Rochester is a city—there’s over 120,000 of us—but we’re not overwhelming. We’ve got theater, world-class health care, a symphony, art exhibits. We’ve got the Honkers, hockey, lots of restaurants. It’s almost the perfect mix of city living and country living.

What were you doing at Northgate when we found you? I was escorting for Planned Parenthood. I’m there to volunteer—just to kind of be a buffer between protesters and patients. The last eight to 10 years have been … interesting, and I thought the time had come for me to do more than just complain. I have a mom. I have a sister. I have a wife. I have a niece. Their rights need to be protected. Everyone, period, deserves access to healthcare.

What might I be surprised to learn about you? I love road tripping. As much as I drive, you wouldn’t think so. But boy, get us in the car and I’ll drive anywhere. I love seeing America. As much as I’ve seen of the world, and I’ve seen a lot, there’s nothing that beats road tripping across your country and seeing the nooks and crannies and beautiful places that exist.

Advice you give? Work hard, do the right things, and go with your gut because your gut almost always tells you if you’re not doing something quite right. And don’t be afraid to take chances. It’s worth taking a chance and it’s worth betting on yourself. I mean, hell, I moved halfway across the world.

PROUD SPONSOR OF LOCAL TABLE— SUPPORTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS.

Locally Owned. Locally Managed. Local Decisions.

Rochester Main 507.280.0621 Stewartville 507.504.1060

EAGLEROCK.BANK

507.536.4748 212 1st Ave SW Rochester creativecuisineco.com

Voted Rochester’s Best Deli and Sandwiches. A bustling, urban deli set in the heart of downtown Rochester, featuring big New York style sandwiches, filled with large portions of fresh sliced meats, gourmet cheeses, crisp vegetables, and one-of-a-kind spreads on bakeryfresh breads. Signature salads and soups with quick and easy delivery service. Catering as well as box lunch delivery.

507.361.7910 217 14th Ave SW Rochester redcowmn.com/rochester

Red Cow’s founder and owner, Luke Shimp, was born and raised in Lake City, MN! Family owned and locally operated, Red Cow provides a modern tavern feel and celebrates finally crafted eats and drinks with a focus on gourmet burgers, craft cocktails, wine & beer. #Followtheherd to Red Cow!

South- 1201 S Broadway North- 5231 E Frontage Rd NW Express- Downtown Skyway Apple Valley - 15610 English Ave creativecuisineco.com

A local tradition since 1980, is the only place for great burgers and cold beer. Hand pattied fresh burgers, grilled to perfection, piles of nachos, tasty sandwiches, loaded bloody mary’s and much more!

507.258.9064 808 Broadway Ave S Rochester TacoJed.com

Voted Best Taco 2020 & 2021! Live Music Fridays & Saturdays. Brunch served Sat. & Sun 9:30-3. We believe that good food and friendly faces bring a community together. We are locally owned and love living in Rochester! Hours: Wed. & Thurs. 11 am-1:30 pm, 5-7:30 pm, Friday 11 am-1:30 pm, 5-9 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-9 pm, Sun 9:30 am-7:30 pm. Closed Mon. & Tues.

507.258.4663 14 Fourth Street SW Rochester bleuduckkitchen.com

Bleu Duck Kitchen offers brunch every Saturday from 10am-1pm. Join us for live music, bottomless mimosa’s and fun & unique twists to classic brunch dishes. Make your reservations today at www.bleuduckkitchen.com or call 507-258-4663.

507.258.4550 1635 Highway 52 N Rochester PappysPlaceRochester.com

Locally owned by the Pappas family; same family as former owners of Michaels and Hubbel House. Whether it’s our salad bar, onion ring appetizer, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, steaks ribs, seafood, cocktails or craft beers there’s something for everyone. Daily lunch and dinner specials on Facebook or PappysPlaceRochester.com. Now serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-2pm.

507.206.3019 1625 South Broadway Ave Rochester crookedpint.com/rochester

Crooked Pint Ale House is a nouveau urban pub with the feel of a local neighborhood restaurant. The menu includes classic pub fare with nearly 60 choices for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch as well as kids’ menu selections. We feature the best Lucys in town and you will be back again and again for our Pub Pot Pies, Pub Tacos, and our Jumbo Tator Tots. At Crooked Pint, we are known for our beer list, but we don’t forget about the wine and spirits! Open Monday - Sunday!

507-322-5041

161 13th Ave SW Rochester Saintson2nd.com

We are located in the Courtyard by Marriott across from Saint Marys Hospital. Whether you are a visitor or a lifelong resident of the city, we hope to embody everything that Rochester has to offer. Enjoy our “Minnesota Nice” hospitality while eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Chef Lela Tweed has crafted a menu sure to please – try our legendary sticky chicken sandwich!

507.258.4184 332 Broadway Ave S Rochester marrowmn.com

Marrow offers a seasonal, ingredient and chef-driven menu - utilizing classic French technique, with a touch of humor and fun. Stop by to enjoy a quick bite and a drink or stay longer to visit with friends and family over dinner and wine. Scan the QR Code to make a reservation or just come on through. Walk-ins are always welcome! We are open Tuesday - Saturday from 5 - 10 pm. Happy Hour at the Bar Tuesday - Friday from 4 - 6 pm.

507.361.3636

300 1st Ave NW Rochester TildasPizzeria.com

Tilda’s Pizzeria is a locally owned one-of-a-kind wood-fired pizza restaurant in Downtown Rochester. Unique flavors, and a welcoming atmosphere for everyone! We offer dine-in, online ordering, and delivery. Mon-Sun 4 pm - 9 pm.

507.288.0206 401 6th St SW Rochester twigstavernandgrille.com

After many months and many trials and errors, we finally mastered our Gluten-Free Chicken & Waffles recipe! I’ll bet you can’t even tell that it’s gluten-free! In addition, come try our Waffles & an Omelet, Waffle Sandwiches, and Melts. WE GET IT. BECAUSE WE LIVE IT. Rochester’s only restaurant with a separate dedicated GLUTEN-FREE kitchen. Seasonal Cocktails & Desserts | Small Plates | Bowls.

507.281.2978, 300 1st Ave NW Rochester creativecuisineco.com

Rustic comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails, and an intimate, romantic ambiance define this hidden gem of a restaurant. Live local music every night makes this a top-notch date night spot for any day of the week. Make the Redwood Room your new go-to! Voted Most Romantic Ambiance and finalist for Best Fine Dining.

244 Soldiers Field Dr SW 507.516.1050 towniesubs.com

Best Philly in Rochester! Stop in for our signature Grill’d Philly, a Grill’d Bowl or one of our delicious Smash’d Burgers. There is something for everyone to enjoy. We are open year-round at Soldiers Field Golf Course. Dine in or carry out. Voted Best Sandwich Place 2023 & 2024.

2043 Superior Dr NW Rochester

507.288.5283 zenfusionmn.com

Zen presents a globally accented American, Mexican, Asian, and Sushi menu that draws upon the vibrancy and culinary genius of all of its chefs, creating a menu as culturally diverse as Rochester itself. Our live Hibachii chefs give the flare to any meal, creating a fun, entertaining dining experience for everyone. WE CATER, let us make your event special. Voted Best Place For Seafood 2024 by Rochester Magazine Readers!

507.424.7800

130 5th St SW Rochester pnpizza.com

Chef Pasquale Presa is serving the food he grew up with....authentic NY style pizza along with simple, traditional Italian food including fresh salads and amazing desserts. Daily lunch and dinner specials. Dine-in or carry out. To place orders call 507.424.7800. Voted Best Pizza Place 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Rochester Magazine readers.

507.635.2331

502 N Main St Mantorville hubbellhouserestaurant.com

The Hubbell House has been Rochester Magazine’s Best Restaurant within 30 minutes for the past fourteen years. Our extensive menu includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches, choice steaks, prime rib every day, chops, & seafood. Just a short drive from Rochester, whether you’re looking for a formal experience in one of our dining rooms, or a more relaxed setting like the Stagecoach Bar, the Hubbell House is the place for you.

Ristorante & Wine Bar

507.280.6232 7 1st Ave SW, Rochester victoriasmn.com

Locally owned for 25 years. Specializing in traditional Italian. All sauces are scratch made. Victoria’s has four private dining rooms for all your events. Looking for a quick lunch? Victoria’s Express (Grab and Go) is adjacent to the restaurant and is open Mon through Fri from 10 am to 1:30 pm. Join us Wednesdays for Bottomless Wine.

Specialty Coffee| Breakfast Lunch | Wine | Small Plates

507.285.2516

120 Elton Hills Dr NW Rochester

FOLLOW US @novioscafe on Instagram and Novios Cafe on Facebook. Use your phone camera to scan the QR code and order online now!

507.361.5144

3708 N Broadway Ave Rochester creativecuisineco.com

Chef inspired Casual American restaurant that is family friendly. Some menu features include our Rotisserie Chicken, Kranz Smash Burger, Sheet Ton Chicken Nachos, or Chipotle Salmon Rice Bowl. Dine next to our 16 foot fireplace, or on our patio during the summer that includes fire pits, an outdoor bar, kid play area, and yard games. We also feature plenty of screens inside and out to catch your favorite games!

(507) 289-9200

3120 Wellner Drive NE Rochester www.whistlebinkiespub.com

Locally owned for 22 years tucked in NE Rochester. Providing a pub atmosphere that makes you feel at home with comfort. Awesome summer patio, two private spaces for events, with one of the largest menus and beer selection in all of Rochester. We are happy to be serving you all for years to come.

1155 16th St SW, Rochester 507.516.0641 Sorellinasmn.com

Open Mon-Sat at 11AM Open Sunday at 10:30AM

Cousins Nadia Victoria and Jordan Victoria are excited to introduce you to: Sorellina’s Italian by Victoria’s. The latest Italian kitchen next to Apache Mall. You will find classic Victoria’s Italian dishes, as well as a few modern takes. Scratch pizzas, our famous sauces, cheesecakes and craft cocktails. Enjoy dining on the pizza counter side, the enclosed four-season patio, the swanky dining room, or sit at the bar and enjoy the view!

