DD Eat & Drink Duluth Review - At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café
Located at 1902 East 8th Street – in the former home of Taran’s Food Market – is At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café (ASTCCC). This sweet, unique restaurant in the heart of Duluth’s Chester Park neighborhood offers farm-to-table fare and deliciously creative cooking. They grow some of their produce and even have an on-site bakery.
ASTCCC has its own on-site bakery, featuring a wide variety of delicious treats.
The diverse restaurant menu provides options for everyone. “We specialize in gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian cuisine, and we also cater to people with food allergies,” explained Executive Chef Jillian Forte. “In fact, everyone who works here receives training on food allergies.”
Whether you have special dietary needs or not, everyone can find something tasty at ASTCCC. There are plenty of menu options for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
With over 2,000 Google reviews, and an impressive average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, the restaurant has become a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Please join us as we Eat & Drink Duluth – the ASTCCC way!
History
Opened in 2002, the restaurant is owned by Barb Neubert and Carla Blumberg. As an LGBTQ-owned restaurant, ASTCCC prides itself on being welcoming to all.
When remodeling this former grocery store, the women prioritized salvaging as many materials as possible.
Guests are welcomed with a sign that features ASTCCC owners, Barb Neubert and Carla Blumberg.
For instance, the wooden ceiling in the “front dining room” is made with boards from an old walk-in cooler that was originally in the grocery’s basement. The “rear dining room” tin ceiling is from the original grocery ceiling. And the booths, tables, wait station, and bookshelves are all made from salvaged lumber, too.
In the back room of the restaurant is a library with bookshelves made from reclaimed wood.
As the story goes, each selected a different name for the restaurant. Barb wanted At Sara’s Table, and Carla wanted Chester Creek Café, so the names were combined, and At Sara's Table Chester Creek Café was born.
Vibe
The restaurant is outfitted with many beautiful touches: a tin ceiling, wooden bookshelves and seating options, and even a “library” area filled with books and plants. A fireplace keeps the lobby area warm, and the bakery cases are filled with scrumptious desserts.
The interior of the restaurant features cozy touches, including reclaimed wood, plants, and a fireplace.
A gorgeous outdoor patio provides a great place to dine or have a beverage during the warmer months. There is even a beautiful “Sky Room” located upstairs, which can be rented for private events.
We opted for an early dinner on a Friday afternoon, and our fellow patrons included couples and larger groups.
Food
ASTCCC offers a dizzying array of food and drink. From 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a variety of delicious breakfast items are served.
Beyond that, there are appetizers, sandwiches, specialties, salads, soup, dinners, appetizers, and “mains.” A rotating features menu is available every weekend. The restaurant offers a kids’ menu, too. Beverages include teas, juices, specialty coffees, mocktails, cocktails, wine, and beer.
ASTCCC offers a comprehensive wine list. We sampled the One Stone Cellars Cabernet and the Joliesse Cabernet.
Mike and I each ordered a glass of red wine. With some assistance from Tabe, I selected the One Stone Cellars Cabernet from Paso Robles, California. This delicious red had notes of cherry and plum.
Mike selected the Joliesse Cabernet from Napa Valley, California. This velvety vino featured hints of juicy blackberry.
For dinner, I selected the Paella. From the menu:
Sea scallops, Gulf Coast shrimp, Yker Acres chorizo sausage, golden rice, saffron sofrito, peas, piquillo peppers, and lemon.
The Paella is chock full of delicious protein and features tons of color and flavor.
With a combination of tender rice and plenty of protein, this dish was a delight for the senses. Two generous, seared scallops, three plump shrimp, and several slices of chorizo – which had a significant kick – were beautifully displayed atop a mound of golden rice. The piquillo peppers (sweet chili peppers with no heat), and plenty of fresh green peas added delicious flavor and some lovely color to the dish.
Mike selected the open-faced turkey dinner. From the menu:
Organic Ferndale Farms turkey breast, cranberry wild rice toast, beet-cranberry sauce, potato-parsnip mash & herbed gravy.
The open-faced turkey dinner is a delicious comfort meal with a twist.
This delicious comfort meal was a throwback to a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner but with a twist. The beets in the cranberry sauce offered a slightly more complex flavor profile, and the thick cranberry wild rice toast was a nice addition. Although parsnips were blended with the mashed potatoes, they were undetectable to us. The texture of the potatoes was mostly smooth, with a few yummy, chewy bites. The turkey was perfectly salty and topped with the most delicious gravy – which contained more bits of that savory turkey and was flavored with various herbs and spices.
Service
Our server, Tabe Elliott, has worked at ASTCCC for about a year and a half and started as a host. His engaging personality is no doubt a huge part of his promotion to server. Tabe answered questions about the wine list, menu, and history of the restaurant with ease.
Executive Chef Jillian Forte and Server Tabe Elliott take time out for a photo.
Executive Chef Jillian stopped by to discuss the menu, and Social Media Manager Jude also visited us to chat about Destination Duluth, restaurant photo options, and more. In our experience, the staff at ASTCCC were incredibly polite, friendly, and willing to help in every way.
Tabe shared that the most popular menu items are the Fusion Curry (which I have enjoyed on a separate occasion – it is delicious), the Cowboy Hash breakfast, or the Okonamiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake.
Verdict
At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café has earned its reputation as a well-loved Duluth treasure for a reason. ASTCCC is a fantastic place to experience unique cuisine, beverages, and delightful baked goods in a cozy, comfortable setting.
The restaurant’s culinary staff puts much effort into offering tasty dishes, opting for locally grown and sourced ingredients whenever possible. And the service is excellent. The restaurant and patio are getting a bit of a remodel this summer, so patrons can expect to see a few changes in the aesthetic sometime soon.
If you want to expand your palate or even enjoy a home-cooked classic with a twist, this is your place.
Please visit astccc.net to learn more.
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About Andrea Busche, Eat & Drink Duluth Editor
Andrea Busche is a Duluth and regional freelance writer credited with over 1,000 bylines in local print and digital publications. Her food column, Local Pairings, was first featured in Duluth.com magazine, and later published in the Duluth News Tribune from 2016-2018.
