Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct MarketGreat place with a genuine vibeI enjoyed the dinner immensely. Great menu, cocktail list, etc. I very much appreciated the proud focus on the use of local products, giving an out-of-towner a better understanding. My fellow diners were a diverse bunch and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. All the staff members were welcoming, efficient, and professional. Something really cool is going on here!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AM3-hour MSP Layover? No problem!With my dear aunt planning a 3-hour layover during her day-trip business travels, I wanted to impress her with a delicious meal that represents the TC & the state of MN well. I wanted St. Paul, easy parking, polished service, amazing food, & a tasteful ambience. Heartland hit a home run! My aunt had the pork chop & I enjoyed an amazing pappardelle. The lamb amuse bouche was a "mouth amuser" to be sure. Sadly, with our time crunch, we were unable to enjoy a dessert. Fortunately, I live in the Cities, so I will be returning very soon to see if Chef Lenny Russo can appeal to my sweet tooth as successfully as he appealed to my savory preference.
The perfect choice for a tasty, and tasteFUL, dining experience. Not to be missed!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMHeartland, Alma and 528 GrovelandHeartland, Alma and 528 Groveland are the three top restaurants in the Twin Cities by general acclaim. (We agree.) Heartland is that its chef, Lenny Russo, is particularly strong on experimentation (the other two are only very slightly behind!) My Limousin beef rested on a pleasantly spicy bed of lentils, with pearl onions as another fine touch. My wife's steelhead trout had a broth that was almost pho-like, but with a touch of saffron. The wine list isn't all that long, but features a wide range of grapes and sources as well as a wide range of prices, from mid-20s to a few hundred. Service is both knowledgeable and hospitable, as well as accommodating: They composed a special sorbet assortment at our request. Great experience!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThere were 4 people in ourThere were 4 people in our group, 2 had a wonderful entree, the other 2 had mediocre. Skip the steak and go with the pork chop was the lesson learned.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMA great time had by allHeartland accommodated six of us for my husband's birthday. Our server, Michael, was attentive, knowledgable and pleasant. The menu was varied and dynamic -- I loved the French influences. I'm so glad we went! Thank you!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThank youThe team at Heartland went out of their way for every aspect of the dining experience. From the smiles at the door, to wonderful conversations with staff about the food, and a thoughtful, amazing dinner, this was an experience that changed the way we think about dining at a restaurant. We can't wait to go back!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMCould not have been any better!When I made the reservation, I had some specific requests. Chef Russo personally (and promptly) answered my email even though he was working in Europe at the time. He assured me that we would be taken care of and that, if he could, he would make himself available to meet us (on my wife's bucket-list). Dinner was amazing! There are no words to describe how delicious each course was. The service was flawless as well. The evening was just perfect. Chef Russo knew that my wife was a huge fan, so he signed a menu with a personal note and made sure to come out to meet us before we left. We will go back often! Incredible.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMMy FavoriteHeartland is my favorite restaurant. The food, service and ambiance cannot be beat! This last visit was for my birthday and we got a window seat as requested and complimentary dessert bubbly. We were the last table in the place and the waiter told us to feel free to take our time finishing our wine as they had plenty of other things to do before heading out themselves. Very nice!5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was imaginative andThe food was imaginative and delicious!
The shuttle service to Xcel was a very nice bonus.
Would definitely recommend it and go back there again although it was
an expensive treat.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMHeartland is always a goodHeartland is always a good choice for dining. Lenny and his staff consistently deliver delicious, creative dishes that highlight the freshest products - often from local producers. We had the ribeye and the (Lake Superior) whitefish. Both were delicious and beautifully presented. One item that caused my food rating to be less than five-star is that the portion of fish was very, very small - even by fine dining standards - no more than about four forkfuls. I expected the serving size to be larger. I noticed a table nearby with two of the same dish, where the fish portions were considerably larger than the one I was served. Consistency in serving size would be advantageous. Luckily, the ribeye was large enough to share.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh food, very taste, goodFresh food, very taste, good service....definitely come back.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGourmet vegetarian.A friend visited from out of town--both a vegetarian and a wine buff. Chickpea salad, field greens, and turnips made him smile, and so did the extensive wine list. (I'm a wine ignoramus, so I can't give any details.) I loved my potato-watercress soup and mushroom-chevre ravioli.Our waiter was friendly but knew when to leave us alone so we could talk.