507.282.6572

1203 2nd St SW

Across from St Marys Hospital Rochester

Celebrating 40 years! Since 1984, the Powers family and the Canadian Honker Restaurant have taken great pride in serving fresh, home-cooked meals to you and your family. Whether you enjoy our award winning Eggs Benedict, Walleye Sandwich, or Filet Mignon, one thing is for sure, you will not leave hungry! Stop by today, and don't forget to order a piece of our world famous Bunnie Cake.

507.361.1208 10 East Center St Rochester skyway level benedictsrochester.com

Benedict’s is the place for warm, approachable food with new takes on familiar dishes and killer morning cocktails (it’s never too early). Great food and hospitality shouldn’t be relegated to dinnertime, and at Benedict’s, we are ready to champion the morning. Bring your family, become a part of ours. Open 6:00am - 3:00pm daily.

507.226.8146 4 third St SW Rochester thaipopmn.com

Lunch + Dinner + Happy Hour + Event Space. Voted Minnesota’s Best Thai Restaurant 2023, Rochester Magazine’s Best Ethnic Restaurant 2023 + Best New Restaurant 2022. We serve unique cocktails and cuisine on historic 3rd Street in downtown Rochester. Open Monday - Saturday.

507.226.8885 2280 Superior Dr NW 507.206.6799 4576 Maine Ave SE Rochester roostersbarngrill.com

Swing by Rooster’s for a delicious breakfast 7 days a week starting at 7am. Try our daily lunch specials or order off our great menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, wraps, broasted chicken and so much more. Weekday happy hour 11 am to 6 pm. We’re home of the GOLIATH 34 oz. draft beer mug on special every weekend.

507.346.7300 fourdaughtersvineyard.com 78757 State Highway 16 Spring Valley

Visit Four Daughters Winery, Loon Juice Cider, and The Traditionalist Bourbon Distillery in one spot! Wine, cider and bourbon flights available 7 days a week, plus wines by the glass/bottle, a full cocktail bar, and a restaurant. Spend time inside the spacious tasting room or outside on the large patio bordering the vineyard at the largest winery and cidery in Minnesota. Rated as the #2 Winery Restaurant in the country by USA Today!

507.424.1227 247 Woodlake Drive SE Rochester whistlebinkiespub.com

Situated in a business district on a small lake with beautiful patio views, two private dining spaces, a large dining room, and an extensive menu with something for everyone, and a beer list to impress. WBOTL is thankful for their guests, friends, and family that make us a destination that all love and enjoy.

507-258-4607 19 1st Ave SW Rochester oldebrickhousepub.com

Welcome to Olde Brick House, nestled in the heart of downtown Rochester! Enjoy a delicious mix of Traditional Fare, Steaks, Seafood, Burgers, Sandwiches, Tacos and more. With over 200 whiskeys, classic cocktails, and tap beer, there’s truly something for everyone. Join us for lunch Monday through Friday, starting at 10:30 AM, and don’t miss our Irish Recess-our unique Happy Hour with discounted drinks and appetizers. Whether you dine-in, take to-go, or order online, you’ll feel right at home. As William Butler Yeats said, “There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met.” Come and join the fun at Olde Brick House!

507.424.7800 130 5th St SW Rochester pnpizza.com

Little Italy Marketplace. Shop Pasquale’s quality Italian Ingredients direct from Italy. Everything from frozen meals, amazing sauces, scratch-made pasta, and our farm-to-table Olive Oil. Our products are available at Pasquale’s or Hyvee Stores.

3 Ways YOU CAN HELP

Ability Building Community

BY ALEXA ANDERSON

Since 1956, Ability Building Community (ABC) has been providing services for individuals with disabilities through community inclusion. The organization focuses heavily on a person-centered approach to meet the varied needs, goals, and desires of each individual. ABC’s efforts allow those with disabilities to have equal rights in regards to living, working, and participating in their communities.

Crystal Heim, ABC public relations manager, says: “It’s imperative to support the very diverse population that helps create a well-rounded and welcoming community.”

Here’s how you, too, can help Ability Building Community:

DONATE. As a non-profit organization, ABC depends on the generosity of the community to continue helping people with disabilities. The organization is currently facing deficits due to short staffing, so support from the community is needed now more than ever. With your financial contributions, the organization can sustain programs and services.

THE CHINA PLATES.

Stuck into the walls of downtown’s “adult” shop.

JOIN THE CAUSE. ABC is down more than 40 staff members. Staffing heavily affects how many individuals with disabilities they can serve. By applying to and joining the ABC team, you would be helping increase program days for some individuals and taking others off the waiting list.

GIVE YOUR TIME. Assist with ABC programs, health and wellness, maintenance, job placement, and more. The organization has a wide range of opportunities and they’re always looking for volunteers. ABC also invites you to tour their facility to learn more about the programs and services they offer.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: If you’re interested in supporting Ability Building Community in any of the ways listed above, visit abcinc.org.

3 WAYS YOU CAN HELP IS SPONSORED BY:

At Eagle Rock Bank, formerly ONB Bank, we’re proud to give back to our community. As a locally owned and managed bank, it is so important to us to support our local non-profit organizations through sponsorships and hundreds of volunteer hours through our employee volunteers.

The six ornate China plates embedded in the exterior brick walls of the former Downtown Book and Video—now called Downtown Intimates (the “Adult Novelty & Smoke” shop)—are a throwback to the building’s previous use, when it was known as China Hall, a longtime business that sold fine China and restaurant China.

China Hall was located on South Broadway in the late 1800s before moving to 220 First Ave. SW in the early 1900s. It was, according to local historians, “the” place to register for one’s China patterns. The business was owned for several generations by the Winkle family, who also did a thriving business with restaurants, hotels, and other organizations involved in food service. They sold the China Hall Restaurant Supply Co. in 1990.

—source: Post Bulletin archives

After a lifetime in Rochester’s restaurant industry, Dennis and Lynn Wong took their last shift in March.

“unexpected”

Legacy

“[The restaurant business] wasn’t something we’d planned to go into,” according to Dennis and Lynn Wong.

That was 40 years— and 10 Rochester restaurants—ago.

by Jennifer Koski |

Ahlquist

photos by Joe

photos courtesy History Center of Olmsted County, Dennis Wong, and Post Bulletin archives

Dennis Wong’s parents never wanted him to go into the restaurant industry.

Despite the fact that restaurants were in his blood. Despite the fact that his parents, Neil and Poya (along with his aunt and uncle, Ben and Mae), opened Rochester’s Wong’s Café in 1952. Despite the fact that Dennis literally grew up in Wong’s kitchen—falling asleep on bags of rice while his family worked around him.

“The restaurant provided a living for my parents so their kids could get an education and go on and do something else,” says Dennis. “They didn’t want us to continue in the family business—because they knew how much work it was. They knew the risk involved.”

Meanwhile, in the Twin Cities, Dennis’ future wife, Lynn, was experiencing a similar situation. By the time she was nine years old, Lynn was taking the city bus to help at the family restaurant on weekends. Her older sister and brother-in-law, Helen and David Fong, owned Fong’s Chow Mein in Bloomington.

And so it was that Dennis and Lynn’s childhoods reflected each other’s—growing up in restaurant

kitchens, cleaning vegetables, bagging noodles, chopping onions and celery.

“When we were younger, hanging out at the restaurant was literally in place of daycare,” says Dennis. “That was the life around us, so we didn’t think that it was out of the ordinary. But it wasn’t something we’d planned to go into.”

And yet, I’m interviewing the couple at the end of more than 40 years as Rochester restaurant owners.

We’re sitting at a table in the back of what was, until recently, Dunn Bros. North—the flagship Dunn Bros. location they brought to Rochester in 2004.

At the time of our conversation, it’s been nearly three weeks since they’ve handed over the reins to

new owners Dalton Shirley and Megan Redlin.

“After so many years,” I ask them, “is it difficult to gather here as customers?”

Dennis doesn’t hesitate. “No,” he says. “I’ve been ready for a long time. I miss the people, the customers, but I don’t miss the work. We were ready.”

The original Wong’s Cafe in 1952, at 20 Third St. SW. And the grand opening ad from the Post Bulletin (below).

•Call

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•Video

•Or

Dennis Wong’s parents, Poya and Neil Wong, opened Wong’s Cafe in 1952 with Ben and Mae Wong.

THEIR STORY BEGINS

Dennis Wong and Lynn Wong met at Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota campus in the early 1970s.

Dennis was an industrial engineering student. Lynn was pursuing a degree in education.

“We were at a mixer, and there she was across the room,” says Dennis. “I don’t think it was quite ‘their eyes met,’ but we did have in common that we weren’t very good dancers.”

For their first date, they went to a Gopher hockey game—“way up in the stands, sitting behind a wooden post”—followed by dinner at Shakey’s Pizza.

They married in 1975— after Dennis returned from graduate school at CalBerkeley—then settled in St. Paul. Dennis accepted a job at Pillsbury Co. while Lynn, who’d decided teaching wasn’t the right fit, worked at Marquette Bank in downtown Minneapolis before moving on to a job at 3M.

They were on a trajectory, as their parents had dreamed, to do anything but restaurant work.

But then, around the time Lynn and Dennis had their first child, the elder Wongs—Neil and Poya and the others—started talking about retirement, started talking about moving on from Wong’s Café.

And Dennis and Lynn began rethinking their own plan.

Dennis and Lynn Wong (back left) and Ron and Ginny Wong (Dennis’ brother-in-law and sister) take over ownership of Wong’s Café (shown here in the 20 Third St. SW location) in this Post Bulletin photo from June 15, 1982. Front row, from left: Neil and Poya Wong (Dennis’ parents) and Mae and Ben Wong (Dennis’ aunt and uncle).

