With football season in full swing, it’s time to bring out the plethora of tasty snacks that go along with rooting for your favorite team. And lucky for us, White Bear Lake has plenty of great places to watch the game or grab snacks for a crowd of hungry football fans. Here are some of our favorite bites for game day, courtesy of your local eateries.
MIKE’S BARBECUE RACING RIBS
Gearheads Saloon and Grill
Opening this past April, Gearheads Saloon and Grill is a great place to hunker down and watch the big game on its 70-inch screen television. The car-themed restaurant’s lively décor, with memorabilia and neon signs, is the perfect ambiance to chow down on fabulous game-day snacks like Mike’s barbecue racing ribs. These juicy ribs are slow-cooked for two to three hours using a special rub and topped with a special barbecue sauce ($15.99). Served with a choice of potato (fries, baked or mashed) and the veggie of the day, you might just find yourself in football-watching heaven. If you feel more like grazing, Gearhead’s boasts a variety of inexpensive bar snacks like chips or beef sticks for a buck each. 1350 Highway 96 E., White Bear Lake; 651.447.4033.
BACON CHEESEBURGER PIZZA
Roadside Pizza and Wings
If you’re hosting a big group for game day, Roadside Pizza and Wings has a wide variety of snacks to feed a hungry crowd. You can’t go wrong with pizza, and we love the bacon cheeseburger pizza for something a little different ($12.45–$21.95). This hearty pizza boasts mountains of ground beef and breakfast bacon sprinkled with onions, pickles, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. A brushing of mustard and ketchup make this pizza taste just like the delicious meal you usually eat on a bun. You can even try it California-style, topped with fresh lettuce and chopped tomato. 1971 Whitaker St., White Bear Lake; 651.426.2268
SCOTCH EGGS
Manitou Station
We know Scotch eggs may not be the first snack you think of grabbing on game day, but trust us—after you try it, you won’t go back. “Although these may seem a bit out of the ordinary, our Scotch eggs are the perfect complement to football season,” says owner Jake McKeague. This fan favorite features hard-boiled eggs wrapped in seasoned sausage, then breaded and served crisp with house-made spicy mustard sauce ($8). You can find the Scotch eggs featured on the happy hour menu from 3–6 p.m. Monday through Friday for $3 off. Touchdown! 2171 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651.426.2300
HOT CORNED BEEF OR PASTRAMI SANDWICH
Olive Joe’s
You don’t have to travel to New York to get a mouth-watering corned beef sandwich. Olive Joe’s serves New York’s Boar’s Head deli meats and cheeses on its freshly prepared sandwiches. Perfect for game day, the hot corned beef sandwich will melt in your mouth, with slices of beef and melted provolone on grilled marble rye bread with a squirt of deli mustard ($8.95). The hot pastrami sandwich is also a winner, with smoked pastrami that’s been seasoned and slow-baked, topped with melted provolone and spicy mustard, and served on grilled marble rye ($8.95). Want to feed a crowd? Olive Joe’s sells sandwich and deli platters with more than enough sandwichy goodness for the whole gang. 106 Wildwood Road, Willernie; 651.426.3668
BULL BITES
Jethro’s Char-House & Pub
Jethro’s Char-House & Pub has taken its delicious char-grilled steaks and turned them into bite-size nibbles, perfect for sharing with your football-loving friends. The bull bites are tender pieces of medium char-grilled steak, served with plain or Cajun seasonings and a little horseradish on the side ($9.95). If you can handle it, we suggest pairing this snack with deep-fried cheese curds—a Minnesota classic ($8.95). Jethro’s also hosts happy hour daily from 3 to 6 p.m., where you can take advantage of $3 chef special appetizers and discounted drinks. 3140 Century Ave. N., Mahtomedi; 651.770.2443
ROASTED CHICKEN WINGS
Bear Town Lounge & Restaurant
What would game day be without wings? The people of White Bear Lake flock to the Bear Town Lounge & Restaurant to get a taste of its roasted chicken wings during football season. “My roaster explodes with the amount of roasted chicken wings that we sell,” says owner Sandy Claussen. The wings are covered in Bear Town’s special breading, roasted and then ready for dipping in sauces like buffalo, ranch, bleu cheese, honey mustard and teriyaki (six for $8.95, 10 for $13.95, 15 for $18.95). Bear Town also boasts a new large-screen television, along with other smaller screens for watching the game. 4875 Highway 61 N., White Bear Lake; 651.426.4225
DELUXE NACHOS
Washington Square Bar & Grill
Stacked high with plenty of toppings, nachos are a quintessential game-day snack. Washington Square Bar & Grill’s deluxe nachos topped with lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, chives and cheese are a great shareable snack for a group of hungry football fans ($9). This crowd-pleaser is served with salsa and sour cream, but you can add chicken, black beans or beef for an extra charge. And while you’re there, check out Washington Square’s 20 tap lines, pouring all American craft beers. 4736 Washington Square, White Bear Lake; 651.407.7162
COLOSSAL ONION RINGS
Manitou Station
What’s the best thing about Manitou Station’s onion rings? As the name signifies, they’re huge! These enormous rings of golden deliciousness are handmade and beer-battered, then served with house-made ranch dipping sauce for some extra flavor ($8). The onion rings are also featured on the happy hour menu from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for $3 off. 2171 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651.426.2300
