BIZ Buzz: The restaurant week highlights local flavors

St. Cloud – The week 2025 St. Cloud Restaurant begins on Sunday, May 11th, and goes through on Saturday, May 17th.

Rachel Thompson, Executive Director of Greater St. Cloud, said the event began in 2022 to emphasize the region's culinary scene for locals and tourists alike.

Brandon Testa, owner of the House of Pizza, said that the company had participated since the beginning and has increased throughout the week. He doesn't expect any other way this year.

“We will see an influx of new customers and some regular guests who have already fallen in love with the product and the pizza,” said Testa. “Then come to it, then try our sandwiches or salads or something else. It definitely produces (more customers).”

This year the pizzeria will highlight the hot cucumber pizza in Minnesota with a garlic -white sauce, Canadian bacon, cucumber chips, mozzarella and a hot sauce drizzle.

“The nice thing about the restaurant week is that it really emphasizes the creativity and uniqueness of the St. Cloud community. Chains out there no insult, but it is nice to highlight some of the independent small companies,” Testa told St. Cloud Live.

House of Pizza is just one of more than 40 local companies that were presented during the week, and every day will have an issue. However, the courts presented stay on menus for the week to ensure that guests can enjoy all offers, said Thompson.

Visit Greater St. Cloud organize the event and also give local companies 50 US dollars during the week. To enter the competitions, visit Siestcloud.com/restaurant-week.

Here is the daily menu for the St. Cloud Restaurant Week:

• Kojote moon grille: Sunday brunch in the territory Golf Club, 480 55th Ave. Se, St. Cloud.
• Granite City Food & Brewery: Lawless Brunch at 3945 Second St. S., St. Cloud.
• Jules' bistro: Not the cookies and sauce of her grandmother in the 921 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud. ,,
• Lincoln Depot: Nashville hot chicken sandwich in the 629 Lincoln Ave. Se, St. Cloud.
• Olde Brick House: Shepherd's Pie in the 102 sixth Ave. S., St. Cloud.
• Pasta -bucket: Spaghetti and meatballs in 314 Third St. Ne, Waite Park. (Especially: small spaghetti, three meatballs, Caesar salad and garlic bread for 23 US dollars.)
• Star of India: Grilled Margarita shrimp in the 2812 W. Division St., St. Cloud. (Especially: Free Naan with the purchase of a three-course menu.)

• Copper kitchen: Garden novelet on 15 US Highway 10, St. Cloud.
• Kohinoor Bar and Grill: Chana Masala in 17 Seventh Ave. S., St. Cloud. (Especially: every characteristic dish and a glass of wine for 20 US dollars.)
• Korppi coffee + bakeshop: Vegan cinnamon rolls in the 71 Co. Road 120, St. Cloud.
• Sailor shells: Smoothies in 110 Second St. S., Waite Park.
• New York Gyro: Falafel Rice Gyro at 850 University Drive S., St. Cloud. (Special feature: free fries and a drink with a gyro purchase.)
• The local mix: The sloppy bob in 19 W. Minnesota St., St. Joseph. (Especially: free biscuit with purchase.)

• Christine's cheesecake: Dirty lemonades in the 2077 frontage road N., Waite Park (Special: Buy one, get 50 cents).
• Dutch maiden bakery: Banana Split Donut on 512 Benton Drive N., Sauk Rapids.
• G-Allens: Mac attack bacon cheeseburger at 116 Evergreen Drive, Sartell.
• Munch Munch Mochi Donuts: Milch pebbles Donut in 713 Second St. S., Waite Park.
• Pizza ranch: Pizza buffet in 110 Second St. S., Waite Park. (Special: Children under 11 years of eating free of charge with every paid adult, every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
• Skatin 'place: State Fair Mini Donuts on 3302 Southway Drive, St. Cloud.
• Val's quick serve: Milch shakes in 628 E. St. Germain St., St. Cloud.

Abdulla Gaafarelkhalifa / St. Cloud Live

• Arroy Thai and Filipino: Spam fried rice in 800 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud.
• Central Grind Coffee House: Chipotle ranch Italian Panini on 24086 Minnesota Highway 15, St. Augusta. (Special: Chipotle Ranch Italian Panini for 6 US dollars on Wednesday, May 14th.)
• Green mill: Kabeelo Lodge Walleye in 100 Fourth Ave. S., in St. Cloud. (Special: Free house salad with the purchase of Kabeelo Lodge Walleye if you mention the restaurant week.)
• House of the pizza: Minnesota Hot Pickle Pizza in 4040 Second St. S., in St. Cloud.
• Legends bar and grill: Walleye and chips in the Holiday Inn & Suites, 75 37th Ave. S., St. Cloud. (Special feature: Buy fish and chips and get a free house for local tap beer or house wine.)

• Burgerzeit: Speck Cheeseburger in the 410 Division St., Waite Park.
• Cinco de Mayo Mexican restaurant: California Plate in 4143 W. Division St., St. Cloud.
• Howies Sportbar and Grill: Shaved Ribeye -Sandwich in the 101 Ninth Ave. N., St. Cloud.
• Up in Smoke BBQ: Three meat combination in 2848 Second St. S., St. Cloud.
• 7 West Taphouse: OMG Burger at 28 Fifth Ave. S., St. Cloud.

Trent Abrego / St. Cloud Live

• Anton's restaurant: Cajun pasta in the Frontage Road N. 2001, Waite Park.
• Boulder Tap House: The epic burger in 3950 Second St. S., St. Cloud.
• Blue Line Sports Bar and Grill: Loaded baked potatoes on 1004 Sunridge Drive, St. Cloud.
• Bravo Burrito: Muchos Nachos at 68 33rd Ave. S., St. Cloud. (Special: Full size plate at the price of a mini board.)
• Cold Spring Bakery: Chocolate dream in the 308 Main St., cold spring.
• Fuji Sushi & Steakhouse: Fujis Bento Box in 148 Second St. S., Waite Park.
• Jimmy's Pour House: Pork nachos at 22 Second Ave. N., Sauk Rapids.

Trent Abrego / St. Cloud Live

• Catalina Michoacana: Mangonada in 262 Second St. S., Waite Park.
• Copper pony: Strawberry Matcha cookie on 208 N. Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids.
• Flat iron nutrition: BlueBerry Freiter and Oreo Dirt Dessert at 202 Eigthth Ave. N., St. Cloud.
• Jupiter -Mondeis: Dirty Soda Ice Cream Float in 15 E. Minnesota St., St. Joseph.
• La Casita: Carnitas in the 314 Division St., Waite Park.
• Mexican village: Pollo Fundido in 509 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud.
• The inserted LOL: Fried chicken and street corn -Tacos with a spicy cargaritarte in the 715 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud.

Trent Abrego is an economic reporter for St. Cloud Live and can be reached at trent@stcloudlive.com.