“We started thinking that Rochester was a pretty good place to have a family,” says Dennis. “And we thought we could see if owning a restaurant was better than corporate life.”

The couple moved to Rochester in 1982, and— along with Dennis’ brother Mike, cousin Steve, and brother-in-law Ron—took ownership of Wong’s Café. They were home.

TAKING THE LEAP

It’s a familiar story: The young family thought they’d stay in Rochester for two or three years—four, tops—and then return to the Twin Cities.

But then another familiar story took hold: The schools were good, family was close, and work was going well. So well, in fact, that they were considering expansion.

The bank building on the corner of South Broadway and Third Street Southwest— just down the block from Wong’s, what’s now Thai Pop—was vacant. Dripping with character, the building

boasted thick walls, old bank vaults, and a larger floor plan that would allow them to double the seating.

They made the move in 1984.

“We weren’t sure how it would go,” says Dennis. “Downtown wasn’t a hopping, exciting place at the time. But it ended up being a really good move. The city was so receptive and supportive. It was kind of a leap, but it was really well received.”

As Wong’s grew, so did the kids. By then, Dennis and Lynn had three children. And like their parents before them, the kids learned the ropes of working in the dining room. Took shifts as cashiers and hosts. Handed off take out.

But, also following family tradition, they were never encouraged to make it a career.

“We were like our parents,” says Dennis. “If they hinted at staying in the business, we said no—we discouraged it. We wanted them to go to school.”

Wong’s Café moved just down the street to the corner of Third Street SW and Broadway (now the home of Thai Pop) in 1984.

Photo from Post Bulletin archives.

A NEW CHALLENGE

As Wong’s Café continued to flourish, Dennis and Lynn’s entrepreneurial spirit sent them in the direction of a second opportunity. One they could pursue together.

And then they found it.

In 1997, they purchased two small franchises—I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt and Java Coast coffee— located under one storefront on Elton Hills Drive.

“We wanted to open a coffee shop,” says Lynn. “And Java Coast gave us that, but the yogurt was a nice addition.” Focusing primarily on the coffee side of the business, the couple named the business Java Café and added soups and sandwiches to its offerings.

When they opened, there was only one other specialty coffee shop in town. But the restaurateurs saw the writing on the wall: Coffee shops were starting to make a big name for themselves.

So in 2004, the couple took the opportunity to expand their footprint, adding a fireplace, a bean roaster, additional seating—and a new name. Dennis and Lynn adopted up-and-coming Twin Cities’ franchise Dunn Bros. Coffee into their storefront.

The location became well known for its cozy atmosphere and menu of specialty quiches, homemade soups, sandwiches, and dinner entrees. And, of course, coffee.

Six months after making the transition to Dunn Bros., the Wongs added a second location—Dunn Bros. South—on Salem Road.

“The Elton Hills store was doing well, so they told us if we opened a second store, they’d give us the whole territory of Rochester,” says Dennis. “We’d have the ability to open four stores total.”

Where did this leave Wong’s Café?

By this point, Dennis and Lynn and Mike and his wife Izzi were managing Wong’s Café. Cousin Steve had passed away, and brother-in-law Ron had moved out of the area.

And the downtown restaurant landscape, says Dennis, was changing. “We went through a period of slow activity,” he says. “We’d lost a lot of parking downtown to development. And that was coupled with the fact that many of our relatives who’d been

working with us—Uncle Tony, Uncle Harold, all the aunts—were nearing retirement age.”

After more than 50 years of serving Chinese and American food in Rochester, they decided to move on. They closed the restaurant in 2005.

The transition was a fit for Dennis. It opened him up to spend more time at Dunn Bros. and run the stores with Lynn.

In 2008, the couple expanded again—opening up the wall at Dunn

Lynn and Dennis Wong.

Dennis Wong, right, works with Dalton Shirley, who, along with Megan Redlin, have transitioned the business into Novios Café.

Bros. North into an adjoining space. They named the addition Zumbro River Café and increased their menu.

In 2016, they opened a third Dunn Bros. location in the downtown skyway. It struggled. “There was a multitude of reasons it didn’t work out,” says Dennis. They closed the location in 2019.

To fulfill their franchise agreement, they opened their final Dunn Bros. location, on South Broadway—and began talking about retirement. They were ready.

And then the pandemic hit.

“WE HAD TO WEATHER THAT.”

It goes without saying that the 2020s were a challenging time for the restaurant industry. The Wongs ended up closing the Broadway location to focus on their two longtime properties—and take the opportunity to reboot. Delivery and take-out plans were activated. The former Zumbro River Café underwent a refresh to become Blue Plate Diner.

The next years would be some of the most difficult of their careers.

“It felt like we had three to four years on restriction,” says Dennis. “We had two and a half years of pandemic issues, and then the road construction began.”

He’s referring to the bridge closure on Elton Hills Drive, cutting off valuable customer traffic to Dunn Bros. and Blue Plate Diner. It would go on for nearly a year.

It wasn’t exactly a prime time to sell a restaurant.

“It was a changing landscape for restaurants in general,” says Dennis. “There were staffing issues, a surge in commodity pricing. Labor and product costs jumped. We had to weather that.”

And once they did—once the pandemic had faded, the bridge construction complete, the morning coffee rush once again robust—it was time.

Dennis and Lynn sealed the deal with longtime employees Dalton and Megan to buy Dunn Bros. North/Blue Plate Diner. Held an auction for the Dunn Bros. South equipment. Started looking to the future.

After more than 40 years of serving others, Dennis says, “I’m happy to have nothing to do but get to the gym and figure out what I’m going to have for lunch.”

AN UNEXPECTED LEGACY

Dennis Wong has a tee time. He’s scheduled to be on the Soldier’s Field fairway in 20 minutes. Lynn will stick around the restaurant a while more. Chat with friends who’ve gathered nearby. Her regulars continue to gather.

Retirement suits them.

Before Dennis leaves, he offers a final thought on the Wongs’ legacy as Rochester restaurateurs.

“As much as my parents and my uncle and aunt enjoyed the business and the people they met through the business and community, it still was a means to an end. Their legacy was family. The thing they were most proud of was their kids—and Wong’s was a way to help their kids to a better life. It’s an immigrant thing,” he says.

“And as much as Lynn and I have loved working here and the people we met—the legacy we’re most proud of is our kids. We have a librarian, a teacher and doctor. And that’s what we’ll be happiest to have people remember.”

One family,

70-plus years of restaurant history

1991: Dennis opens The Willows restaurant at 1915 Hwy 52 N. with fellow Wong’s Café owners. They close it a few years later.

1997: Dennis and Lynn open Java Café on Elton Hills Drive.

2004: Java Café becomes Dunn Bros. North. Six months later, they open Dunn Bros. South.

“We know the restaurant is in good hands. Dalton and Megan are a really good fit—and we couldn’t be happier having a local couple taking it over.”

– Dennis & Lynn Wong

2008: The Wongs open the Zumbro River Café in the adjacent storefront to Dunn Bros. North.

2016: Dunn Bros. Skyway location opens. It closes in 2019.

1952: Wong’s Café is opened by Neil and Poya Wong and Ben and Mae Wong at 20 SW Third Street.

1982: Dennis partners with brother Mike, cousin Steve, and brother-in-law Ron to take the reins of Wong’s Café.

1984: Wong’s moves down the block to the corner of Third Street and Broadway Ave. S.

2017: Dunn Bros. Broadway opens, and closes in 2020.

2020: Zumbro River Café is rebranded as Blue Plate Diner.

2024: Longtime employees Dalton Shirley and Megan Redlin purchase Dunn Bros. North/Blue Plate Diner and rename it Novios Café. The Wongs close the Dunn Bros. South location.

A New Era:

Nearly 13 years ago, in 2011, Dalton Shirley took his first shift as a dishwasher at Dunn Bros. North. The Rochester local had just turned 16. It was his first job.

Since then, Shirley has cut his teeth serving and bartending in a number of Rochester’s restaurants, including The Tap House, Chester’s, and Redwood Room. But he never drifted far from his roots, frequently returning to work for Dennis and Lynn Wong.

“I probably have a W2 from here every year since 2011,” he says. “I’ve always come back to help out.”

He was working behind the counter at Dunn Bros. in 2019 when Megan Redlin joined the staff.

Redlin, who’d recently graduated from Minnesota State University-Moorhead, had moved to Rochester to student teach at Century High School. She took the part-time job at Dunn Bros. for the summer.

Enter Novios

Sparks didn’t exactly fly right away. (“We didn’t like each other at all at first,” says Megan.) But by 2022, they’d warmed to each other and had started dating. Nearly two years later, they were engaged.

But in the midst of their romance, another opportunity hit.

Dalton was filling in one morning when Dunn Bros. owner Dennis Wong approached him. Asked if he’d be interested in talking about purchasing the restaurant.

Dalton knew the leap would be a risk. But he’d also long held the dream of opening his own restaurant.

“I wanted to own a coffee shop, also,” says Megan. “I’ve always loved that you can get to know the staff and the people who go there. And that’s what I love here— getting to know everyone.”

The couple officially took the reins from Dennis and Lynn on March 11, 2024.

Dalton manages day to day operations, while Megan—who’s been a high school Spanish teacher at Century for the last five years—comes in after school and on weekends to help out.

They’re excited about maintaining what longtime customers have loved about Dunn Bros., while also making some exciting changes—like transitioning to a wine bar at night, and adjusting the menu accordingly.

One of these changes was dropping the Dunn Bros. franchise. Instead, they’ve combined Dunn Bros. and Blue Plate Diner into one entity under the name Novios Cafe.

