These 6 Minnesota Steakhouses Keep The Traditional Pre-Dinner Relish Tray Alive
Some of the best steaks in Minnesota show up after a little parade of pickles, peppers, and celery sticks lands on your table first. That opening act is the relish tray, and it flat-out refuses to retire.
One old-school dining room soaks sliced tomatoes, pickles, and peppers in tangy Italian dressing before your steak even hits the grill. Another sneaks white fish pate and cheese onto its plate, which feels delightfully fancy for a snack.
A third pairs its tray with popovers that are famously huge.
I love that detail. A relish tray quietly tells you nobody is rushing you, and dinner is meant to be a full evening instead of a quick stop between errands.
Six steakhouses across the state still keep that crunchy habit going strong. So which one deserves your first carrot stick, your bread basket, and your appetite for a big, sizzling steak tonight?
1. Mancini’s Char House
Pickles dressed in Italian dressing might sound like a kitchen accident, yet here it’s a beloved ritual. Since 1948, this West 7th Street landmark has kept the supper club spirit humming in St. Paul.
It all began when Nick Mancini opened a modest neighborhood spot with help from his Italian immigrant parents. Today, his sons Pat and John run the restaurant, carrying forward the warm, everyone-is-family hospitality their father was known for.
Dinner opens with a complimentary relish tray before your entree arrives. Expect thinly sliced peppers, pickles, and tomatoes, all bathed in a tangy Italian dressing.
Next comes the bread, and it’s not shy. A basket of grilled garlic bread lands alongside the tray, so your fingers stay busy while the grill does its work.
The main event is charbroiled steak, and the restaurant has built its name on it, with the New York strip standing out as a signature. Lobster tails also share the spotlight, including a petite filet and lobster tail pairing for anyone who can never decide between surf and turf.
Entrees come with a salad and a vegetable, so the meal unfolds in courses. Portions run generous, which means pacing yourself on that garlic bread is a smart move.
That family touch shows in the details, with the original retro style kept intact. You’ll find a fireplace, a timeless dining room, and live music on the list of perks.
Saturday nights get lively, and the place is busiest on Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations are recommended for dinner, so plan ahead if you’re celebrating something big.
Quieter Monday evenings work nicely if you want a slower, calmer meal. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. daily, which makes an early steak dinner easy to pull off.
Kids are welcome too, with high chairs and a kids’ menu available. A free parking lot helps, since nobody wants a long hike before a big steak.
Address: 531 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102.
2. Ranchero Supper Club
Frog legs and pork schnitzel on the same menu as a sizzling steak? Out in rural Webster, that mix makes perfect sense.
Ranchero Supper Club blends classic steakhouse cooking with Swiss and German favorites, honoring the Bavarian roots of its founder. It has been feeding hungry folks south of the Twin Cities since 1972, with family roots running through its history.
Rudolf Ettlin opened the restaurant, and today his daughter, Heidi Ettlin-Elwood, runs it with her husband, Todd. Heidi can often be found in the kitchen herself, turning out spaetzle, walleye, and steaks.
Swiss cowbells hanging inside add another nod to the family’s heritage.
Before the heavy hitters show up, a relish tray and bread basket arrive with dinners. Pickled beets are known to appear on the tray, adding a sweet, earthy pop of color.
The bread deserves its own fan club. Garlic bread joins the lineup, and it turns the opening course into a small party at your table.
Dinners also come with a choice of sides like soup, salad, coleslaw, or cottage cheese. That last option feels wonderfully old-fashioned, and honestly, that’s the charm.
Steaks and seafood anchor the menu, with walleye making an appearance for true Minnesota flavor. Regular prime rib specials keep things interesting, and grilled dishes come out sizzling hot, so keep your elbows clear.
Save room if you can. Bread pudding is a standout dessert here, and it’s made from scratch like much of the menu.
Plan around the schedule, because Mondays are closed. Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday, and at 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Groups fit in easily, and a private dining room handles bigger gatherings. Reservations are recommended, especially if you’re bringing the whole family.
The drive out pays off in small-town style. A free lot keeps arrival simple, so the only stress is choosing between schnitzel and steak.
Address: 4452 40th St W, Webster, MN 55088.
3. The Creekside Supper Club
Popovers the size of your head get most of the buzz at this Minneapolis spot. Still, the relish tray earns its own place on the menu.
The Creekside Supper Club leans proudly into a Wisconsin-style supper club feel. Picture a modern take on the classic Midwest night out, right in south Minneapolis.
Owners Ward Johnson and Eddie Landenberger, the team behind the neighboring Parkway Theater, opened it in late 2021 in a space that was long home to Pepitos. Wood paneling and floral carpet make it easy to imagine the place has been here for decades.
Here, the relish tray is something you order as a starter rather than a freebie. It mixes fresh and pickled elements, and the menu lists it as a vegan option.
That makes it an easy pick for a mixed table. Your plant-based friend and your steak-loving uncle can finally share something without debate.
Then come the popovers, served with honey butter. They’re puffy, golden, and famously large, so pace yourself.
