Ingredients Café & Take Away
4725 Hwy 61 N, White Bear Lake, MN, 55110
Ingredients Café & Take Away Menu
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Starters
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Salads
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Entrees
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Burgers And Sandwiches
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Bowls
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Finishing Touches
Healthy Meal suggestions for Ingredients Café & Take Away
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Starters
-
Salads
-
Entrees
-
Burgers And Sandwiches
-
Bowls
-
Finishing Touches
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Address :
4725 Hwy 61 N
White Bear Lake, MN, 55110 - Phone (651) 426-6611
- Website https://www.ingredientscafe.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Brian H.
Ingredients is delicious. We had been wanting to try it for a long time, but it's a bit expensive so we hadn't pulled the trigger. Well we finally did and it was really good. I had the pulled pork, which comes on top of corn bread and coleslaw. it was delicious, although a bit too much coleslaw for me. My wife had the Poached Pear and Arugala salad, which she loved. On a second trip for take out she had the same salad and I went with the Asian pork salad. It was okay, but I would not get it again. We love the fresh ingredients, it just makes for better food. Also, they had live music the first time we were there which was pretty good. The menu is pretty small and many of the option are pretty expensive, so if you aren't wanting to spend a lot your options are limited. We will be back though, it is tasty.
(4)Chelsea B.
I love this lovely local spot! I have never had a bad item and have eaten here about a couple dozen times. I highly recommend ordering from the daily specials menu as it contains the ingredients of the season and the chef's most-current inspiration. From the regular menu, which also changes slightly with the seasons, the crab cakes are fantastic as is the artichoke dip. The peas n' hay are a much-loved classic and you can't go wrong with any of the burgers, sandwiches, or meat-based entrees - I haven't tried any of the regular-menu seafood items because the seafood specials are always too enticing to pass up when I'm in the mood for something aquatic. Just one of those places where you know you're in good hands and that you'll enjoy whatever you order and that even the most expensive entrees (usually not more than $30 unless market prices dictate so) will be worth the money. Also, don't let the slightly-overly-formal service fool you. I can appreciate the effort, but it always feels a little overdone for the actual feel of the place. It's actually really laid-back with live music some nights and you could stroll in in jeans without anyone looking at you funny.
(5)Andy V.
Great service here at ingredients. Staff was super acommodating and made sure everyone enjoyed their meal. I had the steak with a side of onion rings. I substituted the mashed potatoes with fries on account of the blue cheese.... huge mistake. Onion rings and fries and steak meant one hearty, hearty meal. The steak was good, and rare enough for my rare preference. They also had live music and Summit EPA's. A bit pricey, but ambiance was nice.
(4)Hannah F.
Delicious meal, however I was a bit disappointed about the very small portion sizes. Dessert though was enough for 3 people... go figure.
(4)Jeremy A.
Outstanding food, my favorite is the Hangar Steak and mashed potatoes. Fantastic wine selection too. Service was very friendly and top notch in my book. Been here multiple times and will continue to visit any chance that I get.
(5)Brian H.
Ingredients is delicious. We had been wanting to try it for a long time, but it's a bit expensive so we hadn't pulled the trigger. Well we finally did and it was really good. I had the pulled pork, which comes on top of corn bread and coleslaw. it was delicious, although a bit too much coleslaw for me. My wife had the Poached Pear and Arugala salad, which she loved. On a second trip for take out she had the same salad and I went with the Asian pork salad. It was okay, but I would not get it again. We love the fresh ingredients, it just makes for better food. Also, they had live music the first time we were there which was pretty good. The menu is pretty small and many of the option are pretty expensive, so if you aren't wanting to spend a lot your options are limited. We will be back though, it is tasty.
(4)Chelsea B.
I love this lovely local spot! I have never had a bad item and have eaten here about a couple dozen times. I highly recommend ordering from the daily specials menu as it contains the ingredients of the season and the chef's most-current inspiration. From the regular menu, which also changes slightly with the seasons, the crab cakes are fantastic as is the artichoke dip. The peas n' hay are a much-loved classic and you can't go wrong with any of the burgers, sandwiches, or meat-based entrees - I haven't tried any of the regular-menu seafood items because the seafood specials are always too enticing to pass up when I'm in the mood for something aquatic. Just one of those places where you know you're in good hands and that you'll enjoy whatever you order and that even the most expensive entrees (usually not more than $30 unless market prices dictate so) will be worth the money. Also, don't let the slightly-overly-formal service fool you. I can appreciate the effort, but it always feels a little overdone for the actual feel of the place. It's actually really laid-back with live music some nights and you could stroll in in jeans without anyone looking at you funny.
(5)Andy V.
Great service here at ingredients. Staff was super acommodating and made sure everyone enjoyed their meal. I had the steak with a side of onion rings. I substituted the mashed potatoes with fries on account of the blue cheese.... huge mistake. Onion rings and fries and steak meant one hearty, hearty meal. The steak was good, and rare enough for my rare preference. They also had live music and Summit EPA's. A bit pricey, but ambiance was nice.
(4)Hannah F.
Delicious meal, however I was a bit disappointed about the very small portion sizes. Dessert though was enough for 3 people... go figure.
(4)Cale M.
