The Buttered Tin

This place would have been a dream come true when I worked 2 blocks away in downtown St. Paul! Alas, The Buttered Tin made it's debut a couple of years after my stint on the other side of the river. I'm sad to miss out on what would have been daily proximity, but I'm happy to find another cozy brunch spot to add to a growing list of favorites.

I trekked there on an icy Sunday after church and despite a white knuckle drive from Minneapolis, the warm, bright interior helped me forget the negative windchill outside. At noon on a Sunday, we waited 45 minutes for a table of 3, so keep that in mind if you're in a rush.  The shop is small so aside from one small bench, those waiting for tables will be standing.  But once I had a mug of coffee in my hand, I didn't mind. And when I vaguely recall sunnier days, I can imagine a summertime wait outside being just fine. Perhaps those days will return. Perhaps...

I ordered the tuna melt and was very happy with the choice.  No overly mayonaisse-y mess here, hallelujah. Tuna mixed with olives and peppers and covered with gruyere on housemade focaccia? Yup. That's how that's meant to be done. As happy as I was with my choice, eyeballing another table's biscuits and gravy and my friend's beautiful hashbrowns made me second guess my choice of lunch over brunch fare. Just a reason to go back, I know, and the tuna melt was reason enough.

Service was great. Warm and casual, and quick once we were seated, our waitress was rather perfect and I'm bummed I don't remember her name. She deserves a hearty, "thank you!"  We never had to ask for our coffees to be warmed up and on more than one occasion I wondered, "when did she refill my water glass?" That kind of service just made me want to sit there and chat all afternoon, maybe grab one of those red velvet cupcakes. At the very least, it made me anxious to return.

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