Winchester & Rye
A vast history encompasses Winchester & Rye, a refined restaurant and whiskey lounge in Victoria. From the restaurant’s namesake to the building’s past, a visit to this incredible restaurant means great food, phenomenal whiskey, and a memorable story.
Owners Kim and Kevin Heenie opened Winchester & Rye in 2019 after remodeling the more than 100-year-old former Victoria Creamery building. Kim and Kevin looked to their own pasts when naming the restaurant. Kevin’s grandfather was a well-known gunsmith associated with Winchester, and Kim’s great-grandparents made rye-and-corn whiskey during prohibition.
The fascinating history of Winchester & Rye isn’t the only thing that makes the restaurant special. A unique food and drink menu sets it apart from other restaurants in the area.
From the favorite wood-fired pizzas to the Sweaty Betty Burger and the Eddie Burger, the menu offers plenty of comfort foods and a chance to branch out with something new.
Similarly, the drink menu offers a wide selection of cocktails (and mocktails), wine and beer. Distilleries and breweries like J. Carver Distillery, Enki Brewing, and Waconia Brewing Co. lend a local flair to the menu.
Winchester & Rye has already claimed a lasting spot in the community. In 2022, they were voted best in family dining in Carver County and named Minnesota’s Best bronze winners for best Manhattan and Old Fashioned.
If you’re one of the few people who hasn’t already claimed Winchester & Rye as your new go-to spot, plan a night out to experience some of the best Victoria has to offer. winchesterandrye.com
Iron Tap
Iron Tap just celebrated its eight-year anniversary, and if you ask owner Greg James, consistency is the key to success.
A little more than eight years ago, Greg and his wife wanted to share their love of restaurants and craft beer with the city of Waconia. So they created Iron Tap to provide a dining experience that Waconia was “desperately lacking at the time.”
A huge part of Iron Tap’s success can be traced back to its expansive selection of craft dishes. “We have a nice variety that focuses on craft food. Everything is made in-house. It ranges from street tacos to smashburgers. We have salads and pastas. We do a little bit of everything that focuses on really good craft, comfort food,” Greg says.
Some of Iron Tap’s most popular dishes include the Zen Smashburger (double Kobe beef patties topped with American cheese, fried onions, and pickles) and the Adult Mac & Cheese (Cavatappi noodles tossed in a barbeque sauce topped with smoked pulled pork, poblano peppers and grilled onions).
Iron Tap prides itself on sourcing ingredients and meat locally from farmers. “We just try to do everything authentic and real,” says Greg.
In addition to the food, one of Iron Tap’s biggest draws is its 30+ rotating Minnesota draft beers. The selection is not something you’ll find anywhere else, and every winter, Iron Tap offers an exclusive Beer Club you can join to get the most out of their draft beer selections. They also offer Burger & Beer nights every Tuesday. If you’re not much of a beer drinker, Iron Tap boasts a great cocktail and wine list as well.
After eight years, Iron Tap has become a staple for many Waconia residents, and several staff members have been with the restaurant since day one. After all, consistently good food, beer, and service can be hard to find, and with Iron Tap, “people know what they’re getting at a good price and great service,” Greg says. irontapmn.com
Bode Gray's
From a respected VFW to a beloved Italian-fare restaurant and speakeasy, Bode Gray’s and the Brass Hat provide an environment and menu previously non-existent in Waconia.
“The idea came about when my partner Jared DeWolf and I wanted to bring a different, unique style of restaurant and speakeasy to Waconia. We wanted to fill a gap and add another dining option — artisan pizza,” shares Greg James, co-owner of Bode Gray’s and the Brass Hat.
The Italian-fare restaurant — which opened in February — is located at the site of the old VFW. For Bode Gray’s to open, Greg and Jared renovated the building to create a unique environment that blends old and new.
As an homage to the old building, Bode Gray’s offers a pizza called the “VFW Meat Raffle” that incorporates red sauce, pepperoni, fennel sausage, Canadian bacon, grande mozzarella, and Parmigiano.