Came here after being too afraid to try a restaurant across the street. It smelled funny inside. Sat at the bar and was served by Rebecca. Phenomenal service, and very bubbly (but not too much). She's a pro. Had the Arepas appetizer. Amazing. Fresh, sweet, sour, and savory. Entree was The Hill Burger. Bacon, cheese, guac, and caramalized onions. Side of fries too. Bomb diggity! Large portion with tons of flavor. Focaccia rosemary bun topped everything off. Try this place. Nice wine selection too.
(5)Camille L.
I loved the spicy chicken lettuce wraps and my red wine flight. We also got the shrimp diablo linguine with tomato vodka sauce and chili flakes. The creamless alfredo was really good too. The ambiance in the dining room is nice and it's pretty romantic. They also have live music on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 so they don't take reservations for two people. The wait was about 30 min. and we got there around 7. The table turnover is slow since they seem understaffed but the waitstaff is friendly. It's a great date night place!
(4)Lisa M.
I really like this place! We were looking for some place to go in this neck of the woods and I found this place. We checked it out for a recent weekend lunch. I liked it so much, I offered it up to a friend for the following week who had never been there. For lunch I had the black bean and rice bowl with chicken. The bowl itself looked small, but most certainly was filling. It wasn't filled with all rice either. There was a good rice to bean ratio. My dining companion had the tuna melt and fries. There is something on those fries that makes them irresistible. When I went for dinner, I had the arugula salad with poached bears, walnuts and blue cheese and added a cup of tomato basil soup. The salad was dressed perfectly and the little blue cheese fried thing was fantastic! Everything from the service, the food, the classy yet laid back vibe and wine list were all top notch. I will say, we were there for live music on a Thursday night and it was hopping. Get there early if you want a table. We left at 7:30ish and there were people waiting.
(4)Mike M.
Fun little spot on the opposite side of Highway 61 from downtown White Bear Lake. The inside is small but intimate. They have a beautiful wooden bar stocked to the brim with fine wines, scotch, brandy, and bourbon. On a rainy Friday night we were able to grab one of the last spots at a high top table. It sat right by the bar and we had a great view of their live music. They had a woman singing oldies accompanied by a keyboardist. Not my taste but any live music is better than the radio. I was happy to see that all their tap beer was hoppy. I am sure that has upset some people in the past but I love to have a choice between a few different EPAs and IPAs on draft. I settled for the local Big Wood Brewery's Pale Ale. Delicious as always.. As for food they have a small menu but everything sounded appetizing. I am not a fan of seafood so my options were limited but even reading about their entrees with seafood I was tempted to give seafood another chance. I ended up settling with the lemon caper chicken pasta which is the only thing I have ever ordered here. Amazing as always, the penne is dressed in a delicious lemon Alfredo I assume. It has the perfect amount of acidity from the lemons, and the mixed in peas and peppers adds a great taste. Unfortunately the service we received was terrible. I believe the bartender was our server so he was busy helping everyone at the bar and making drinks for the server. He would rarely come check on us. We waited awhile before being greeted. Our drinks took awhile and when we placed our ordered he told us he would bring us out a basket of bread. That was the last time we saw him until we were half way through our meal. First thing he said was "I forgot your bread" and turned around and walked away. He never asked us how our meals were or if we needed anything else. I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could. Hopefully next time the service will be a little better.
(4)Camille L.
I loved the spicy chicken lettuce wraps and my red wine flight. We also got the shrimp diablo linguine with tomato vodka sauce and chili flakes. The creamless alfredo was really good too. The ambiance in the dining room is nice and it's pretty romantic. They also have live music on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 so they don't take reservations for two people. The wait was about 30 min. and we got there around 7. The table turnover is slow since they seem understaffed but the waitstaff is friendly. It's a great date night place!
(4)kyle t.
Very close to 5 stars for this place! Great little spot in a nice little town, strip-mall treat! I have been here a couple of times now and only shared some appetizers and drank wine but I'll tell you this place makes an impression! To start we have sat at the bar a couple of times and a table in the bar area and the service has been fantastic. Not just good but super friendly and really quite charming. Good little wine list and a nice menu. The simple little Artichoke dip is the best I've had. Spicy and full of flavor, very far from the norm. Crab cakes were also very good with this really tasty Dill Pickle sort of side for them, very fresh and unexpected. I have been back many times, even had the Chef let us in for a drink as they were closing (most places just shoe you away). Great staff, great menu, very good choice in WBL. KT
(4)Jeremy A.
Outstanding food, my favorite is the Hangar Steak and mashed potatoes. Fantastic wine selection too. Service was very friendly and top notch in my book. Been here multiple times and will continue to visit any chance that I get.
(5)Linda H.
