Above: Scenic Route Bakery’s scenic kale salad is available until 3 p.m. for busy late luncheon diners.
By Wini Moranville
Many local restaurants conclude lunch service at 2 p.m., which probably makes sense for business. But for those of us who always seem to be running late during the holidays, here are a few non-chain sites that serve lunch outside of the usual hours:
• Cheese Bar: Food is served all day, Tuesday through Saturday. Time your visit just right, and you can enjoy Champagne and sparkling wines for $5 a glass (from 2 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday). Try the smörgs—open-face sandwiches crafted with precision and refinement.
• Bubba—Southern Comforts: Lunch is served until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Better yet, the happy hour runs from 2 to 6 p.m., with $6 appetizers, select wines and house spirits. Late lunch with discounted drinks? What’s not to love?
• Scenic Route Bakery: A great choice if you’re shopping the one-of-a-kind boutiques in the East Village, but get there before 3 p.m., as that’s when lunch service stops. The bright and varied kale salad, with garbanzo beans, sunflower seeds, roasted red pepper, and goat cheese, is an all-out winner.
• Table 128: Lunch is served until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Try the Brussels sprouts salad and always get the chef’s fresh, homemade, anything-but-predictable soup.
• Wine Experience at Jordan Creek: This little hideaway inside Younkers is a great place to stop for a late-afternoon glass of wine and good sandwiches, salads, quiche and more. Lunch is served all day, every day.
Wini Moranville, who writes about cooking, wine and dining for dsm, is on Facebook at All Things Food DSM.
