Private Dining Guide 2024
Food may be your focus, but atmosphere counts for a lot when you’re planning a private dining experience.
Whether you’re looking to get the team out of the office or entertaining clients, the Twin Cities has a venue for every vibe.
From waterfront to the heart of downtown, you’re sure to find a space that checks the right box for your event. Here are a few of our top suggestions, along with a few business dinner etiquette tips.
By the Water
City: Wayzata
Capacity: 20 guests seated, 30-plus standing reception
Space: Book the Lake Room, which includes a semiprivate lakeside patio, with lounge couches and chairs and a view of Lake Minnetonka.
Cuisine: Coastal American
Downtown
City: Minneapolis
Capacity: 24 guests seated, 50 standing reception
Space: Located in the Hotel Emery, bursting with fresh greenery, Giulia features the Bryn Mawr private dining room, a glass-encased space with a walk-in bank vault-turned-wine cellar.
Cuisine: Northern Italian
Business Dinner Etiquette 101
Lesson One: How can you help ensure employees don’t drink too much?
Consider drink tokens, suggests Molly Herrmann, community outreach and events manager at The Market at Malcolm Yards in Minneapolis. Each guest receives one or two tokens, each good for a free drink. “If they want anything outside of that, they’re on their own,” she says. Herrmann also points out that spirit-free beverages are a rising trend, which can help set the tone for a business function. “Increasingly, folks are wanting higher-end options that are spirit-free.”
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A Guaranteed Party
City: Edina
Capacity: 44 seated, 75 standing reception
Space: The private dining room with its own bar offers a clubby feel that keeps fun and excitement at the center of the dining experience.
Cuisine: New Orleans-inspired eatery featuring steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta
For the Wine Snobs
City: St. Paul
Capacity: 20 seated, 25 standing reception
Space: With a private entrance just across the hall, the restaurant’s Médoc Room provides vintage ambiance inspired by travel, history, and gastronomy. The space can be customized for an elevated personal experience.
Cuisine: French, with an oyster bar and award-winning wine list
Business Dinner Etiquette 101
Lesson TWO: How should you handle seating arrangements at a company dinner?
Identify the VIP guest, whether it’s the CEO or a potential client, and seat them at the center of the table, says Kelly Bollis, owner and creative director at Maven, a Minneapolis events company. “It’s so they can communicate with as many people at the table as possible,” she says. Then remind them to stay seated if possible, she adds. “They always tend to want to walk around the table and talk to people, but I think maintaining that dining experience while having them sit in that central location is always really good.”
Attached to a Hotel
City: Minneapolis
Capacity: 22 seated
Space: If you’re looking to be in the room where it happens, the wood-paneled Speakeasy in this legendary steakhouse is it, with an intimate, luxe feel coupled with full AV capabilities.
Cuisine: A high-end steakhouse with a rolling meat cart, plus an extensive seafood menu and wine list
Coastal Escape
City: Minneapolis
Capacity: 16 seated
Space: “Resort-style luxury” ambiance, with a personal kitchen where you can customize your menu.
Cuisine: Southeast Asian cuisine
Business Dinner Etiquette 101
Lesson THREE: Does your corporate dinner need icebreakers?
Definitely not, says Philip Dorwart, owner and executive chef at Create Catering in Minneapolis. Icebreakers at a business event are “super weird,” he says. “Most of the time, it falls flat and feels forced.” The conversation should be organic—the food in front of them should be the leading icebreaker. But, he adds, “Party favors will always be a hit.”
New and Buzzy
City: Minneapolis
Capacity: 130 seated, 200 standing (250 including courtyard)
Space: Chef Diane Moua’s restaurant features two private rooms that include a courtyard entrance and a neutral palette for a variety of events.
Cuisine: Hmong American dishes featuring cultural classics like tamarind-glazed pork ribs and a wide selection of desserts