I really want to like this place!! It is a beautiful space and the bar is welcoming, warm, and cozy. The dining room is casual elegant. This is the kind of place I could sit and talk with an old friend for hours. Unfortunately, I have not found the food to be as wonderful as some fellow yelpers. Maybe I am choosing the wrong items but over the two visits, I will recap what we have tried. Bread-Excellent but man can not live on bread alone. Tuna Melt with Fries-Of all items, this is my favorite. The tuna was excellent quality and it was seasoned perfectly. The fries were above average. Gnocchi-Special of the day. My Dining Companion hated it but I took it home for Ci and she loved it. I actually thought this was pretty good. My first time having gnocchi though so not sure I know bad from good. Fan Favorite Pulled Pork Sandwich-This also was one of the better items. It was not hot enough for me and in fact, all the food here doesn't seem to be the right temperature. Nice display and If I had to eat here again, this is what I would order. Amish Blue and Pecan Salad with Shrimp-Iceburg lettuce? Are you fricking kidding me? $17 for a salad that is subpar to Wendys. Thank goodness this was not my entrée! I honestly did not even want to taste this but my DC insisted. I seriously like Wendys Asian Cashew salad better then this salad and its way cheaper. Desserts-The famous Banana Chocolate Silk Pie...Uggg....I don't know if we had an old piece or what but the fluffy white part was heavy, old tasting, and just inedible. We also had another dessert the first time and it was just OK.. Unmemorable. I know I am going against the flow here but I will not dine here again. I even had a Groupon the second time and it was not worth it. The only reason I am giving three stars is the ambiance and the service. The service both times was excellent. Too bad the food doesn't stand up to the fine service we received.
(3)Kristie K.
Great food and wine. Our waiter was awesome. We loved the live music-the restaurant reminds us of a place in Maui that we love.
(5)Hung N.
I went here for lunch since it's close to work and sounded like something fresh and new...The lunch menu is limited to apps, pastas, salads, sandwiches...I shared the chicken quesadilla...pretty tasty with spinach inside and a little balsamic drizzle on top...also had the burger with guac and bacon...big 1/2 lb patty and rich burger...and a good bun that could hold this monstrosity...it hit the it's-Friday-and-im-a-fatty spot...Need to come back for dinner sometime.
(4)Robert H.
I ate here last night with friends. It was a busy Saturday night, so there was about a thirty minute wait for our party of five. This is not unexpected. I ordered the portobello mushroom sandwich, which was quite tasty, but a little too large to be eaten without a knife and fork. Service was fast and the food was good, although not outstanding. There was also live music, a guitarist/singer, who, in my opinion, was a little be loud for the setting. This is to say, when he took a break between sets, I was quite happy. As I've only eaten here once, I'm not sure if this is representative of music at Ingredients. If it is, however, I'm not sure that I would come here to eat again on a Saturday night.
(4)Bryan H.
Great place to just relax and get great food! You can have gourmet food, or just get one heck of a cheese burger! if you are alone, pull a chair up to the bar and let the friendly staff take care of you.
(4)Lynn G.
This is one of our very favorite places. The food is always fresh and delicious. The service is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Order the house made chips and pico for a starter. The dish is addictive. I had the mussels tonight. The broth was incredible and the fresh bread soaked it up deliciously. The hangar steak salad and the open faced barbecue pork sandwich on corn bread are two other of my favorites. My husband loves the pan roasted chicken and hill burger (with bacon and guacamole). I'm getting hungry writing this. We have never had a bad meal here. The quality and quantity of the food for the price is unsurpassable. Thank you Ingredients for another amazing meal. Oh, and try the molten chocolate cake in a phyllo purse for dessert! YUM.
(5)Charles N.
Food is awesome. Menu changes monthly. Music most nights. Wait staff is very attentive. Very loud, hard to converse.
(5)Matthew D.
Great place for healthy lazy Sunday afternoon brunch.
(5)Bernice C.
Not my cup of tea. I felt that the menu offers foods that are heavy, heavy, heavy. Lighter fare would be a great alternative for a place that calls itself Ingredients.
(2)Jennell E.
Wonderful food! Don't let the outside of this place fool you - it's really cool inside. For a smaller menu, there are a lot of options to make everyone happy! The service was great and the chef was able to do a pan roasted fish instead of tempured to lighten it up - you just have to ask! I can't wait to go back!
(5)Cathy H.
My husband and I have been going to Ingredients for 6 years! The food is amazing! Some of my favorites have been the scallops, filet and pork loin. I love that they use a lot of local sources and follow a seasonal menu. The wine and beer selection is always changing and offers something for everyone. I usually try the red wine flight and I've discovered some new favorites! The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed and is especially enjoyable when they have live music. it will always be one of our favorites!
(5)Adam M.
The rotating Menu, Creative Ingredients, and Great Martini's and other drinks make this place a must visit. This is a great place to get some fantastic food in the Metro!
(5)Cale M.
Came here after being too afraid to try a restaurant across the street. It smelled funny inside. Sat at the bar and was served by Rebecca. Phenomenal service, and very bubbly (but not too much). She's a pro. Had the Arepas appetizer. Amazing. Fresh, sweet, sour, and savory. Entree was The Hill Burger. Bacon, cheese, guac, and caramalized onions. Side of fries too. Bomb diggity! Large portion with tons of flavor. Focaccia rosemary bun topped everything off. Try this place. Nice wine selection too.
(5)J S.
Expected more from ingredients. Loved the feel of the place and wanted to like the food and service more. Basil tomato soup should have been hotter. Chicken cesar salad just okay. Pork chop with potatoes tasty but not enough food for the price.
(3)Lisa M.