“We wanted the name to be meaningful to us,” Megan says. “In Spanish, novios means ‘sweethearts.’ It means ‘a loving relationship with intent to wed,’” and we will always have that meaning to us now. People who speak Spanish come in and say, “Who are the novios?” And we say, “We are! That’s us!”

Megan Redlin, left, and Dalton Shirley opened Novios Café in the former Dunn Bros./ Blue Plate Diner location.

GOING Green

The city’s top seven salad places

(as voted by Roch Mag readers)

by Elliot Mann

Photos by Joe Ahlquist, Maya Giron, and Ken Klotzbach

Victoria’s Ristorante & Wine Bar

7 First Ave. SW 507-280-6232; victoriasmn.com

With more than a dozen different offerings, Victoria’s Ristorante balances light side salad accompaniments alongside heartier options (like the Insalata Di Elhassan, with grilled salmon over fresh spinach, avocado, tomatoes and bell peppers, topped with a creamy garlic dressing). In 2023, our readers voted their Mediterranean Salad (fresh mixed lettuce, grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, sun-dried cherries, apples, mangos, pecans, and almonds with honey-mustard dressing) as one of Rochester’s Top Six Salads. Want to mix in some protein? The Carpaccio Di Manzo boasts a filet of raw cured beef tenderloin, sliced paper thin with garlic, parmesan, lemon, capers, arugula, and toasted crostini. And we’re big fans of Victoria’s Express, just down the hall from Victoria’s, where you can grab to-go salads from 10 am -1:30 pm Monday through Friday. We’re huge fans of the Buffalo Chicken Salad and the Blackened Chicken Caesar. And those rolls! Oh, lord, those rolls!

Sorellina’s Italian by Victoria’s

1155 16th St. SW 507-516-0641; sorellinasmn.com

With Sorellina’s, the next generation of the Victoria family delivers a modern take on the traditional Italian cuisine delivered at Victoria’s, and the salads are no different. We’re big fans of the Insalata Di Sorellina’s (ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella cheese, kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, microgreens, parsley, fennel, basil, and nuts, topped with a homemade caper vinaigrette). And you can’t go wrong with their dinner and Caesar salads. Here’s a test for a true salad buff—compare Victoria’s Carpaccio Di Manzo with Sorellina’s Steak Salad, which boasts Florentine steak, grape tomatoes, fresh mint, gorgonzola cheese, chives, microgreens and arugula tossed in a creamy garlic dressing, then drizzled with hot chili oil. Both pack a punch of flavorful plates, but with the kind of nuances that show you why these are two of the city’s top salad places.

Saladworks

Marriott Subway Level, 101 First Ave. SW 507-361-3333; saladworks.com

In our 2021 Best Restaurants voting, Rochester Magazine readers chose Saladworks as one of the city’s Best New Restaurants. In 2022, they took home the honors for Best Salad Place, and their Grilled Chicken Caesar was runner-up for Best Takeout Meal. So, yeah, Saladworks has quickly established itself as a Rochester go-to for downtown diners. And you can also turn any of their Signature Salads (think Smoky BBQ Crispy Chicken and the Roasted Turkey Club) into a wrap, as well. We like going a step further to the “Build Your Own Grain Bowls.” The Classic Greek Warm Grain Bowl starts with a super grains blend, before adding diced and sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onions, and feta cheese.

Salad Brothers

111 South Broadway (in the Galleria at University Square) 1217 2nd St SW 507-289-1560; facebook.com/saladbrothers

Whether our readers were eating at the skyway level of Galleria at University Square or at the cafe on Second Street, the fresh, familiar options at Salad Brothers drew rave reviews. The cafe has been a favorite lunch spot for closing in on three decades, and after all of these years, the Spinach Salad (bacon, egg, and sunflower seeds) may actually have gotten better. Our secret? Don’t leave your salad plate lonely. The homemade soups are always a great addition. The offerings change, but make sure you get a cup of the Beer Cheese Soup. And we will say this: The breadsticks are a top three in Rochester.

Five West

1991 Commerce Dr. NW 507-361-5555; fivewestrochester.com

Five West’s sophisticated menu has options that make their salads the featured star of any date night. The Blackened Chicken Quinoa starts with blackened chicken, but puts it over a bed of chopped spinach, tossed with cilantro lime quinoa, avocado, red pepper, fresh herbs, pickled chilies, feta, and both mango yogurt dressing and champagne vinaigrette dressing. And there’s a reason our readers voted that the Best Salad in our 2023 Best Restaurants balloting. We’re also big fans of the Poke Tuna salad, which boasts poke with a kick — cilantro Napa slaw, pickled chillies, avocado, scallions, sesame seeds, wonton crisps, sriracha aioli and soy ginger dressing.

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Purple Goat

3708 N. Broadway Ave.; 507-361-5144; creativecuisineco.com/purple-goat

If you’re at the Purple Goat, you’ve gotta go with goat cheese, right? The Strawberry Goat Cheese salad (which was a runner-up in our 2023 Best Salad category) features mixed greens, strawberries, goat cheese, candied pecans, red onion, and strawberry vinaigrette. If you’re really a cheese connoisseur, step right up to the Honey Crisp and Gorgonzola salad, which boasts mixed greens, onion, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and an apple cider vinaigrette. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, the classic caesar and garden salads are also two of our favorites.

Whistle Binkie’s

3120 Wellner Dr. NE, 507-289-9200 247 Woodlake Dr. SE, 507-424-1227 whistlebinkiespub.com

An Scottish pub with an egg roll salad? Just trust us. Check out Noi’s Egg Roll Salad: crisp lettuce, bean sprouts, chicken, onions, cucumbers, rice noodles, Noi’s famous egg rolls, chopped peanuts, and cilantro. If you’re looking for a more traditional salad, we recommend the Caprese Chicken and Avocado salad. Tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, the salad combines grilled chicken with mixed greens, mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and avocado. Our secret? We get our salads on Mondays for Mystery Beer Night—draw a beer from a hat—and pay $3, regardless of the pick.

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(ONE IMAGE, ONE MOMENT IN THE CITY’S HISTORY)

The $500K Extortion Attempt

On Aug. 10, 1978 John D. Chisholm (pictured, above), a longtime president of the Olmsted County Bank and Trust, received a telephone call requesting $500,000 in unmarked bills to be delivered to the south elevator of the Kahler Hotel.

“If you don’t deliver the money,” the caller told Chisholm, “explosives around the bank will go off.”

Chisholm contacted the FBI and was informed to do exactly as ordered—but to use old newspapers rather than cash.

Chisholm took the briefcase of fake money to the Kahler and returned to the bank. No bombs were found, but the extortionist Henry A. Skeen of Percy, Miss. was caught five days later by the FBI and sentenced to six years in prison.

source: Post Bulletin archives

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Here it is!

OUR 100 DAYS OF SUMMER, 100 CAN’T-MISS EVENTS CALENDAR FOR 2024.

(Well, hopefully it’s still here. It should be stuck on the facing page.)

Pull this out of the magazine. Hang this on your fridge. Refer to it daily.

IS YOUR CALENDAR MISSING?

It should be stuck onto this page. Oh, well, someone must have beat you to it. But you can still check it out online at

by Elliot Mann

Photos by Joe Ahlquist and Maya Giron

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

NORTH MR. PIZZA

4040 28th Street NW 507-252-9400; northmrpizza.com

Classic recipe. The recipe for the Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake comes from original pastry chef Heather Fulton, part of the former family owners of North Mr. Pizza. Current head pastry chef Kara Mischke trained with Fulton for four years and perfected those cheesecake recipes that are still on the menu today.

Cheesecake for days. Here’s a pro tip from the North Mr. Pizza Kitchen: Get the cheesecake at the end of your family’s meal, regardless if you have room for it. The generous slice will be great after tomorrow’s lunch, as well. (Or why not breakfast? You’re an adult.)

Yin and Yang: Try the “Big Peppi,” a thin-crust, double pepperoni pizza with marinara sauce, roasted garlic, and mozzarella, asiago, and parmesan cheeses, and pair it with the Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake. The savory pizza meshes perfectly with the dessert’s sweetness.

Bunnie’s Coconut Cake Tiramisu

CANADIAN HONKER

1203 Second St. SW 507-282-6572; canadianhonker.com

Mamma knows best. When Joe Powers finished the menu for his first Canadian Honker restaurant in 1984, his father kept badgering him about putting his mother’s cake on the menu. The debate went back and forth, but eventually the elder Powers wore down his son, and Joe begrudgingly added his mom’s coconut cake. It immediately became a hit. “Thank God I did. The rest is history,” says Joe Powers, CEO of Powers Ventures.

That’s a lot of coconuts. On the Easter holiday alone, the Honker sold enough pieces of Bunnie’s Coconut Cake to equal 300 total cakes. At 12 slices out of each cake, that’s 3,600 pieces of cake.

Bunnie’s secret lives on. The exact origin of the recipe is unknown; Powers believes his mother might have gotten the ingredients from a 1960s era cookbook. But he also concedes that his mother was quite a cook, and could have added her own twist to it. In his own travels as a restaurateur, if he comes across a coconut cake on the menu, he’ll give it a try to see how it stacks up. “I have yet to find one like hers,” he says.

TERZA

30 3rd Street SE 507-216-9590; terza3.com

Whipping it up from scratch. Terza’s kitchen crafts the Tiramisu in-house every other day. First, the chefs whip the base layer of mascarpone, taking prepared ladyfingers and soaking them in house-made espresso and brandy. Then comes layer after layer of creamy mascarpone and ladyfingers, topped off with cocoa powder.

From the Old Country, not Google. The recipe comes from Chef Vincenzo Giangiordano (yes, he’s Italian) who brought the traditional, classic recipe to Terza when it opened about nine years ago. It’s been a staple of the menu since the restaurant opened its doors.

Perfect combination. The tiramisu has also inspired the “Terza-misu,” a specialty tiramisu-guided cocktail that combines vanilla vodka, Rumchata, Kahlua, chocolate liqueur, with a bit of cream. Look for that to return for a limited time later this year.

