2 Best Restaurants in Stillwater, Minnesota

Three themed dining rooms in this 1880 inn—established in 1927 and on the National Register of Historic Places—make up this inn's restaurant, where lobster, lamb, and top cuts of beef are served in a period environment. Each table in the George Washington Room, with high-arched colonial windows, is set with English Spode china, colonial glassware, and sterling flatware, while the Garden Room has a spring-fed trout pool, stained-glass windows, and lots of greenery. Dedicated to Swiss woodcarving, the Matterhorn Room offers a fixed-price menu of Swiss fondue paired with wines on Friday and Saturday nights.

More than a casual dockfront café, this place serves cutting-edge cuisine in a contemporary setting. It hugs the St. Croix River, providing gorgeous vistas through large windows. During the summer, diners spill out onto the landscaped brick patio. Seafood is strong on the menu, with salads, sandwiches, and entrées featuring shrimp, crab, yellowfin tuna, and Atlantic salmon. Meat lovers will enjoy dishes like shiitake-encrusted chicken or a mixed-greens salad topped with thinly sliced sirloin. Dessert options are indulgent (think key lime pie).