I really like this place! We were looking for some place to go in this neck of the woods and I found this place. We checked it out for a recent weekend lunch. I liked it so much, I offered it up to a friend for the following week who had never been there. For lunch I had the black bean and rice bowl with chicken. The bowl itself looked small, but most certainly was filling. It wasn't filled with all rice either. There was a good rice to bean ratio. My dining companion had the tuna melt and fries. There is something on those fries that makes them irresistible. When I went for dinner, I had the arugula salad with poached bears, walnuts and blue cheese and added a cup of tomato basil soup. The salad was dressed perfectly and the little blue cheese fried thing was fantastic! Everything from the service, the food, the classy yet laid back vibe and wine list were all top notch. I will say, we were there for live music on a Thursday night and it was hopping. Get there early if you want a table. We left at 7:30ish and there were people waiting.
(4)Karyn P.
Well maybe I just had a bad experience on my anniversary but my dinner wss great. I had the hanger steak. Mother in law had shrimp diablo great. Husband had the $30 tenderloin and it was overcooked and mushy. Wow I really like this place but it was bad I had a bite, yuck , plus side I'm gonna feed it to my dogs when I get home. One other weird thing after I complained about my hubbys steak.. they brought us bread. Aren't they supposed to bring that before the appetizer and dinner?
(3)Kevin K.
If you're looking for grass-fed meat, quinoa pasta, pasture raised chickens, and similar items that that are prepared creatively, then this is the place. Lot's of good healthy food on the menu that made it tough to decide.
(5)Adam B.
Bam! This place is really really good all the way around. It's a nice casual atmosphere and the food is the star. Don't judge a book by it's cover, what's on the inside is what really counts. The service is outstanding and the food is worth every penny. We sat at the bar and talked with the owner for a bit and we're really impressed with the balance of the dining experience, timing, presentation, etc. All of it exceeded our expectations without being stuffy or pretentious. If I lived in WBL this would be our go-to. But it's legitimately good enough to make the drive every now and then. Cheers!
(5)Richard K.
Oozes atmosphere. Nice & laid back with live music on the weekends. Service was spot on and not overwhelming. Had some steamed mussels that were not done & waitress promptly removed the item from the bill. Foods a bit pricey but tasty. I'll return to this place.
(4)Andy B.
I think my parents eat her like once a week and we usually swing through when I go home to visit. Good food, great presentation, really friendly service. Check this place out, you wont be disappointed.
(4)Steve A.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night. We arrived at about 5:30 PM. It was nice that we could get seated right away as it's a pretty small restaurant. When we left a little before 7 PM, the restaurant was full and there were a few parties waiting to get seated. I have to say that we weren't thrilled sitting at one of the tables along the long back booth where tables are situated very close to each other. It was kind of like you're sitting with strangers at first. However, as the restaurant became more full, the noice level increased so that you weren't hearing everyone's conversations so much at the other close tables. My wife and I started with the chips & pico. The chips we're great as they were freshly made just before serving. Loved that touch! The pico was nice and fresh and very enjoyable. Great start to the meal. However, when the waitress took my plate away, she took the fork off that I used for loading pico onto my chips, set it on the table, and then left it there for me to use with my meal. Talk about bush league, who does that? How about bringing out a clean fork for the rest of the meal. Hopefully they don't teach their servers to do this! My wife and I both ordered the ahi tuna ceviche tacos. Looked great on the menu and I will say they tasted really great as well. Again, great fresh "ingedients" prepared well results in great food. My only issue with this meal is that it was $14.95 and these were the two smallest tacos I've ever seen. I would call them micro tacos! It literally took me three average size bites to eat one whole taco! We both loved the flavor, but for $15 it would have been nice to have at least two normal sizes tacos. At best these were an overpriced appetizer. Final assessment, very good well prepared food. However, service could have been better and it was a bit overpriced for what we actually received.
(2)Michael M.
I have dined here with my wife twice in the last month and we have both agreed on our feelings for this restaurant: Good food with "Denny's style" service. This may be nitpicking to some, but being in the hospitality industry there are certain things that are just standard courtesy. After I finished my salad our waitperson came to gather my salad dish. At this point she took the fork off of my plate and set it on the table. She then took my knife off of the bread and butter tray and put it on the table as well. The knife had a glob of butter on it which is now smearing on the table. There were a few other ,what I would call missteps, that just should not have happened at a slightly upscale restaurant. If your taste in wine is for "New World" wines you will find the wine list decent. But European wines are virtually nonexistent. There was a Rioja and a Italian Pinot Grigio, if I remember correctly. But if European wine is your thing this is not your kinda place. My salad was great, my half-chicken a bit overdone but flavorful. My wife said that her wrap was very good. So it's not all bad, and for us it is conveniently located. The room is very noisy and there usually is live music while you dine.
(3)Abby D.
Met up w/ some friends from out of town who were visiting family nearby. Didn't expect something like this out of the city. Really good service, nice wine list, great beer selections, variety of good food options. Not sure if I'd go all the way out to WBL just to visit again, but it would certainly be top of the list if we ever find ourselves out in that neck of the woods again.
(4)Betty C.