PB Trivia Night at Little Thistle!

(Locally crafted beer. Locally crafted questions.)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE, 26 & WEDNESDAY, JULY 31

(And the last Wednesday of every month) The Post Bulletin and Little Thistle have teamed up for PB Trivia Night!

Sure, Wednesdays already mean Trivia Mafia Night at Little Thistle. But now, as an added bonus, the usual halftime break for Trivia Mafia will be filled with questions Pulled From The Pages Of This Month’s Post Bulletin (which was our original title, but then we realized it’s way too long).

And the winning team gets all kinds of cool swag (well, we think it’s cool because some of it has the PB logo on it, but it also includes Little Thistle gift cards!).

As always, the Trivia Mafia Night at Little Thistle starts at 6:30 pm (though you really should get there early) and it’s all free.

PB Trivia will start a little after 7 pm.

Danish Donuts

MARROW

332 Broadway Ave. S. 507-258-4184; marrowmn.com

Donuts with foie gras? In. Marrow’s Danish Donuts are described as brown pancake balls, filled with a hazelnut mousse, along with foie gras acting as the butter.

A Christmas Miracle. The idea behind Danish Donuts came from co-owner Sarah Schwenker’s family, where the dessert is served every Christmas morning. From there, husband and co-owner Jeff Schwenker took his own long-time pancake recipe, and engineered an elevated take for the restaurant.

It translates to something ... completely different. It is known as “abelskiver” in Dutch, which literally translates to apple slices, although apples are no longer typically part of the dessert. The Danish Donuts have appeared on Marrow’s menu going back to its pop-up eatery days in 2018.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

SORELLINA’S

1155 16th St. SW

507-516-0641; sorellinasmn.com

Fresh take on a classic. Sorellina’s bills itself as an updated take on the classic Italian fare offered by its sister restaurant Victoria’s, of which the Tiramisu Cheesecake is a direct representation. Pastry Chef Rachel Dolton specializes in cheesecake, and once she learned to make Victoria’s tiramisu, she began crafting her own recipe, combining tiramisu and cheesecake for the eatery.

Cakes on cakes on cakes. Sorellina’s goes through about 384 pieces of Tiramisu Cheesecake a week, making about 48 cakes total. It’s the most popular of their desserts, and while the dessert menu rotates its cheesecake offerings, the Tiramisu Cheesecake is always on hand.

Have some coffee with your coffee. The lighter, sweeter cheesecake pairs well with Sorellina’s chocolate martini, or even a classic black coffee.

We absolutely love our Renewal by Andersen windows! The windows are very attractive and SO easy to open/close and clean. Everyone at Ryan Windows and Siding was great to work with from explaining the windows in the showroom to scheduling and installation, we couldn't have asked for more. I would definitely suggest Renewal by Andersen to anyone looking for beautiful and quality windows.

-Linda M.

OUR PALADAR

20 Fourth St. SE 507-206-0483; ourpaladar.com

Leave the berries, take the bananas. Whereas Pavlova is commonly a meringue-based dessert topped with an assortment of berries and kiwi, Our Paladar goes with a lighter take closer to a Bananas Foster, with caramel and rum along for the ride.

Step 1: Pasta. Step 2: What do we do with all these eggs? Step 3: Pavlova. When Our Paladar chefs first began hand-crafting their pasta, they found themselves sitting with four dozen egg whites a day. How could they put them to good use? Easy. A dessert centered around egg whites. Enter the meringue-based pavlova.

Elevation over activity. For co-owners and chefs Kiefer Manning and Nick Diaz, it’s not about overlydetailed dishes bombarding the palate, Manning says. With the Pavlova, it’s making sure each step is perfect, from perfect peaks on the egg whites, to proper rest time from the oven, to the short shelf life meringue affords. “We want to take great, local ingredients, apply a solid foundation and technique, and let everything shine on the plate,” Manning says.

Pavlova

The Walk-Through:

INSIDE A $1.15M HOME IN ELY, MN

The home: 8 acres & 780 ft of shoreline on Clear Lake. 2500 square feet, 3BR/2BTH

The info: This secluded hand-hewn log home is located at the end of the road on Clear Lake and is just minutes from Ely and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The property features mesmerizing views all the way across the lake and includes a gradual lot with excellent swimming. Set on eight acres and

seven hundred eighty feet of East and South facing shore, the property adjoins hundreds of acres of undeveloped state land and thousands of feet of state shoreline. Custom built in 2007, the home features a vaulted great room with natural light pouring in two story tall windows, hardwood floors, and glass doors to the lakefront deck. There is a gourmet kitchen with an island open to the great room, dining, and the covered porch. The main floor is completed with two bedrooms and a bath with a spa tub. Up the log stairs is an open loft bedroom. Downstairs there is a walk out family room room, the sauna, and a bath. Other amenities include

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WORTH THE DRIVE

About

Our favorite hole: Number 18 is the longest hole (at 501 yards) and the toughest (number one handicap), and a great way to finish a round.

19th hole: A full-service bar and grill (with some of the best burgers and cheese curds around) greets you before or after your round.

Top 2024 specials: Burger Basket and Golf Special; on Mon.-Fri. tee off before noon for a flat rate of $55.

FRONTENAC

MOUNT FR0NTENAC GOLF COURSE

32420 Ski Rd., Frontenac | 651-388-5826 | mountfrontenac.com

Par: 71 Yardage: 4,982-6,226 Green fees: $17-$37.25

About the course: Mount Frontenac Golf Course is a full-service, 18-hole course offering unforgettable vistas of the beautiful Mississippi River Valley, as well as numerous wildlife sightings. Excellent practice facility, putting green, fully staffed pro shop, restaurant, and banquet facility.

Our favorite hole: Hole #7 (a 388-yard par 4) is beautiful from tee to green.

The view is sure to take your breath away—you can literally see miles down the Mississippi River Valley.

Top 2024 specials: Weekday special includes 18 holes of golf with cart and lunch for only $37.25 per person (valid daily except Saturday). HAYFIELD

Par: 72 Yardage: 5,525-6,500 Green Fees: $15-$45

About the course: Established in 1977, The Oaks is known for its scenic, rolling fairways, meandering creek, friendly staff, and the best golf values in the area. Just a short drive from Austin, Rochester, or Owatonna.

Our favorite hole: Hole #13 (a 374-yard par 4). A solid drive down the middle leaves a short to middle iron into a green, nestled into a stand of oak trees.

19th hole: The Oaks Bar & Grille is open daily and offers a fully stocked bar and a variety of menu items, with excellent Friday Night Dinner specials.

Top 2024 specials: Be sure to check out the website to see the latest golf and food specials!

Par: 71. Yardage: 5,004-6,410. Green fees: $15 for 9 weekdays; ($22 for weekends). $25 for 18 weekdays; ($35 for weekends).

About the course: Lake City Golf Club is a championship, 18-hole golf course, par 71. A well-groomed, fully watered golf course set back in the bluff country of the Mississippi River valley, LCGC offers four sets of tees to accommodate every ability, from novice to experienced golfer. The course also features a driving range to warm up, and a bar to relax after the game.

Our favorite hole: The 18th hole is a demanding par-5, 523 yards long with a creek down the left side and out of bounds on the right. A straight drive at 180 yards to 240 yards will put you short of the creek and let you hit an iron to a landing area at 130 yards from the green. The 18th hole is a very scenic hole with an occasional deer crossing or trout swimming in the creek.

Top 2024 specials: Unlimited golf with cart on Wednesdays for $35 all summer long.

LAKE CITY

LAKE PEPIN GOLF COURSE

LAKE CITY THE JEWEL GOLF CLUB

70895 260th Ave., Lake City | 651-345-5768 | lakepepingolf.com

Par: 72 Yardage: 6,752

Green fees: Weekdays 9/18 : $31/$40; Weekends 9/18: $34/$43

About the course: Lake Pepin Golf Course is owned and operated by the Schmidt Family in Lake City, Minn. Our course sits high atop the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley, overlooking Lake Pepin. Designed by Gordon Emerson, this remarkable course stretches to 6,752 yards and features breathtaking views of the lake on 12 holes.

Our favorite holes: Hole #2, #4, #11... after holing out, step beyond the greens for great views of Lake Pepin and the valley

Top 2024 Special: Wednesdays 18 holes w/cart for $25; Mondays 18 holes w/ cart for $30

1900 Clubhouse Dr., Lake City | jewelgolfclub.com

Par: 71 Yardage: 4,907-7,050 Green Fees: $62-$103

About the course: Nestled in the Mississippi River valley grand bluffs of Lake City. Designed by three time US Open Winner, Hale Irwin, the course winds throughout 800 acres of the river valley. Routed through a variety of terrain, the course was designed with five sets of tee boxes in order to accommodate golfers of any ability.

Our favorite hole: Hole 11, Pictured here. 209 yards from the back tee, this par 3 is

a forced carry-over water with beautiful views of the Mississippi River valley bluffs.

19th hole: Bluffside Grill & Bar is tucked away in a setting that offers panoramic views of manicured greens and lush fairways surrounded by the Mississippi River bluffs. Whether it’s a burger, or one of our signature dinner entrees, you’ll be delighted by the talents of our culinary team and warm service of our wait staff.

Top 2024 specials: Monday-Thursday you can play 36 holes for $121 plus tax including cart.

Par: 71. Yardage: 6,206.

Green fees: 18 Holes with cart: M-F $44pp; Weekends $52pp.

About our course: Open to the public since 2017, this former private course is one fantastic layout. Superintendent Brent Doerhoefer has been taking super care of the best greens in the state year in and year out. Terrific assortment of holes with some incredible elevation changes on both nines. Come check out our views from the bluffs overlooking our course.

