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All the United States Minnesota Minneapolis Gatherings Cafe
Gastro Obscura

Gatherings Cafe

An eatery within the Minneapolis American Indian Center writes colonial ingredients out of the story of Native American cuisine.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Luke Fater
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About

Gatherings Cafe is one Native American eatery where you won't find fry bread or other "commods," slang for government commodities among indigenous populations. You won't find sugary sodas either—just infused water and tea. The absence of these items from the cafe's offerings is, in a way, the point. Nestled within the Minneapolis American Indian Center, this cafe looks to untangle colonial narratives from the story of indigenous foodways by emphasizing pre-contact ingredient

After attending a craft workshop or visiting the center's art gallery, choose from breakfast options such as a Red Lake Walleye Benny—with pike-perch cakes on wild rice bread with red pepper aioli—or a sweet potato cake with rosemary, wild rice, and maple syrup. Bison, which is braised for 48 hours with 11 different spices, anchors the lunch spread. The Bison Melt gets blueberry horseradish and provolone, while the BBLT gets bison, bacon, lettuce, and tomato with a sun-dried tomato aioli. 

While the cafe's menu casts a warm glance at Native American culinary history without the stain of colonial oppression, it does so to make way for a brighter, healthier future with their wholesome offerings.

After being closed for over a year for renovations, the Minneapolis American Indian Center reopened with a much bigger space. In June, Gatherings Cafe reopened. It is now much larger, on the street level and in the front of the building, and has a new chef. The menu is even more de-colonized than before!

Related Tags

Native American Cuisine Cafe Cultural Center Bison Breakfast Lunch Native Americans

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The opening hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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lukefater

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collinqburke, stoneyb, deborama, Collector of Experiences

  • collinqburke
  • stoneyb
  • deborama
  • Collector of Experiences

Published

April 13, 2020

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  • https://thinkingfood.dash.umn.edu/food/food-is-medicine-chef-austin-bartold-and-the-gatherings-cafe/
  • http://thecirclenews.org/urban-news/at-maic-new-gatherings-cafe-lives-up-to-its-name/
Gatherings Cafe
1530 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55404
United States
44.963372, -93.252136
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