City Cast Twin Cities logo
Advertisement image
December 18, 2025

MN's Top 50 Restaurants, Hating On Holiday Bars, and Helping Hungry Minnesotans

City Cast Twin Cities

MN's Top 50 Restaurants, Hating On Holiday Bars, and Helping Hungry Minnesotans

00:00:00
View all City Cast Twin Cities episodes

Food critic Kirstie Kimball has been to 600 restaurants across Minnesota in the past two years, and she has distilled her findings into a comprehensive list of the top 50 Minnesotan restaurants on her Substack Beyond Beurre Blanc. Host Sean McPherson is joined by contributor and Racket Co-Founder Em Cassel to chat with Kirstie about her methodology for reviewing so many restaurants and to learn why Em hates holiday pop-up bars so much. Later, Sean talks with Anne Laskey, the Cause Marketing and Events Manager at Second Harvest Heartland, about how to help fight hunger this holiday season, and producer Adam Sage joins the conversation to highlight an upcoming winter festival. 


Learn more about the topics discussed in today's episode:


Learn more about the sponsors of this December 18th episode:


Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastTwinCities on Instagram, or email us at twincities@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 612-217-0637.


For more Twin Cities news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Twin Cities.


Looking to advertise on City Cast Twin Cities? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Twin Cities

Stay connected to City Cast Twin Cities and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
April 16

Why Are MSP Flights so Expensive? Plus, D&D Turns 52

As the beloved role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons turns 55, contributor Hans Buetow and producer Molly Abbattista recount how it al...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 15

This Fish Could Tank an Economy. Plus, Hollywood Beavers

The invasive lamprey fish once ran wild in the Great Lakes, eating into a bustling fishing industry. The federal program that got it unde...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 14

$6M in Rent Relief. Plus, Beer Buyers and Music Archivers

Who picks the beer at your local liquor store? Racket did a story focusing on the local superstar tastemakers and what they’re looking fo...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 13

Newcomer's Guide to the Twin Cities. Plus, WTF are Data Centers?

Welcome, Twin Cities newbies! Here’s everything we forgot to tell you about Minnesota, from why we refuse to eat the last bite to why we...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 10

Will MPD Chief Get Another Term? Plus, Rondo Resilience

The long-vacant Sears near the state Capitol has a new owner, and hopefully soon, a new life. The Rondo Community Land Trust is promising...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 9

'Minnesota's Batman,' HCMC In Trouble, and New Music from jeremy messersmith

A masked vigilante in Minneapolis who goes by the name of "NoMark" has amassed over half a million followers on social media for his crim...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 8

 Falling Loons, Food Deserts, and What New ICE Footage Actually Shows

What should you do if you see a loon falling from the sky? You’ll know after listening to this episode, and we’ll explain why Minnesota's...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 7

Remembering an Iconic MPLS ‘Guncle.’ Plus, George Floyd Square Construction

If you don’t know Roy Blakey, you should. Blakey traveled the world as a theatrical ice skater and later became the forefather of male nu...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 6

The ‘Dirtbag’ Lawyer Helping Immigrants. Plus, St. Paul Art Crawl

Dan Suitor is one of many lawyers in the Twin Cities who have pivoted to helping free immigrants from ICE custody by filing habeas petiti...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art
April 5

'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium — Presented By City Cast Twin Cities

If you are a fan of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, you already know how incredible women's sports are! While more and more people are embraci...

City Cast Twin Cities podcast episode art