I had dinner at Ingredients on a Saturday evening with 4 other people. We sat outdoors (lovely weather for it) and spent about 2 hours there. OK. I haven't eaten steak in years. I had the Farmer Steak Salad because it sounded so good (and the waitress recommended it when I asked). Holy crap. I'm still thinking about it. I may have to start eating steaks on salads all the dang time now. YUM! The service was fine- a bit slow, but I didn't mind. There was live music going on inside. The bathroom was clean. There were two instances when the restaurant was out of a specific entree and a beer, which was sort of odd. A very pleasant evening, all around, and some DANG good steak!
(4)Chris J.
Excellent. Great option for the locals like me and even worth the trip if you aren't an eastsider.
(4)Bao N.
We went here for a lunch get together with about 9 girls. We had heard good things about it and we were not disappointed. It is a small cozy spot and it was great. Our items ranged from Pasta, Salad, Crab Cakes and French Fries. Everyone had good things to say. I'm not a huge friench fry person but the dipping sauce which was a dill ranch was awesome! All the girls at the table enjoyed the fries. The price was an adequate price point. Over all the experience here was good and would go back.
(4)Grace M.
We are fortunate to have such a great "neighborhood" restaurant in downtown White Bear Lake. The food is always very fresh and delicious! I take work peers and customers there for lunch because it is always a great experieince. The daily specials are winners and the chefs are always willing to adjust a menu item to please any palette. I've tried almost everything on the menu and you can't go wrong. Seriously, not just good food but great food! And I'm very picky! Grace
(5)Jeremy C.
My wife and I go to this place all the time and we love it. The food is fantastic. It's a great atmosphere with nice live music some nights. They have a good wine and beer selection but the mixed drinks are not great for the price. The Lemon Caper Chicken and Open Face Pork Sandwich are our favorites. Easy to miss it because of it's location. It's in the strip mall.
(4)Paul W.
I'd give it a 5 if I could afford to eat here regularly. Great fresh food. Enjoy their mussels and sauce and their martinis. Nice seasonal and local menu items.
(4)Sam M.
Another fine surprise in the Northern Metro. This is a splendid restaurant/wine bar that has live music on occasion. While it is located in a newer development on the west side of Hwy 61, don't let that dissuade you from giving it a try. My wife had wanted to go there for a while now, and today was the day. We showed up at about 6:30 and were able to be seated by 7:00. An acoustic duo was just setting up in front. The decor is welcoming without seeming garish or overdone. The bar features wine, but a few craft beers are at hand. I was pleasantly surprised to sample the Rush River IPA at a drinkable temperature instead of being ice cold. Nice attention to detail. My wife had a delicious hanger steak accompanied with minced brussel sprouts and peas as well as a twice baked potato. The outside had a light skin of char with a delicious warm red center. The cut was sliced neatly for presentation. My blue cheese encrusted pork chop was equally well presented. On the side was a grouping of asparagus spears, whipped potatoes, candied figs, and Texas toast. The chops had a spicy rub underneath the blue cheese. They were tender and oh so flavorful. Service was attentive, polite, and well executed. That last phrase sums this place up "well executed" The music was an nice accompaniment to the meal. I recognized a Rickie Lee Jones tune. What a lovely evening. Thanks Ingredients!
(5)Claire G.
I just love this place! The food has been outstanding each time I've been there. Last night I had the grilled pork chop, which was a double thick chop served with blue cheese on top and a delicious fig glaze. Fabulous! It was accompanied by mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus and toasted Brioche! My friends loved the creamy chowder made with scallops,walleye,shrimp,mussels and bacon. The beef shortribs were perfectly done, tender and with wonderful flavor. Try the mussels as an appetizer! They are wonderful! We like to eat in the bar better than in the restaurant side. It is cozy, intimate and makes it feel more like you're eating in a great little place in the city instead of in a suburban strip mall. There are high top tables and a full bar. Live music on weekend nights; usually someone playing acoustic guitar. It can be a little loud but I haven't usually found it a problem. We really like Scott the bartender,who is also the server in the bar. He's friendly and makes good recommendations.
(5)Tori M.
For being in bum-f nowhere boonies-town (I'm sorry, White Bear Lake folk, but for a city gal, this is quite the trek... Boyfriend is a local though, so it's not like I'm totally prejudiced), this place is pretty darn ok. I was a little sad that they didn't have better vegetarian choices, but still- I ended up with the gnocchi sans beef and it was pretty tasty. I wasn't too thrilled with the lemon creme fraiche on it, but besides that, it was all right. Boyfriend and his fam just rave about Ingredients, though. I can't say that I'm totally on board, but I will give them credit for having great ingredients (I apologize for the pun) and great cooking ethic.
(3)Kevin K.
If you're looking for grass-fed meat, quinoa pasta, pasture raised chickens, and similar items that that are prepared creatively, then this is the place. Lot's of good healthy food on the menu that made it tough to decide.
(5)Adam B.
Bam! This place is really really good all the way around. It's a nice casual atmosphere and the food is the star. Don't judge a book by it's cover, what's on the inside is what really counts. The service is outstanding and the food is worth every penny. We sat at the bar and talked with the owner for a bit and we're really impressed with the balance of the dining experience, timing, presentation, etc. All of it exceeded our expectations without being stuffy or pretentious. If I lived in WBL this would be our go-to. But it's legitimately good enough to make the drive every now and then. Cheers!
(5)J S.
