The enchilada and eggs at Coalition is one of our favorite breakfast dishes. Photos: Rachel Nadeau
We round up a few of “the best” from past issues of Edina Magazine.
50th and France is a decades-old destination for shopping, strolling, pampering and dining. Expand your palettes in Edina through the diverse group of local restaurants and cafés that offer wine tasting events, new brews and seasonally inspired menus. There’s really no reason to leave Edina’s longstanding pocket of charm.
Beaujo’s Wine Bar & Bistro
4950 France Avenue South
952.922.8974
Located down the street from the Landmark’s Edina Cinema, making it a perfect summer spot for dinner beforehand, or drinks afterword. Famous for its wide range of wines and tasty food, Beaujo’s Wine Bar & Bistro features more than 30 wines served by the glass, half-glass, flight or bottle. Featuring an ever-changing inventory of domestic and imported beer, Beaujo’s provides a warm and inviting atmosphere that is perfect for celebrating a relaxing night out. Find delicious house-made soups, salads, sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, an assortment of fine cheeses, pates and a dessert menu that leave guests wanting more.
Share a plate of kettle chips and horseradish dip or warmed olives. Or, go big and go home after a indulging on their beef tenderloin sandwich. The friendly, professional staff is knowledgeable and more than willing to assist you in finding your perfect wine, small bite or beer.
March 2023 update: Beaujo’s has a new name and new owner, but Bojae’s has the same commitment to wine and bites.
Beaujo’s Wine Bar & Bistro
France 44
4351 France Avenue South
612.925.3252
Family owned and operated since 1959, France 44 is a wine store and so much more. France 44 offers weekly wine and beer tastings, events and classes, catering and gifts.
Of course, this is also a deli and cheese shop, so there will surely be an assortment of cheese suggestions to pair with your wine for maximum enjoyment. But it’s not all about the grapes. If you’re more for ales, stouts and lagers–France 44 offers beer. There are quite a few brews to choose from and many are unique to France 44. So grab a friend and schedule some time together to sip and share.
Arezzo Ristorante
51st Street and France Avenue
612.285.7444
Shareable foods welcome interaction and conversation for everyone at the table. Plates of cheeses, cured meats and pickled vegetables signify a meal’s first chapter. Antipasto are meant to be eaten slowly and savored in anticipation of more to come.
These Italian appetizers can be made from just about anything with a Mediterranean bent. Besides meat and cheese staples, consider combinations of fish or fruit served cold. While unpretentiously prepared, antipasti should be big on taste. Briny olives are easy to serve and key players. Fresh, high quality ingredients showcase Italian flavors leaning more savory and salty than sweet.
Antipasto consumption often necessitates a drink in hand. The rejuvenating fizz of prosecco or other Italian wines wash away a salty thirst in style. It’s a tradition going back longer than anyone can remember. Arezzo puts together authentic Italian antipasto plates sure to please. A dish of Italian olives and cheese harbors scents of rosemary sealed by olive oil. The smoked salmon carpaccio transforms fish, arugula, capers and oranges into a sublime starter. Healthy ingredients, congregating like good friends, bring out the best in each other.
Match your antipasto selection with a varying assortment of sangrias, Aperol cocktails and other wine drink innovations – or a glass of Prosecco. Whatever you pair with your antipasti, anyone will feel at home here.
D’Amico & Sons
3948 West 5oth Street
952.926.1187
Nestled in the heart of 50th and France, D’Amico & Sons is the perfect for lunch, a quick family dinner, date night or Sunday brunch. Embrace summer with their bottomless Vino D’Amici and wine or craft beers. The flavorful and fresh Italian menu features wood-fire pizzas, grill entrees, gourmet salads, antipasti, seafood, soups and desserts. Each month they offer new features menu that highlights tasty seasonal dishes made from the freshest ingredients.
Coalition Restaurant
3808 West 50th Street
952.456.8979
After finding success with its original location in Excelsior, Coalition Restaurant opened its doors in Edina about a year and a half ago. The creation of Chef Eli Wollenzien, Coalition Restaurant combines an inspired menu with a casually sophisticated setting in a historic downtown Excelsior main street building. Coalition is and reflects his passion for cooking with a diverse and inspired menu. The menu takes its inspiration from classic American dishes like beef, lamb, pork and walleye, creatively prepared, vibrantly presented, and influenced by cuisines around the world reflecting the global, sophisticated, expanded palates of today.
“Coalition is about the combined efforts of chefs, cooks, servers, farmers, vineyards, and brewers and I see that partnership extending to our guests by providing the highest quality food and service in a warm and welcoming environment.”
With a farm-to-table focus, the menu offers fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. The name Coalition refers to the team of farmers, growers, producers, cooks, bartenders and servers who work together to make a meal. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Coalition Restaurant is a neighborhood destination for quality dining. Diners regularly order the charred corn salad with lime vinaigrette and queso fresco; farro and arugula salad with balsamic; and seasonal pancakes–think pineapple upside down or triple berry. And there’s no better way to start your meal than with a round of bite-size cardamom sugar donuts and blood orange mimosas for the table. Take a tour their wine list and sip from a variety of whites, reds, blends, and rosés.