19th Hole: Nineteen Bar+Grill offers the public a wonderful dining experience with top-notch homemade pizza, burgers, salads and sandwiches. The Friday night fish fry features haddock, walleye and jumbo shrimp. (Reservations are appreciated for the fish fry—please call 651-388-9524.) The bar & grill features both indoor and outdoor seating for guests to enjoy.

RED WING RED WING GOLF COURSE

PINE ISLAND GOLF COURSE 920 8th St. SE, Pine Island | 507-356-8252 | pineislandgolf.com

ROCHESTER

EASTWOOD GOLF COURSE

Par: 71 Yardage: 4,946-6,563

Green fees: $20-$28

About the course: 18 holes built on 140 acres. Fairways are wide with multiple tees, greens are huge, and there are tree, water, sand, and rock hazards. The course is challenging for the advanced, the beginner, the young and the old. Full driving range and putting practice facilities.

Favorite hole: Hole #14 is a risk-reward par 5 measuring 519 yards. This dogleg

left requires a well-placed tee shot. Longer hitters can try to cut the corner—over trees and prairie grasses.

Top 2024 specials: Morning Special: Monday through Friday (no holidays), tee off before 11am and play 18 holes for the price of 9. Twilight Golf: Wednesday through Sunday, tee off after 4 p.m. and play 18 holes for the price of 9.

3505 Eastwood Rd. SE, Rochester | 507-281-6173 | rochestermngolf.com

Par: 71 Yardage: 4,779-6,631

Green fees: 9 holes: $22/Adult. $20/ Senior. $12/Junior. 18 holes: $37/Adult. $33/Senior. $24/Junior.

About the course: One course, two personalities. The original 18-hole layout at Eastwood was designed by Rochester golf legend Ray Keller. The old front nine was scrapped in 2007. What was the back nine became the front nine, and the new back opened for play in 2008. The new back nine is longer, but offers multiple tee boxes so golfers of any level can play to their game. Eastwood’s challenging and beautiful back nine is a

bargain, playing like a high-end course for the price of a municipal course (its front nine isn’t anything to scoff at either).

Our favorite hole: Hole #14 has been called “the toughest par 5 in the area.” This monster dogleg right (607 yards from the black tees) begins with a challenging tee shot over water to a fairway lined with brush to the left and woods to the right.

Top 2024 Special: Two for $70 Special includes 18 hole green fees and cart at select times daily.

Par: 32 Yardage: 1,600-2,300 Green fees: $15 for 9 holes. Junior 18 & under $10 for 9 holes.

About the course: Hadley Creek is a 9-hole, par 32 layout with multiple practice areas. The creek flows through the middle of the course, accompanied by several ponds, and a beautiful, natural nine holes at the base of Hawthorne Hills bluffs.

Our favorite hole: The “critter” hole #7, a 350-yard, par 4. A tee shot over a pond to a generous fairway, creek right, bluffs left, with a great chance to view deer, beaver, turkey, fox, or eagles flying overhead.

ROCHESTER NORTHERN HILLS GOLF COURSE

4721 West Circle Dr. NW, Rochester | 507-281-6170 | rochestermngolf.com

ROCHESTER WILLOW CREEK GOLF COURSE

Par: 72 Yardage: 5,398-6,271 Green fees: 9 holes: $22/Adult. $20/ Senior. $12/Junior. 18 holes: $37/Adult. $33/Senior. $24/Junior.

About the course: A lot has changed in the city of Rochester since Northern Hills opened for play back in the summer of 1976, when it quickly leapt to the top of the city courses. That top-tier rating, though, hasn’t changed. Area golf experts regularly rank Northern Hills in the top two for area courses. Northern Hills has a good mixture of rolling hills and trees, not to mention an abundance of wildflowers.

Its short par 4s make long hitters question keeping their driver in the bag on several holes. The sloped greens provide many tough wedge shots and putts.

Our favorite hole: Hole #6 (504-yard, par 5 from the championship tees). A par 5 with eagle potential, this is a classic risk-reward hole. Even after the recent redesign, it’s still one of the toughest tee shots in town.

Top 2024 special: Two for $70 Special includes 18 hole green fees and cart at select times daily.

Par: 70/71 Yardage: 5,003-5,769 Green fees: 9 holes: $22/Adult. $20/ Senior. $12/Junior. 18 holes: $37/Adult. $33/Senior. $24/Junior.

About the course: A classic (opened in 1927), Soldiers Field’s flat, short design makes it great for beginners, but its top-notch smallish, quick greens and abundance of trees still test the experienced player, and golfers of any caliber will appreciate the views of the Zumbro River.

Two classic threes: They say that par 3s define a course, and Soldiers has two classics. The signature hole—hole #5, the elevated tee-to-elevated green, 165-yarder—has been redesigned twice since 1960 and your tee shot travels over and along the Zumbro. Also, SF’s eighth hole may be the city’s toughest par 3.

Top 2024 special: Two for $70 Special includes 18 hole green fees and cart at select times daily.

1700 48th St. SW, Rochester | 507-285-0305 | willowcreekgolfmn.com

Par: 70 for Willow Creek Green Fees: $18-$34 for Willow Creek; $7-$12 for Little Willow

About the course: Willow Creek Golf Course opened in 1976 and has been a “gem” in Rochester golf ever since. With 27 beautiful holes, Willow Creek offers both an 18-hole regulation course and also a 9-hole executive course. In addition, Willow Creek has four sets of tee boxes to accommodate all ability levels with ease.

Favorite hole: Hole #9 is an amazing

par 3 that plays between 150-170 yards. Your tee shot sails from an elevated tee box, over a valley to an elevated green with two tiers.

Top 2024 specials: Morning Special runs Monday-Friday before noon (not valid on holidays) and gets you 18 holes and 1/2 cart for $33 per person. Twilight Special runs Saturdays and Sundays after 3 p.m. and gets you 18 Holes & 1/2 cart for $38.00 per person (must book online). Kids play free on Sundays after 2 p.m. on Little Willow.

ADAMS

CEDAR RIVER GOLF COURSE

14927 Minnesota 56, Adams; 507-582-3595; cedarrivercountryclub.com

Par: 72/74; Yardage: 5,580-6,288 Cedar River is a member-owned public golf course.

ALBERT LEA

GREEN LEA GOLF COURSE

101 Richway Dr., Albert Lea; 507-373-1061; greenlea.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,049-6,213 18-hole course features mature trees and water on nine holes.

AUSTIN

MEADOW GREENS GOLF COURSE

25238 540th Ave., Austin; 507-433-4878; meadowgreensgc.com

Par: 69; Yardage: 1,930-4,790 The 27-hole course has three contrasting nines.

AUSTIN COUNTRY CLUB

1202 28th St. NE, Austin; 507-437-7631; austincountryclub.net

Par: 72; Yardage: 3,047-6,520 Built in 1919, course features 45 bunkers and water on seven holes.

BLOOMING PRAIRIE

BLOOMING PRAIRIE COUNTRY CLUB

7701 118th St. SE, Blooming Prairie; 507-583-2887; bpcountryclub.com

Par: 36/37; Yardage: 2,554-3,026 This wide-open, nine-hole course has numerous trees.

BYRON

SOMERBY GOLF CLUB

975 Somerby Pkwy. NE, Byron; 507-775-3700; somerby.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,160-7,209 World-class golf on a links-style course.

CALEDONIA

MA CAL GROVE COUNTRY CLUB

15939 State Hwy. 76, Caledonia; 507-725-2733; macalgrove.com

Par: 36/38; Yardage: 2,842-3,213 Many trees and rolling hills.

CANNON FALLS CANNON GOLF CLUB

8606 295th St. E, Cannon Falls; 507-263-3126; cannongolfclub.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,119-6,581

Relatively flat layout and elevated tees.

GOPHER HILLS GOLF COURSE

26155 Nicolai Ave., Cannon Falls; 507-263-2507; gopherhills.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 4,913-6,355 Tree-lined fairways and numerous elevation changes.

THE SUMMIT GOLF CLUB

31286 Hwy. 19 Blvd., Cannon Falls; 507-263-4648; summitgolfclub.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,165-7,025

Bentgrass fairways, tees and greens with elevation changes.

CHATFIELD

CHOSEN VALLEY GOLF CLUB

1801 Main St. S, Chatfield; 507-867-4305; chosenvalleygolfclub.com

Par: 34/35; Yardage: 2,570-2,933

This 9-hole course offers a rolling terrain on a couple of holes.

DODGE CENTER

DODGE COUNTRY CLUB

18187 County Rd. 34, Dodge Center; 507-374-2374; dodgecountryclub.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,151-6,176

Scenic views, challenging holes, relaxed atmosphere.

FARIBAULT

FARIBAULT GOLF CLUB

1700 17th St. NW, Faribault; 507-334-3810; faribaultgolf.com

Par: 72/73; Yardage: 5,468-6,447

Many trees, medium-sized greens. Wildlife often visits the course.

LEGACY GOLF COURSE

1515 Shumway Ave., Faribault; 507-332-7177; legacygcmn.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,031-6,416

Noted golf architect Garrett Gill designed the course.

FARMINGTON

SOUTHERN HILLS

18950 Chippendale Ave., Farmington; 651-463-4653; southernhillsgolfcourse.com

Par: 70/72; Yardage: 4,970-6,343

A challenge for all skill levels.

FRONTENAC

MOUNT FRONTENAC

GOLF COURSE

32420 Ski Rd., Frontenac; 651-388-5826, 800-488-5826; mountfrontenac.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 4,982-6,226

Unforgettable Mississippi River views (and numerous wildlife sightings).

HARMONY

HARMONY GOLF CLUB

535 4th St. NE, Harmony; 507-886-5622; harmonygolfclub.com

Par: 36; Yardage: 2,452-3,018

Gently rolling hills and narrow fairways, and one water hazard in play.

