Urban Forage Winery and Cider House — Restaurant in Minneapolis

On a recent Sunday afternoon stroll along E. Lake Street my wife and I dropped into Urban Forage Winery and Cider House to escape the snow that started to fall. I had been to Urban Forage when it first opened but this was before the tasting room was completed. The place is warm and inviting with nearly everything (from what I could tell) built from reclaimed wood. Even the ceiling above the bar is a bunch of old wood doors fastened together to create a very unique look.

We sampled the 4 ciders available; the flagship dry cider; a wonderful and refreshing black currant cider; a gin botanical cider (my favorite) that is made with spent gin botanicals from the nearby Lawless Distilling Company; and lastly their Maple & Oak cider.

I am not a huge fan of cider although I have tried many, many brands but this is not your typical cider. Most store bought (commercial volume) ciders are overly sweet and very carbonated. The flavors in these ciders are subtle with a very light, almost effervescent "fiz". This might not be for everyone (I have friends that want bubbles) but for those looking for something unique and different in a handcrafted cider, this is the...

Wow! What a little gem. I've tried their ciders at past ciderfest events, but never actually stopped in until this past weekend. I can't believe I've missed this one! This is a new favorite.

I visited on a beautiful Saturday recently and expected it to be jam packed. Surprisingly there was not a huge crowd. Our party of 4 instantly found a table. The inside is decorated nicely and very clean. The noise level wasn't bad and everyone seemed happy and chill. There was 1 person working behind the bar which seemed fine. No one was waiting long. There is not a parking lot, only on-street parking. We didn't have any trouble finding parking on a side block. This is typical of many businesses in the city.

I ordered a semi-sweet cider which I loved. I also bought a bottle to take home which was not on tap. They also serve wine, but I did not try any. They also offered snacks (cheese, crackers, pizza). I inquired about gluten-free options and was told the entire place/menu is gluten-free. Love it!! This is definitely at the top of my list for a...

Update in 2025: my opinion hasn’t changed. Still the wonderful place it’s always been.

Original 2020 post: One of my favorite spots in Minneapolis. Jeff, the owner, is wonderful and just a great person to talk to. The cider and wines are excellent. Usually - the ingredients always perk my interest as well (a carrot-based wine?!) and they always taste great. A few personal favorites: black currant cider, semi-sweet cider, and the butter beer (non-alcoholic).

One of my favorite memories is going there around Halloween when they had the place decked out in Harry Potter decorations (my wife interrupted me here to tell me this is called “Three Broomsticks week”). The atmosphere was so fun and cozy and, honestly, there’s hardly any better place to go...