Expected more from ingredients. Loved the feel of the place and wanted to like the food and service more. Basil tomato soup should have been hotter. Chicken cesar salad just okay. Pork chop with potatoes tasty but not enough food for the price.
(3)Steve A.
Went here for dinner on a Friday night. We arrived at about 5:30 PM. It was nice that we could get seated right away as it's a pretty small restaurant. When we left a little before 7 PM, the restaurant was full and there were a few parties waiting to get seated. I have to say that we weren't thrilled sitting at one of the tables along the long back booth where tables are situated very close to each other. It was kind of like you're sitting with strangers at first. However, as the restaurant became more full, the noice level increased so that you weren't hearing everyone's conversations so much at the other close tables. My wife and I started with the chips & pico. The chips we're great as they were freshly made just before serving. Loved that touch! The pico was nice and fresh and very enjoyable. Great start to the meal. However, when the waitress took my plate away, she took the fork off that I used for loading pico onto my chips, set it on the table, and then left it there for me to use with my meal. Talk about bush league, who does that? How about bringing out a clean fork for the rest of the meal. Hopefully they don't teach their servers to do this! My wife and I both ordered the ahi tuna ceviche tacos. Looked great on the menu and I will say they tasted really great as well. Again, great fresh "ingedients" prepared well results in great food. My only issue with this meal is that it was $14.95 and these were the two smallest tacos I've ever seen. I would call them micro tacos! It literally took me three average size bites to eat one whole taco! We both loved the flavor, but for $15 it would have been nice to have at least two normal sizes tacos. At best these were an overpriced appetizer. Final assessment, very good well prepared food. However, service could have been better and it was a bit overpriced for what we actually received.
(2)Michael M.
I have dined here with my wife twice in the last month and we have both agreed on our feelings for this restaurant: Good food with "Denny's style" service. This may be nitpicking to some, but being in the hospitality industry there are certain things that are just standard courtesy. After I finished my salad our waitperson came to gather my salad dish. At this point she took the fork off of my plate and set it on the table. She then took my knife off of the bread and butter tray and put it on the table as well. The knife had a glob of butter on it which is now smearing on the table. There were a few other ,what I would call missteps, that just should not have happened at a slightly upscale restaurant. If your taste in wine is for "New World" wines you will find the wine list decent. But European wines are virtually nonexistent. There was a Rioja and a Italian Pinot Grigio, if I remember correctly. But if European wine is your thing this is not your kinda place. My salad was great, my half-chicken a bit overdone but flavorful. My wife said that her wrap was very good. So it's not all bad, and for us it is conveniently located. The room is very noisy and there usually is live music while you dine.
(3)Abby D.
Met up w/ some friends from out of town who were visiting family nearby. Didn't expect something like this out of the city. Really good service, nice wine list, great beer selections, variety of good food options. Not sure if I'd go all the way out to WBL just to visit again, but it would certainly be top of the list if we ever find ourselves out in that neck of the woods again.
(4)Betty C.
I had dinner at Ingredients on a Saturday evening with 4 other people. We sat outdoors (lovely weather for it) and spent about 2 hours there. OK. I haven't eaten steak in years. I had the Farmer Steak Salad because it sounded so good (and the waitress recommended it when I asked). Holy crap. I'm still thinking about it. I may have to start eating steaks on salads all the dang time now. YUM! The service was fine- a bit slow, but I didn't mind. There was live music going on inside. The bathroom was clean. There were two instances when the restaurant was out of a specific entree and a beer, which was sort of odd. A very pleasant evening, all around, and some DANG good steak!
(4)Chris J.
Excellent. Great option for the locals like me and even worth the trip if you aren't an eastsider.
(4)Bao N.
We went here for a lunch get together with about 9 girls. We had heard good things about it and we were not disappointed. It is a small cozy spot and it was great. Our items ranged from Pasta, Salad, Crab Cakes and French Fries. Everyone had good things to say. I'm not a huge friench fry person but the dipping sauce which was a dill ranch was awesome! All the girls at the table enjoyed the fries. The price was an adequate price point. Over all the experience here was good and would go back.
(4)Grace M.
We are fortunate to have such a great "neighborhood" restaurant in downtown White Bear Lake. The food is always very fresh and delicious! I take work peers and customers there for lunch because it is always a great experieince. The daily specials are winners and the chefs are always willing to adjust a menu item to please any palette. I've tried almost everything on the menu and you can't go wrong. Seriously, not just good food but great food! And I'm very picky! Grace
(5)Sam M.
Another fine surprise in the Northern Metro. This is a splendid restaurant/wine bar that has live music on occasion. While it is located in a newer development on the west side of Hwy 61, don't let that dissuade you from giving it a try. My wife had wanted to go there for a while now, and today was the day. We showed up at about 6:30 and were able to be seated by 7:00. An acoustic duo was just setting up in front. The decor is welcoming without seeming garish or overdone. The bar features wine, but a few craft beers are at hand. I was pleasantly surprised to sample the Rush River IPA at a drinkable temperature instead of being ice cold. Nice attention to detail. My wife had a delicious hanger steak accompanied with minced brussel sprouts and peas as well as a twice baked potato. The outside had a light skin of char with a delicious warm red center. The cut was sliced neatly for presentation. My blue cheese encrusted pork chop was equally well presented. On the side was a grouping of asparagus spears, whipped potatoes, candied figs, and Texas toast. The chops had a spicy rub underneath the blue cheese. They were tender and oh so flavorful. Service was attentive, polite, and well executed. That last phrase sums this place up "well executed" The music was an nice accompaniment to the meal. I recognized a Rickie Lee Jones tune. What a lovely evening. Thanks Ingredients!