One of the best things about the Heartland is the portion size. The portions are reasonable and you can walk away from the table without feeling bloated.
Alas, I find the desserts at the Heartland to be a little disappointing--somehow they don't have the depth of flavor as the savory dishes.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!We LOVED the food at Heartland! It reminded us of the quality and presentation of great meals we had in France last fall. Each dish was a unique experience and so creatively deigned. Walleye sausage - who knew? Great pork chop and the special was roast beef, but not like grandma used to make. Sliced thin and medium rare on a bed of vegetables. Delightful! Service was excellent! If we had one comment, it would be the noise level. However, if you sit out in the bar area, it is quieter. Will try that next time. Highly recommend!4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMy parents had an amazingMy parents had an amazing time at their anniversary date. My mom said that when my birthday comes along that we will be coming back. Food was fresh and cooked to perfection and their waiter was humorous and knowledgeable.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and service were great.Food and service were great. VERY expensive. Probably won't go because of the cost.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing experience! My wifeAmazing experience! My wife and I went for our anniversary and it was perfect! The food was AMAZING!! The Chef made food that I normally don't like into something that I'd eat over and over again! Our waiter was great and had great timing but we didn't feel rushed. We loved the ambiance, perfect for an intimate experience. We can't wait to go again.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first trip toThis was our first trip to Heartland and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was impeccable, perfectly cooked and executed. The atmosphere in the restaurant was wonderful - relaxing but not too quiet and a wide variety of ages and people. The attention to detail in service and food did not go unnoticed. We will definitely be back!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious, as alwaysHeartland, as always, presented us with an interesting and delicious culinary feast. This time the staff was even able to accommodate a request from one of our companions, to have the starter from one of the Prix Fixe menus as his appetizer, even though it was not offered in the Small Plates section. What a joy! Most interesting, I think, was the sunchoke preparation, as none of my party had ever tried sunchokes before. The wait staff even offered a special treat, since we were there celebrating my husband's 50th birthday - a glass of a dessert wine for each of us. This is a highly and joyfully recommended restaurant.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI am sure the quietness wasI am sure the quietness was because of so few patrons-Thursday and weather.
There was no valet service despite the information on the web site. The hostess simply said: "Not tonight." That was a disappointment.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAll salads and desserts wereAll salads and desserts were exceptional. The service was perfect.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant is prettyThis restaurant is pretty over hyped and overpriced. It seems that the customer base has pretty much bought into the glam, but the food wasn't that outstanding, and the price left a mighty dent with no appreciable memories. It was primarily all about presentation.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMthoroughly enjoyed the foodthoroughly enjoyed the food and the cocktails and the atmosphere. would love to come back.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMDate night gemI was in town from Chicago with little knowledge of what some good restaurants were in St. Paul. Heartland came recommended to me from a friend as well as having good reviews on Yelp. The James Beard Award-winning restaurant has pleasant, helpful staff, a decent wine/champagne list and delicious local farm foods. I recommend the crayfish croquettes,walleye, and beet panzanella.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMIt doesn't take much for meIt doesn't take much for me to be full. Usually leave a lot of food behind. So, I loved the portion sizes here. Maybe a bit more on the entree (beef roast, prix fix) but otherwise a great meal. Loved the market too.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExceeded Expectationswonderful food and extraordinary service. It was our first time dining at Heartland and I highly recommend it.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMHeartland was a wonderfulHeartland was a wonderful dining experience. We had a 5:00 reservation but upon arrival (about 5 mintues early) the staff did not seem to be prepared for guests and the daily menu was not yet posted. Next time instead of entering through the market, I will make a point to enter through the main doors. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly and patient with our questions about the menu. The food came out fresh and delicious however, several times I wasn't sure which fork/utencil to use! The pace of each course was prompt but not rushed and left ample time to linger over each dish as well as the wine.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was outstanding andThe food was outstanding and our server was great. We had to get out fairly quickly to go to a concert and he did a great job3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMHave been here several timesHave been here several times and would much prefer here to Bachelor Farmer which gets so much more buzz. The menu changes very frequently and is small so sometimes what is on the menu isn't something I would order but it is always quite good.
Service is excellent, I like the atmosphere. A go to place.2/10/2013 12:00:00 AMDaily changing menu in theDaily changing menu in the talented hands of a professional team - made from a perfect Saturday night!1/26/2013 12:00:00 AM