And while the pizza may be a customer favorite, Bode Gray’s also delivers a wide selection of other menu items. From Wagyu steak to grilled trout and some gluten-sensitive options, you’ll be sure to find something you love.
In addition to their dinner options, Bode Gray’s has brunch every Saturday and Sunday starting at 10 am with a variety of cocktails and menu items. Or, if you’re looking for a cozy night in, treat yourself to takeout, just call in to place your order.
While the food is phenomenal, a place that doubles as a speakeasy could never forget about the drinks. Located directly below Bode Gray’s is the Brass Hat speakeasy. The sleek, dimly lit bar takes you back in time and offers a different selection of cocktails, wine, and craft beer than what you’ll find at Bode Gray’s.
“The craft cocktails, I would put them up there with some of the best in the area, if not the best,” Greg says.
And finally, what is dinner without a show? The Brass Hat often has live music and is planning some comedy shows in the near future. For your next night out, enjoy an unforgettable evening at the newest go-to restaurant in Waconia. bodegrays.com
Buddy Boy Fine Barbeque
Buddy Boy Fine Barbeque began 20 years ago with a small roadside smoker and later evolved into a food truck that owners Joe and Jennifer Cox traveled across the country with. It wasn’t until 2010 that Buddy Boy became what it is today: a place to gather with friends and family and enjoy a real taste of Minnesota.
Located in Minnetrista, Buddy Boy offers more than your typical barbeque joint. The restaurant features a full wood-fired menu, including slow-smoked barbeque (brisket, beef ribs, pork, and chicken), wood-fired steaks, burgers and pork chops, and wood-oven walleye. The menu also boasts a variety of pasta and rice dishes, as well as salads and many gluten-free and vegetarian options.
But the best part about Buddy Boy’s wood-fired menu is where it all comes from. “Buddy Boy serves the best of what Minnesota ranchers and farmers have to offer. We receive Minnesota-grown goods daily. We have great relationships with Minnesota Grown, Minnesota Farmers Union, and local vendors,” Executive Chef and Co-owner Joe Cox says.
Buddy Boy has become a destination spot for its barbeque and prime beef brisket. Don’t believe me? The restaurant typically goes through 150 heads of cattle every three days for brisket. If that’s not the sign of a popular restaurant, then I don’t know what is.
In addition to delicious barbeque, Buddy Boy offers live music during the summer on Fridays and Saturdays and is planning music festivals on the 20 acres the restaurant sits on for the future. This winter, you’ll also be able to enjoy an outdoor winter ice bar.
Aside from the delicious food and lively events, Buddy Boy “is a place to gather with family and friends celebrating and meeting and getting to know strangers at the tables next to you,” Joe says. “Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us over the last 20 years. We hope to be a blessing to the community for many more.” buddyboybarbeque.com
The Noble Lion
In the early 1980s, then-teenager Marc Huebner developed a love for food while living and traveling across Europe, eventually leading to a stint on the Food Network and the inception of The Noble Lion in 2017.
“I just wanted to create something that I liked. And I traveled a lot to Europe, New York, San Francisco, and I always liked finding those little neighborhood restaurants that all the locals hung out in, and that’s kind of what I wanted to emulate,” Marc says.
A blend of European and Midwestern fare, The Noble Lion incorporates a variety of made-from-scratch menu items that will leave your mouth watering.
Two to three times a year, the menu at The Noble Lion is updated to reflect seasonal items such as the customer-favorite Pan Seared Halibut that includes fresh Alaskan Halibut, seasonal risotto, and beurre blanc. Another unique seasonal addition to the menu occurs in the summer when The Noble Lion runs specials with locally foraged mushrooms.
However, some menu items are so popular they’re never removed from the menu, like the beloved Scallops and Bacon. “Our menu is quite varied. We’re not a singular cuisine. Our variety really gives people choices,” Marc says.
While The Noble Lion often receives accolades for the food, Marc says it is the staff that truly makes the restaurant special. “Everybody’s friendly, everybody’s humble.”