Prime rib is a signature, and filet mignon and top sirloin also hold down the steak section. Beef short rib rounds things out for anyone craving something slow and tender, while French onion soup and a walleye dinner keep the classics coming.
Want a true Midwest snack? Ellsworth cheese curds pay tribute to the Wisconsin connection behind the whole concept.
A fireplace adds to the dining room mood. Brunch shows up on the schedule too, so you aren’t limited to dinner.
Thursday through Saturday evenings tend to be the busiest. Reservations are recommended, and Mondays are closed.
Parking can take some patience, since street spots fill up. Give yourself a few extra minutes so you arrive relaxed and ready for that tray.
Address: 4820 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417.
4. Wiederholt’s Supper Club
Celery, carrots, and olives chilling on ice might be the most old-school starter in Minnesota. At Wiederholt’s, that humble cup still hits the table.
The relish tray here keeps things simple. Crisp carrot sticks, celery sticks, and olives arrive in a small cup with ice to keep them cold.
Don’t expect a giant platter. Think of it as a quick crunch to wake up your appetite before the real feast starts.
That feast is the reason folks drive out near Hastings. Prime rib is a signature, and steaks share top billing on the menu.
The prime rib arrives on a silver tray, and even the baked potatoes come wrapped in a silver jacket.
Beyond beef, the lineup reads like a supper club greatest hits album. Chicken Kiev, halibut, ribs and chicken, and a fish fry all show up, and walleye comes either batter-fried or broiled.
Shrimp sauce makes a fitting starter if the relish cup leaves you wanting more. It pairs nicely with that retro mood.
The place has a nostalgic feel, with a fireplace adding to the scene. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, it keeps a strong sense of tradition, right down to the vintage lettering on the sign out front.
The story stretches back to the 1920s, when George Wiederholt ran a grocery store and filling station on the spot. His son Cy took over in 1946 and started serving food, and the family has kept the kitchen going ever since.
Portions run generous, so nobody leaves hungry. Service tends to move quickly too, which helps when the table gets antsy.
Lunch is an option, not just dinner. That makes it handy for a midday detour while exploring the area.
Friday and Saturday evenings draw the biggest crowds. Reservations are recommended, and a free parking lot keeps your arrival easy.
5. The Fireside
Sunsets over the water make a pretty bold side dish. At The Fireside in Detroit Lakes, they come with your steak.
This lakeside steakhouse sits right along East Shore Drive and has been a fixture of northern Minnesota dining since 1948. A waterfront patio gives you a front-row seat to the evening sky.
Dinner kicks off with a relish tray served at the beginning of the meal. It’s a crisp, tasty preview that builds excitement for the courses ahead.
From there, the menu spreads out across beef, fish, pork, and chicken. Steaks lead the way, with hand-cut cuts seared over an open-air charcoal grill, while seared salmon and seafood give you lighter choices.
The steak house shrimp sauce, built around four colossal shrimp, makes a showy opener.
Plates arrive with some flair, and portions are generous. You won’t be scrambling for a snack on the drive home.
Got a vegetarian at the table? Ask about meat-free options, so nobody gets stuck with only a side salad.
Desserts deserve attention too. Leave a little room, because the sweet course is one of the highlights.
Live music is part of the experience on some nights. Pair that with the view, and dinner feels like a mini vacation.
As dusk turns to dark, a hand-built fire pit invites you to linger a little longer.
Timing matters if you want the best light. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. daily, so an early seat can line up nicely with sunset.
Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest. Reservations are recommended, and families are welcome with high chairs and a kids’ menu.
Address: 1462 E Shore Dr, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501.
6. The Lexington
White fish pate on a relish tray? Grand Avenue clearly decided crunchy carrots needed a fancier dinner date.
The Lexington gives the classic starter an upscale twist, which suits a Grand Avenue institution that first opened in 1935. Its relish tray brings a lively mix of flavors, including white fish pate, eggs, and cheese.
The restaurant closed in 2013, then reopened in 2017 after a restoration of roughly $5 million led by Josh Thoma and Kevin Fitzgerald, the duo behind Smack Shack. It has since celebrated its 90th birthday.
It’s a smart way to begin a big night in St. Paul. You get a little bit of everything on the plate before the steaks take over.
Speaking of steaks, the filet and New York strip are crowd favorites. Steak Diane adds a classic tableside-era touch to the lineup.
Not in a beef mood? Lobster spaghetti is on the menu, and the chicken pot pie is famous around here.
Appetizers go well past the relish tray too. Walleye cakes give you a taste of Minnesota with a little polish.
Up top, rooftop seating offers a breezy option in nicer weather. Downstairs, a fireplace sets a more classic mood, while restored stained glass and back-hallway photos of St. Paul’s movers and shakers add a sense of history.
Celebrating? Birthdays can get a scoop of ice cream with a candle, which is a sweet little touch.
Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest, so reservations are recommended. Late-night food is available too, with weekend hours running until 11 p.m.
Parking can be tricky on Grand Avenue. Valet parking helps, so you can save your energy for that relish tray.