(5)kyle t.
Very close to 5 stars for this place! Great little spot in a nice little town, strip-mall treat! I have been here a couple of times now and only shared some appetizers and drank wine but I'll tell you this place makes an impression! To start we have sat at the bar a couple of times and a table in the bar area and the service has been fantastic. Not just good but super friendly and really quite charming. Good little wine list and a nice menu. The simple little Artichoke dip is the best I've had. Spicy and full of flavor, very far from the norm. Crab cakes were also very good with this really tasty Dill Pickle sort of side for them, very fresh and unexpected. I have been back many times, even had the Chef let us in for a drink as they were closing (most places just shoe you away). Great staff, great menu, very good choice in WBL. KT
(4)Richard K.
Oozes atmosphere. Nice & laid back with live music on the weekends. Service was spot on and not overwhelming. Had some steamed mussels that were not done & waitress promptly removed the item from the bill. Foods a bit pricey but tasty. I'll return to this place.
(4)Andy B.
I think my parents eat her like once a week and we usually swing through when I go home to visit. Good food, great presentation, really friendly service. Check this place out, you wont be disappointed.
(4)Claire G.
I just love this place! The food has been outstanding each time I've been there. Last night I had the grilled pork chop, which was a double thick chop served with blue cheese on top and a delicious fig glaze. Fabulous! It was accompanied by mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus and toasted Brioche! My friends loved the creamy chowder made with scallops,walleye,shrimp,mussels and bacon. The beef shortribs were perfectly done, tender and with wonderful flavor. Try the mussels as an appetizer! They are wonderful! We like to eat in the bar better than in the restaurant side. It is cozy, intimate and makes it feel more like you're eating in a great little place in the city instead of in a suburban strip mall. There are high top tables and a full bar. Live music on weekend nights; usually someone playing acoustic guitar. It can be a little loud but I haven't usually found it a problem. We really like Scott the bartender,who is also the server in the bar. He's friendly and makes good recommendations.
(5)Tori M.
For being in bum-f nowhere boonies-town (I'm sorry, White Bear Lake folk, but for a city gal, this is quite the trek... Boyfriend is a local though, so it's not like I'm totally prejudiced), this place is pretty darn ok. I was a little sad that they didn't have better vegetarian choices, but still- I ended up with the gnocchi sans beef and it was pretty tasty. I wasn't too thrilled with the lemon creme fraiche on it, but besides that, it was all right. Boyfriend and his fam just rave about Ingredients, though. I can't say that I'm totally on board, but I will give them credit for having great ingredients (I apologize for the pun) and great cooking ethic.
(3)Jeremy C.
My wife and I go to this place all the time and we love it. The food is fantastic. It's a great atmosphere with nice live music some nights. They have a good wine and beer selection but the mixed drinks are not great for the price. The Lemon Caper Chicken and Open Face Pork Sandwich are our favorites. Easy to miss it because of it's location. It's in the strip mall.
(4)Paul W.
I'd give it a 5 if I could afford to eat here regularly. Great fresh food. Enjoy their mussels and sauce and their martinis. Nice seasonal and local menu items.
(4)Hung N.
I went here for lunch since it's close to work and sounded like something fresh and new...The lunch menu is limited to apps, pastas, salads, sandwiches...I shared the chicken quesadilla...pretty tasty with spinach inside and a little balsamic drizzle on top...also had the burger with guac and bacon...big 1/2 lb patty and rich burger...and a good bun that could hold this monstrosity...it hit the it's-Friday-and-im-a-fatty spot...Need to come back for dinner sometime.
(4)Mike M.
Fun little spot on the opposite side of Highway 61 from downtown White Bear Lake. The inside is small but intimate. They have a beautiful wooden bar stocked to the brim with fine wines, scotch, brandy, and bourbon. On a rainy Friday night we were able to grab one of the last spots at a high top table. It sat right by the bar and we had a great view of their live music. They had a woman singing oldies accompanied by a keyboardist. Not my taste but any live music is better than the radio. I was happy to see that all their tap beer was hoppy. I am sure that has upset some people in the past but I love to have a choice between a few different EPAs and IPAs on draft. I settled for the local Big Wood Brewery's Pale Ale. Delicious as always.. As for food they have a small menu but everything sounded appetizing. I am not a fan of seafood so my options were limited but even reading about their entrees with seafood I was tempted to give seafood another chance. I ended up settling with the lemon caper chicken pasta which is the only thing I have ever ordered here. Amazing as always, the penne is dressed in a delicious lemon Alfredo I assume. It has the perfect amount of acidity from the lemons, and the mixed in peas and peppers adds a great taste. Unfortunately the service we received was terrible. I believe the bartender was our server so he was busy helping everyone at the bar and making drinks for the server. He would rarely come check on us. We waited awhile before being greeted. Our drinks took awhile and when we placed our ordered he told us he would bring us out a basket of bread. That was the last time we saw him until we were half way through our meal. First thing he said was "I forgot your bread" and turned around and walked away. He never asked us how our meals were or if we needed anything else. I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could. Hopefully next time the service will be a little better.
