Lake Wine Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory

This charming Wine bar in Terminal 1 at MSP (Minneapolis St Paul Airport) should not be missed!

A nice wine selection, reasonably-priced and delicious menu options (both for dine in and on the go) and a charming patio area under a natural-light ceiling make this a great spot to grab a quick bite on the way to your gate or to stop and spend a longer layover. They have comfortable benches in the patio area with power supplies, so you can sit and work off of the free airport WiFi. Their deli section features fresh baked breads, sandwiches, wraps, ciabattas and salads. They even have "wine to go" sizes of wine, Prosecco, bubbles and even one-cup sake as well as sparkling sake! And, if you want to make sure you have wine for arrival at your destination, without a separate stop on the way to the hotel, they also sell a wide array of full-sized bottles of wine that you can take with you.

The Mac & Cheese with Shrimp that I personally had was appealing to both the eyes and the taste-buds and was easy on the wallet as well. Several over-sized shrimp were nestled over cavatappi pasta and served in a colorful red mini-creuset, accompanied by 2 pieces of Bruschetta and colorfully garnished for presentation. The flavorful 16/20 sized Indonesian shrimp were cooked perfectly - tender and plump - and seasoned with a blend of spices that was a delightful contrast for the palate to the morney sauce of the pasta. The generous portion of cavatppi pasta - which translated from Italian means corkscrew - were cooked al dente and tossed in a creamy, luscious morney sauce with Gruyere and Parmesan. Add to that hints of sharp cheddar and it was a spectacular dish! You can also have this entree customized to your liking with topping options that include: Prosciutto, Chicken, Broccolini, Heirloom Tomatoes or Slivered Almonds.

The Hedges CMS wine which I enjoyed was a rich blend of Cabernet/Merlot/Syrah and it was robust!

Susan provided such excellent service that you forgot that you were actually dining inside an airport!

Next time you find yourself at MSP Terminal 1, in the main section between all of the concourses, make sure you treat yourself to a stop at Lake Wine...

Watch out for the 4% excess fee that will be tacked on to the entirety of your purchase because costs have "risen too much." I don't buy that $18 for a sandwich and bottled drink to go has such low profit margins that they need to include hidden fees to continue operating. Will not return on future trips through MSP.

Edit: After researching hospitality fees at MSP, I have yet to find anything that supports the implication that the fee in question is universal and required for businesses at the airport. Just because others are doing something, does not make it right. As a consumer, I detest hidden fees no matter how small, and I kindly suggest for the sake of transparency that the restaurant raise prices instead of using on hidden fees. At the very least, I recommend changing the verbiage for the fee so it does not pin the blame on the State or the airport while suggesting that the business has no choice in the matter when they...

This is not airport food, this belongs on an exclusive weekend brunch menu at that new place you've been waiting to try, this is delicious!

On my walk from F gates to C gates I happened to take a quick peek at the menu at Lake Wine. Josh happily informed me that they could have my order out in 5-10 minutes making this a no-brainer for a layover breakfast. I ordered the Rustic Bowl, eggs over prosciutto, tomatoes and arugula.

My meal arrived quickly and after the first bite I knew this was not just a good stop but perhaps the best airport food I've experienced in decades of travel! Josh was fantastic, checking in and refilling my drink with a smile. He appeared with the check just as I was about to ask for it, making sure I was on my way to my connection.

Overall, amazing food and wonderful service in a low-key atmosphere. This might make MSP a destination for layovers...