And that carries over to the Lion’s Den speakeasy just behind The Noble Lion. A craft cocktail-oriented bar, the Lion’s Den features the same great cocktail and wine menu as The Noble Lion but has a few more options for beer on tap and now offers The Noble Lion’s full menu at the Lion’s Den.
Located in Victoria, The Noble Lion is a friendly, casual neighborhood eatery that you’ll want to return to again and again. thenoblelion.com
Pangea Cafe
Awarded “Best in Show” at The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Taste and Toast event in 2022, Pangea Cafe has been a staple in the Waconia community for years.
A combination of locally-sourced breakfast and lunch items as well as a premier catering service are exactly what Waconia needed when Pangea opened its doors nine years ago.
While Pangea offers a wide variety of dishes, the breakfast menu is the real star of the show. With a selection that includes french toast, skillets, omelets, eggs benedict, and more, Pangea can fulfill your savory or sweet tooth cravings seven days a week.
Some breakfast favorites that customers tend to go crazy for are the 3-2-1 (one meat, two eggs, hash browns, and choice of toast), the Cakes & Eggs (three buttermilk pancakes and two eggs) and the fresh brown sugar oatmeal with a choice of fruit.
If breakfast isn’t your forte, Pangea offers a mix of lunch options, from salads and tacos to deli and “from the grill” sandwiches. A great selection of wine, cocktails, and rotating seasonal draft beers from local breweries are the perfect addition to lunch too.
What makes Pangea’s breakfast and lunch menus so special is their use of local ingredients such as cheeses, eggs, and dairy products. “At Pangea Cafe, we make sure that we purchase the fittest local goods for our customers so they can enjoy fresh food products that were produced by local farmers,” their website states.
Another unique feature of Pangea Cafe was started when Executive Chef and Owner Lance Hamlin — after spending 20 years in the catering industry — was inspired to start his own catering company that would provide quality food and create an enriching experience for customers. L&L Catering provides exceptional food from birthdays and graduations to weddings and business meetings.
So whether you’re looking to visit Pangea Cafe for their locally-sourced, premier breakfast and lunch or plan an event with L&L Catering, you’ll find their motto of “bringing good food and people together” couldn’t be more true. pangeacafemn.com
Lola's Lakehouse
At Lola’s Lakehouse, the culture has been a defining factor in the restaurant’s success since its inception in 2008. From the incredible fresh seafood prepped daily to the cleanliness in the kitchen and the welcoming staff, Lola’s is one restaurant you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.
What sets Lola’s apart from other restaurants in the area is “our access and ability to create fresh seafood on a daily basis in a town of Waconia that is far — west or east — from any coast, is quite something, and we do it really well and take a lot of pride in it,” says Executive Chef Evan Freeberg.
With menu options such as the Chilean Sea Bass, a customer favorite, or the Shrimp and Lobster Risotto, Evan’s favorite, each seafood dish is prepared fresh to order and exactly as you want it. Additionally, Lola’s presents specials every weekend that give customers a chance to branch out and try something more adventurous.
While Lola’s specializes in fresh seafood, the restaurant also features pizzas, salads, steaks, sandwiches and more. “We really want everyone to be able to come here and have something that they say, ‘wow, that was amazing,’ whether you like seafood or not,” Evan says.
Lola’s also boasts a rotating drink menu with plenty of options from local distilleries and breweries such as J. Carver Distillery and Waconia Brewing Co.
With unparalleled views of Lake Waconia, Lola’s is the perfect place to plan a mid-day lunch or a night out. The restaurant occasionally hosts live music, but the real draw is the welcoming staff. “We have this culture of people wanting to make good food and wanting to give people the best experience when they’re here,” shares Evan.
So whether you’re a seafood lover or not, Lola’s is the perfect place to visit for incredible food and mesmerizing views. lolaslakehouse.com
I just wanted to create something that I liked. I traveled a lot to Europe, New York, San Francisco, and I always liked finding those little neighborhood restaurants all the locals hung out in, and that’s what I wanted to emulate.