(4)Linda H.
I really want to like this place!! It is a beautiful space and the bar is welcoming, warm, and cozy. The dining room is casual elegant. This is the kind of place I could sit and talk with an old friend for hours. Unfortunately, I have not found the food to be as wonderful as some fellow yelpers. Maybe I am choosing the wrong items but over the two visits, I will recap what we have tried. Bread-Excellent but man can not live on bread alone. Tuna Melt with Fries-Of all items, this is my favorite. The tuna was excellent quality and it was seasoned perfectly. The fries were above average. Gnocchi-Special of the day. My Dining Companion hated it but I took it home for Ci and she loved it. I actually thought this was pretty good. My first time having gnocchi though so not sure I know bad from good. Fan Favorite Pulled Pork Sandwich-This also was one of the better items. It was not hot enough for me and in fact, all the food here doesn't seem to be the right temperature. Nice display and If I had to eat here again, this is what I would order. Amish Blue and Pecan Salad with Shrimp-Iceburg lettuce? Are you fricking kidding me? $17 for a salad that is subpar to Wendys. Thank goodness this was not my entrée! I honestly did not even want to taste this but my DC insisted. I seriously like Wendys Asian Cashew salad better then this salad and its way cheaper. Desserts-The famous Banana Chocolate Silk Pie...Uggg....I don't know if we had an old piece or what but the fluffy white part was heavy, old tasting, and just inedible. We also had another dessert the first time and it was just OK.. Unmemorable. I know I am going against the flow here but I will not dine here again. I even had a Groupon the second time and it was not worth it. The only reason I am giving three stars is the ambiance and the service. The service both times was excellent. Too bad the food doesn't stand up to the fine service we received.
(3)Kristie K.
Great food and wine. Our waiter was awesome. We loved the live music-the restaurant reminds us of a place in Maui that we love.
(5)Karyn P.
Well maybe I just had a bad experience on my anniversary but my dinner wss great. I had the hanger steak. Mother in law had shrimp diablo great. Husband had the $30 tenderloin and it was overcooked and mushy. Wow I really like this place but it was bad I had a bite, yuck , plus side I'm gonna feed it to my dogs when I get home. One other weird thing after I complained about my hubbys steak.. they brought us bread. Aren't they supposed to bring that before the appetizer and dinner?
(3)Robert H.
I ate here last night with friends. It was a busy Saturday night, so there was about a thirty minute wait for our party of five. This is not unexpected. I ordered the portobello mushroom sandwich, which was quite tasty, but a little too large to be eaten without a knife and fork. Service was fast and the food was good, although not outstanding. There was also live music, a guitarist/singer, who, in my opinion, was a little be loud for the setting. This is to say, when he took a break between sets, I was quite happy. As I've only eaten here once, I'm not sure if this is representative of music at Ingredients. If it is, however, I'm not sure that I would come here to eat again on a Saturday night.
(4)Bryan H.
Great place to just relax and get great food! You can have gourmet food, or just get one heck of a cheese burger! if you are alone, pull a chair up to the bar and let the friendly staff take care of you.
(4)Lynn G.
This is one of our very favorite places. The food is always fresh and delicious. The service is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Order the house made chips and pico for a starter. The dish is addictive. I had the mussels tonight. The broth was incredible and the fresh bread soaked it up deliciously. The hangar steak salad and the open faced barbecue pork sandwich on corn bread are two other of my favorites. My husband loves the pan roasted chicken and hill burger (with bacon and guacamole). I'm getting hungry writing this. We have never had a bad meal here. The quality and quantity of the food for the price is unsurpassable. Thank you Ingredients for another amazing meal. Oh, and try the molten chocolate cake in a phyllo purse for dessert! YUM.
(5)Charles N.
Food is awesome. Menu changes monthly. Music most nights. Wait staff is very attentive. Very loud, hard to converse.
(5)Matthew D.
Great place for healthy lazy Sunday afternoon brunch.
(5)Bernice C.
Not my cup of tea. I felt that the menu offers foods that are heavy, heavy, heavy. Lighter fare would be a great alternative for a place that calls itself Ingredients.
(2)Jennell E.
Wonderful food! Don't let the outside of this place fool you - it's really cool inside. For a smaller menu, there are a lot of options to make everyone happy! The service was great and the chef was able to do a pan roasted fish instead of tempured to lighten it up - you just have to ask! I can't wait to go back!
(5)Cathy H.
My husband and I have been going to Ingredients for 6 years! The food is amazing! Some of my favorites have been the scallops, filet and pork loin. I love that they use a lot of local sources and follow a seasonal menu. The wine and beer selection is always changing and offers something for everyone. I usually try the red wine flight and I've discovered some new favorites! The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed and is especially enjoyable when they have live music. it will always be one of our favorites!
(5)Adam M.
The rotating Menu, Creative Ingredients, and Great Martini's and other drinks make this place a must visit. This is a great place to get some fantastic food in the Metro!
(5)