Play the word-association game with Minneapolis, and one of the first responses will invariably be "cold." Yes, Minnesota winters can be brutal, but the months-long stretches of freezing temperatures have fostered an abundant array of indoor activities, including first-rate theater, music, visual arts, and literary scenes.

And most recently, dining. The city is coming into its own as a culinary destination, in part because many Minneapolis chefs are taking advantage of being smack-dab in the middle of one of the nation's most productive agricultural regions. That proximity means exceptional grass-fed beef, exquisite farmstead cheeses, artisanal grains, and the nation's best foie gras can be all put to extremely good use.

The compact business district, a 15-minute cab ride from the airport, has the area's deepest restaurant pool—and what feels like more steak houses per capita than perhaps any other American city. Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Wolfgang Puck have outposts here, and one of the country's top microchains, the Oceanaire Seafood Room (and its solo-diner-friendly oyster bar), got its start in landlocked Minneapolis, accessing saltwater fish from both coasts via Northwest Airlines' busy hub. Visitors should also explore the mile-long stretch of Asian restaurants on Nicollet Avenue just south of downtown that locals call Eat Street, as well as the Midtown Global Market, an Art Deco-era Sears store now home to several dozen mom-and-pop startups.

Many don't-miss downtown restaurants (view slideshow) are plugged into the Skyway System, a human Habitrail of second-story bridges that connect more than 60 city blocks, and a blessing for anyone unaccustomed to blizzard conditions. In nicer weather, follow the natives' example by booking a sidewalk, rooftop, or patio table—the warmth won't last long.

Downtown: Bank
88 South Sixth Street
612-656-3255

The room alone is worth a visit: a soaring Art Moderne banking lobby (pictured above) paneled in enough teak to trigger an endangered-species alert and decorated with carved medallions symbolizing the region's abundant natural resources. The former tellers' windows have been opened up as a chef's counter, a prime party-of-one address for enjoying New American cooking: a crackling pork chop with dainty fried green tomatoes, tartare two ways (mellow salmon and spicy tuna), delicate pan-seared halibut, vibrant meal-in-a-bowl soups, and pastry chef Liz Matheson's ingenious and inexpensive three-bite desserts. Go ahead, order two.

Dress: Suits to khakis
Prices: Expensive
Reservations: A must for lunch, suggested for dinner
Close to: Located in the Westin Minneapolis


Downtown: Solera
900 Hennepin Avenue
612-338-0062

Single diners will feel right at home at the long, curvaceous tapas bar, where even the most reserved Minnesotans will chat to strangers while grazing over chef Tim McKee's meticulously prepared small plates. The vast assortment includes velvety black cod finished with a smoked paprika vinaigrette, and deviled eggs filled with blue crab and honey-glazed veal. The equally lengthy all-Spanish wine and sherry lists feel like a quick Iberian getaway, and the popular open-air rooftop lounge boasts a hopping late-night scene targeting the 25-to-40 crowd. 

Dress: Fashionable
Prices: Moderate
Reservations: Recommended for a table; not accepted for the tapas bar
Close to: Chambers Minneapolis Hotel, W Minneapolis–The Foshay