Restaurants

The most talked-about restaurant Lanesboro [1] is the casual and creative Old Village Hall (111 Coffee St., 507/467-2962, www.oldvillagehall.com [2], 5–8 p.m. Mon. and Wed., 5–9:30 p.m. Fri., 4:30–9:30 p.m. Sat., 4:30–8:30 p.m. Sun., hours change seasonally, $14–25). The trailside deck is a popular place to dine on salmon with Thai curry or lamb chops with mint pesto sauce and drink from the award-winning wine list.

Naturally, most of the tables at the laid-back, blues-infused Riverside on the Root (109 Parkway Ave. S., 507/467-3663, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Fri.–Sat., limited schedule Nov.–Mar., $6–25), overlook the river. They serve burgers and pizzas throughout the week and step it up a notch on weekends with seafood, steak, and chops on the outdoor grill.

For more small-time charm, have an elk burger or a hearty omelet at the Chat-n-Chew (701 Parkway Ave. S., 507/467-3444, 6 a.m.–2 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Sat.–Sun.). The wooden booths are usually filled with regulars.

Last, but certainly not least, is Das Wurst Haus (117 Parkway Ave. N., 507/467-2902, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. daily Apr.–Nov., $3–6). The meat, bread, sauerkraut, and mustard for their brats, Reubens, and other German-style sandwiches are all made in-house. They also brew their own root beer and serve an extraordinary number of ice cream cones, and at any time you might hear a random act of polka.