HAYFIELD

THE OAKS GOLF CLUB

73671 170th Ave., Hayfield; 507-477-3233; oaksinhayfield.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,525-6,500

Scenic rolling fairways and one of the best golf values in the area.

HOUSTON

VALLEY HIGH GOLF CLUB

9203 Mound Prairie Dr., Houston; 507-894-4444, valleyhighgolfclub.com

Par: 71/72; Yardage: 4,796-6,157 Tree-lined fairways with mid-sized greens.

KENYON

KENYON COUNTRY CLUB

45986 Hwy. 56, Kenyon; 507-789-6307; kenyoncountryclub.com

Par: 34/36; Yardage: 2,470-2,656

Features big oak trees, small greens, and a few sand traps.

LA CRESCENT

PINE CREEK GOLF COURSE

3815 N. Pine Creek Rd., La Crescent; 507-895-2410; cityoflacrescent-mn.gov

Par: 35; Yardage: 2,352-3,009 Course offers three different tee-off locations on each hole.

LAKE CITY

LAKE CITY GOLF COURSE

33587 Lakeview Dr., Lake City; 651-345-3221; lakecitygolf.com

Par: 71/72; Yardage: 5,028-6,410

A well-groomed course set in the Mississippi River valley.

LAKE PEPIN GOLF COURSE

70895 260th Ave., Lake City; 651-345-5768; lakepepingolf.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,242-6,752

Scottish-feel course perched atop bluffs overlooking Lake Pepin.

THE JEWEL GOLF CLUB

1900 Clubhouse Dr., Lake City; 651-345-2672; jewelgolfclub.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 4,907-7,050

Nestled in the bluffs and designed by three-time U.S. Open winner Hale Irwin.

LANESBORO

LANESBORO GOLF CLUB

900 Parkway Ave. S, Lanesboro; 507-467-3742; lanesborogolfcourse.com

Par: 27; Yardage: 2,482-2,729

It’s a long, narrow, and hilly course with few, if any, even lies.

LEWISTON

HEARTLAND COUNTRY CLUB

19917 Hwy. 14, Lewiston; 507-523-2060; heartland-cc.com/

Par: 36; Yardage: 2,598-3,164

Gently rolling, wide-open fairways. Also features a par-27 executive course.

MANTORVILLE

ZUMBRO VALLEY GOLF COURSE

25202 615th St., Mantorville; 507-635-2821; zvrc.com

Par: 36/37; Yardage: 2,592-2,755

The Zumbro River meanders across four of the holes.

MONTGOMERY

MONTGOMERY NATIONAL G.C.

900 Rodgers Dr., Montgomery; 507-364-5602; montgomerynationalgolf.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 4,984-6,563

This music-themed course features water hazards on eight holes.

NEW RICHLAND

RIVERVIEW GOLF COURSE

15590 240th Ave., New Richland; 507-465-3516

Par: 36; Yardage: 2,771-3,075

The Le Sueur River runs through the course.

NORTHFIELD

WILLINGERS GOLF CLUB

6797 Canby Trail, Northfield; 952-652-2500; willingersgc.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,166-6,809

Offers significant elevation and topography changes.

NORTHFIELD GOLF CLUB

707 Prairie St., Northfield; 507-645-4026; northfieldgolfclub.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,208-6,728 A combination of old and new holes.

OWATONNA

BROOKTREE GOLF COURSE

1369 Cherry St., Owatonna; 507-444-2467; brooktreegolfcourse.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 5,534-6,684 One of the best municipal courses in the area.

HAVANA HILLS

2213 NE 34th Ave., Owatonna; 507-571-0249; havanahillsgolf.com

Par: 27; Yardage: 1,140 Great course for working on short game.

OWATONNA COUNTRY CLUB

1991 Lemond Rd., Owatonna; 507-451-6120; owatonnacc.com

Par: 71/72; Yardage: 5,251-6,323 Straight River comes into play on several holes of this private course.

PINE ISLAND

PINE ISLAND GOLF COURSE

920 8th St. SE, Pine Island; 507-356-8252; pineislandgolf.com –: 71; Yardage: 4,946-6,563

Wide fairways, huge greens, and clever and cool hazards.

PLAINVIEW

PIPER HILLS GOLF COURSE

25233 534th St., Plainview; 507-534-2613; piperhillsgolfcourse.com

Par: 36; Yardage: 2,792-3,086 Great greens in the countryside.

PRESTON

PRESTON GOLF COURSE

27486 Hwy. 16 W., Preston; 507-765-4485; prestongolfcourse.com

Par: 35; Yardage: 2,983

This 1930 course was built on hilly terrain and has no sand bunkers.

RIVERS’ BEND

24461 Heron Rd., Preston; 507-467-2512; barnresort.com

Par: 70; Yardage: 4,923-6,000

Several holes are carved out of the surrounding woodlands.

RED WING

MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL

409 Golf Links Dr., Red Wing; 651-388-1874; golfredwing.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 5,002-6,489

Two unique 18 hole courses offer differing golf experiences.

RED WING GOLF COURSE

1311 W. 6th St., Red Wing; 651-388-9524; redwinggolfcourse.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 4,831-6,206

Nestled in the sand bluffs of Red Wing.

ROCHESTER

EASTWOOD GOLF COURSE

3505 Eastwood Rd. SE, Rochester; 507-281-6173; rochestermngolf.com

Par: 71; Yardage 4,779-6,631

One course, two personalities. A longtime Rochester favorite made even better.

HADLEY CREEK GOLF COURSE/ LEARNING CENTER

2427 Hadley Hills Dr. NE, Rochester; 507-529-4119; rochestermngolf.com

Par: 32; Yardage: 1,600-2,300

The place to practice and learn on a natural nine-holer.

MAPLE VALLEY GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

8600 Maple Valley Rd. SE, Rochester; 507-285-9100; maplevalleygolf.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 5,057-5,906

This course follows the Root River and limestone bluffs.

NORTHERN HILLS GOLF COURSE

4721 West Circle Dr. NW, Rochester; 507-281-6170; rochestermngolf.com

Par: 72; Yardage: 5,398-6,271 Rolling hills, mature trees, and wildflowers.

OAK SUMMIT GOLF COURSE

2751 Co. Rd. 16 SW, Rochester; 507-252-1808; oaksummitgolf.com

Par: 70; Yardage: 5,080-6,434

One of the area’s more scenic courses with plenty of challenge.

ROCHESTER GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

3100 Country Club Rd. SW, Rochester; 507-282-2708; rgcc.org

Par: 70/72; Yardage: 5,298-6,469

Rolling terrain with lots of pine trees and changes in elevation.

SOLDIERS FIELD GOLF COURSE

244 Soldiers Field Dr. SW, Rochester; 507-281-6176; rochestermngolf.com

Par: 70/71; Yardage: 5,003-5,769

The Rochester classic (opened in 1927) features two classic par-3s.

WILLOW CREEK GOLF COURSE

1700 48th St. SW, Rochester; 507-285-0305; willowcreekgc.com

Par: 70; Yardage: 5,293-6,053

Fairly wide open, some challenging holes. Also offers Little Willow Executive Golf Course.

RUSHFORD FERNDALE GOLF COURSE

23239 Hwy. 16, Rushford; 507-864-7626; ferndalegolfcourse.com

Par: 36/38; Yardage: 2,756-3,354

Solid nine-hole course, easy to walk.

ST. CHARLES

ST. CHARLES GOLF CLUB

1920 Gladiola Dr., St. Charles; 507-932-5444; stcharlesgolfclub.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 5,023-6,237

Nestled in rolling hills and valleys.

STEWARTVILLE

RIVERVIEW GREENS

1800 Clubhouse Dr. NE, Stewartville; 507-533-9393; riverviewgreens.com

Par: 70; Yardage 5,108 Course winds along the Root River.

WABASHA THE BLUFFS AT COFFEE MILL

180 Coffee Mill Dr., Wabasha; 651-565-4332; coffeemillgolf.com

Par: 71/72; Yardage: 5,091-6,515

The scenic course features long and challenging par-4s.

WINONA THE BRIDGES GOLF COURSE

22852 County Rd. 17, Winona; 507-452-3535; winonagolf.com

Par: 71; Yardage: 5,091-6,778

A true test of golf with plenty of elevation changes.

CEDAR VALLEY GOLF COURSE

25019 County Rd. 9, Winona; 507-457-3129; cedarvalleymn.com

Par: 36; Yardage: 4,959-6,505

Many long holes, a variety of slopes, and several water features.

WESTFIELD GOLF CLUB

1460 W. 5th St., Winona; 507-452-6901; westfieldgolfclub.com

Par: 36; Yardage: 5,620-6,656

The course is walker-friendly due to the relatively flat terrain.

ZUMBRO FALLS

ZUMBRO FALLS GOLF CLUB

60146 Hwy. 63, Zumbro Falls; 507-753-3131; zumbrofallsgolfclub.com

Par: 36; Yardage: 3,268

Scenic and challenging with rolling hills.

ZUMBROTA

ZUMBROTA GOLF CLUB

80 Golf Links Ave., Zumbrota; 507-732-5817; zumbrotagolfclub.com

Par: 69; Yardage: 4,532-5,875

A classic design front-nine followed by a links-style back.

AREA GOLF, BY THE NUMBERS

(2024 edition)

The radius for which Rochester City golf courses halt play if lightning strikes.

139

Number of golf carts the City of Rochester operates, with 50 at Eastwood, 40 at Northern Hills, 27 at Soldier Field and 22 at Hadley Creek.

$1,635

Cost of a family season pass (for all four city courses).

3

Green fees for Soldiers Field Golf Course in 1926.

Number of minutes you can now spend looking for a lost ball (it was 5).

TOP CITY COURSE FOR ROUNDS PLAYED?

Soldiers Field (23,382). Eastwood (22,778) and Northern Hills (22,450) were close behind. Hadley Creek saw 16,520 rounds in 2021.

