2025 Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2025 Hipster Hack Food Review
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As I said last year I LOVE a costume party and while the Minnesota Renaissance Festival may frustrate some that it has become more of a cosplay convention for anything fantasy or even just nerdy instead of a sole celebration of the Renaissance era, I personally love it. You never know what you’re going to see. One second you’re looking at someone in period costume, the next second you’re looking at someone dressed up like Where’s Waldo, Batman or Bermuda Merlin from “Sword in the Stone” (true story haha).

You can check out my review from last year for some other foods I really like that are still available, but I did a really good job this year of trying new foods!
Pro: I liked everything enough.
Con: I missed out on the soup in a bread bowl, but there was also no way I was eating hot soup in today’s heat.

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Buca di Beppo | Saint Paul, MN

Buca di Beppo Saint Paul Minnesota Hipster Hack Review
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Husband and I were invited to Buca di Beppo in St. Paul to try out their menu and learn more about the history of their company and the history of that location’s building…including some ghost stories 👻.*

Buca di Beppo is a national chain that actually started in a basement in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their humble beginnings were actually the inspiration behind the name, with Buca di Beppo translating roughly to “Joe’s small place,” in Italian.

*I do want to add a disclaimer that while I was gifted a dinner experience, my review and thoughts are my own.

See pictures of everything we tried below.

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2024 Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2024 Hipster Hack Food Review
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I love a theme party and the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is the biggest costume party of the year! The theme is “renaissance” but within 5 minutes of being inside the gates you’ll see that the dress code isn’t universal; medieval, vikings, cottage core, witches, Zelda, Lord of the Rings characters, Dr. Who, Mario Kart, you name it – the gangs all here!

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The Brickhouse | White Bear Lake, MN

Brickhouse White Bear Lake Hipster Hack Food Review
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A friend and I stumbled upon the Brickhouse when we were searching for a place to grab some rooftop cocktails in White Bear Lake and it was definitely what I like to think Bob Ross would consider “a happy accident.”

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Apostle Supper Club 2024 | Saint Paul, MN

Apostle Supper Club Saint Paul Minnesota Hipster Hack
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I previously visited the Apostle Supper Club last year with a friend and remember telling Husband that he had to go back with me because he’d love it and I added it to our list… finally over a year later we made it back 😬.

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Lake Elmo Inn Restaurant | Lake Elmo, MN

Lake Elmo Inn Lake Elmo Minnesota Hipster Hack Review
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The Lake Elmo Inn restaurant is an East suburbs icon that until now I have never eaten at. For our wedding in late 2022 we received a gift card from my best friends parents with a note that they wanted to provide us an experience to one of their favorite places, which was beyond sweet and exactly the kind of thoughtful gift I love. So I was excited when husband reminded me that we had it and suggested it would be a great place to go for Valentine’s Day.

He was right…something I don’t usually admit haha.

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Moscow On The Hill | Saint Paul, MN

Moscow on the Hill St. Paul, MN Hipster Hack Review
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As a vodka enthusiast, I’m embarrassed to say this is only my second time visiting Moscow on the Hill in Saint Paul 😬. Lately husband and I have been stuck in a bit of a rut so when he told me it was my turn to pick date night I put together a list of places I was long overdue for a visit and when he saw Moscow on the Hill and he realized he could get some quality “beef strogo” it was an immediate yes for him.

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eM Que Viet Restaurant and Bar | Saint Paul, MN

eM Que Viet Restaurant and Bar Hipster Hack Saint Paul MN
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When I heard that a new concept, eM Que Viet, was being opened by the same families who own Que Viet Villages and the Que Viet Concession at the Minnesota State Fair, but with the added bonus of a full bar, I was all in. I was so excited to finally get there to check it out for my monthly friendship dinner and it definitely lived up to Que Viet’s reputation.

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Ronnally’s Pizza | Woodbury, MN

Ronnally's Pizza Woodbury, MN Hipster Hack food review
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While creating my “Favorite Foods of 2023” post I realized my immense oversight in never writing a dedicated Hipster Hack food review for Ronnally’s Pizza and Pasta in Woodbury, Minnesota. So here I am to right my wrong!

Ronnally’s is locally owned and Woodbury’s longest standing restaurant. Opened in 1973, they actually just celebrated their 50th year in business!

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