$250, $480, $740, $1090, $950

Cost of a season pass (for all four city courses) for ages 8-18 ($250); 19-25 ($480); 26-30 ($740); 31-61 ($1,090); and 62 and older ($950).

Year the first organized round of golf is played at the 6-hole Soldiers Field Golf Course.

$22 (AND $14.25)

17,729 1926 5TH 1977 50 CENTS 8 MILES

Cost of an adult 9-hole greens fee at Soldiers Field, Eastwood, and Northern Hills (and $15 at Hadley Creek).

Estimated number of golfers in Olmsted County.

First reported sighting of Bogey, the reportedly “huge” Northern Hills snapping turtle, who has been spotted a dozen or so times a year for the past four-plus decades.

Last hole you could be on—and still get a 9-hole raincheck—during a 9-hole round at the Rochester City golf courses. (It’s the 14th hole for an 18-hole round).

MARKETPLACE a selection of shops & services

SPECIALTY STORES

Galleria. 111 Broadway S. Shoppers will find a range of unique gift items, home decor, housewares, men’s apparel, games, and fashions for all ages. Clothing stores include: Hers, Poppi, Counterpoint, The Nordic Shop, and others. Gift items and housewares can be found at The Nordic Shop, Counterpoint Home, and Games by James.

Garten Marketplatz. Located six miles SW of Rochester on Olmsted Co. 15, this Civil-War era farm has beautiful display gardens, a great selection of Minnesotagrown perennials and garden art. The vintage brick “Garten Haus” is filled with gifts and home decor that changes with the season. The European-inspired carriage house is ready to host your meeting or special event year-round. 5225 Co. Rd. 15 SW Byron. 507-365-8891. gartenmarketplatz.com

Tyrol Ski & Sports. 1923 Second St SW. Selling quality outdoor gear since 1965. Featuring patio furniture, kayaks, canoes, camping gear, outdoor apparel, footwear. Online at tyrolskishop.com. Open Mon & Thurs 10-8; Tues, Wed, Fri 10-6; Sat 9:30-5:30. 507-288-1683.

DELI & SANDWICH SHOPS

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches. The Kahler Inn & Suites, 9 Third Ave. NW; Marketplace Mall, 2986 41st St NW; Crossroads Plaza, 90 14th St SW. Jimmy John’s is unlike any sub shop in the industry; no games or gimmicks, just oldfashioned, homemade sandwiches made from fresh-baked bread, allnatural meats and vegetables that are sliced daily. Downtown hours: 10:30-8; 507-289-9900. NW hours: 10:30-10; 507-424-0100. SW hours: 10:30-10; 507-424-2000. Catering and delivery available. Order online at jimmyjohns.com. V, M, D, and AE accepted.

ENTERTAINMENT

Rochester Civic Theatre. 20 Civic Center Dr SE. Just off Broadway in downtown Rochester, the Civic Theatre delivers a year-round slate of musical, drama, comedy, and young people’s theater productions. For a schedule of events, go to rochestercivictheatre.org, or call the box office at 507-282-8481.

Treasure Island. Just minutes north of Red Wing. Whether you’re looking for great food and drink, big cash drawings, a new car or free weekend entertainment—odds are you’ll find it at The Island. For more information call 800-222-7077. treasureislandcasino.com. The Island is calling! (See ad page 5)

BANKING

Home Federal Savings Bank. When it comes to your personal, everyday banking needs, Home Federal has you covered. Ask us about the great advantages of our personal checking accounts. Start saving smart with a savings account, IRA, CDs, and more. Finance any of the larger purchases in your life with a customized personal loan. Manage your accounts at any of the four convenient locations in Rochester or in the comfort of you own home via your smartphone or computer—24 hours a day, 7 days a week—with Home Federal’s mobile banking. All of the amenities of a national chain, along with the personalized, friendly service you expect from a community bank. Local bankers. Local service. Local decisions. Bring your banking home. Find out more at JustCallHome.com. Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC.

Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union.

We are dedicated to helping members achieve their financial goals. 100% financing to qualified borrowers, first-time home buyer programs, fixed rate conventional mortgages, FHA and VA financing, competitive rates and fair fees, up to 100% home equity financing, residential loan program. Apply at mayocreditunion.org. 507-535-1460. (See ad page 27)

Eagle Rock Bank. Formerly ONB Bank. Where community banking means more than a new account; we build relationships! Offering a wide variety of banking products for both your personal and business needs. Two convenient locations with experienced bankers to assist you with your financial journey. Call us today at 507-280-0621! www.eaglerock.bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. (See ad page 18, 47)

WHERE TO WORSHIP

First Presbyterian Church.

512 Third St SW. Worship Sunday: 10 a.m., 507-282-1618, fpcrochester.org. Please visit our website for up to date information.

Grace Lutheran Church. LCMS 800 East Silver Lake Dr NE. Worship services: Wednesday 6 p.m.; Saturday 6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Sunday School and Bible Class 10:30 a.m. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith...” Eph.2:8 NIV. We welcome you by God’s grace, will help you grow with God’s love, and prepare you to do His work. In addition to many mission projects in Rochester, Grace supports Lutheran Hour Ministries and is a member of Rochester Central Lutheran School Association. 507-289-7833, gracebythelake.org. Email: office@gracebythelake.org.

Redeemer

Lutheran Church. 869 7th Ave SE. Saturday: Worship 5:30 p.m. Sunday: Worship 8 and 10:40 a.m. Sunday School & Education Hour: 9:20 a.m. Welcome to Redeemer Lutheran Church where you’ll find a small neighborhood church atmosphere of friendship and fellowship. Redeemer’s members are dedicated to doing the Lord’s work. Our mission and purpose at Redeemer are to glorify God through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to provide opportunities for spiritual growth. 507-289-5147, redeemer-rochester.com. Email: office@redeemer-rochester.com.

10 (or so) questions with ... Drew Block, longtime

Rochester Royals player/manager

and 2009 Mayo grad

Rochester Magazine: So I’m going to try to break some news here. Are you going to be back as the manager for the Rochester Royals this year?

Drew Block: So I am actually not going to manage this year. I will be helping. Logan Milene is going to take over as the lead guy. He’s still in college, though, so that’s going to be a little bit of a challenge.

RM: Are you still playing?

DB: I will be playing, yes. I’ll still be around.

RM: You’re an accountant and a big baseball guy. This may be a bit before your time, but I’m going to take a wild guess and say you were into Strat-O-Matic Baseball.

DB: I was not. I don’t even know what that is.

SL: Oh, boy. Yeah, I guess you’re quite a bit younger than me. StratO-Matic was an old-school, dicebased kind of fantasy baseball game. So you’d have giant sheets of players with all what the dice rolls would mean in different situations.

DB: I do love fantasy baseball. But we do that online now. I’m guessing it’s a little bit easier on the ESPN app, though.

RM: In hindsight, I realize that you weren’t even born when Strat-OMatic Baseball was a thing. Anyway. You’re a Chief Financial Officer?

DB: I am. I just had a career change. I was at RSM, a public accounting firm right downtown here in Rochester, for 10 years. In October I moved to CUSB where I’m the Chief Financial Officer there. They’re based out of Cresco, Iowa. So it’s a hybrid position. I drive down there a couple of days a week.

I just liked accounting more. I liked that it was specific.

RM: Do you ever walk in the accounting department and say, “Welcome to the accounting department, where everybody counts”?

DB: I do not.

RM: You should try that because that’s a funny accounting joke.

DB: Well, our department, I guess, is pretty small. It’s me and one other person and another person that splits their time between us and the credit department, so I’m not sure how they would react to that.

RM: Well, OK. What do actuaries do to liven up parties?

DB: Is this a joke?

RM: Yes. I guess so.

DB: Oh, I don’t know.

RM: Invite an accountant.

DB: Oh, that is true. Yeah.

That’s probably a good one.

RM: Why did Sherlock Holmes get audited?

DB: I do not know.

RM: He had too many deductions.

DB: Yeah.

RM: I had written down “pause for laughter” here. I will not need to pause.

DB: No. It’s a good one.

RM: How did you become a Certified Public Accountant?

DB: I took a few accounting classes my freshman year at Gustavus [Gustavus Adolphus College, where Drew graduated from in 2013], and I just liked it. And a bunch of my friends were all taking the same classes the first couple of years. I just liked accounting more. I liked that it was specific. You don’t just graduate with a business degree and go into sales or something. I didn’t want to do that. I wanted something I knew what I would do when I graduated. I was

fortunate to get a job here right away, right out of college. So that’s sort of where I started. But then trying to pass the CPA exam took me almost two years to do that. It’s a challenge, but once you get it, you just keep up [the certification].

RM: I’m going to give you some names. Aaron Aaland, Garrett Benson, Corey Black, Kelby Halling, Charlie Hinsch, Shane Moen, Travis Nordhus ...

DB: Those are my baseball teammates from Mayo High. We had a really good group of kids.

RM: More names: Omar Ammash, Sarah Anderson, Sarah AtkinsonHerrin, Jackson Becker ...

DB: Wow. More classmates? That’s a throwback there.

RM: This is the Willow Creek Honor Roll. Tell me about your family.

DB: My wife Nicole and I have three kids, Christian, Emmett, and Austin.

RM: A friend of mine, Ken Klotzbach, said Nicole is one of the best female hockey players he’s ever played with.

DB: Yeah. She actually played hockey at Hill-Murray up in the city.

RM: Your favorite teachers at Bamber Valley, Willow Creek, and Mayo.

DB: I’ll say Mr. Hust for Bamber Valley. My cousin, Chris Fogarty, was a teacher at Willow at the time, I was there, so I better just say him. At Mayo, I’ll go Kevin Landherr.

RM: OK. What’s your plan for the rest of the day?

DB: I’m going to pore over some financial spreadsheets.

RM: That sounds like a nightmare.

DB: I love it. It’s not for everybody.

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