Bridgeman’s Restaurant – EAT & DRINK DULUTH REVIEW

Bridgeman’s Restaurant is a modern-style diner offering made-from-scratch meals and legendary desserts Did you know that Bridgeman’s ice cream and restaurants started right here in Duluth? And, that the last Bridgeman’s restaurant standing is located here, too? It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. Bridgeman’s ice cream hasn’t been made in Duluth for decades. Bridgeman’s Corporation is in Minneapolis, it focuses solely on ice cream. And Bridgeman’s Ice Cream fittingly is made in the dairy state of Wisconsin. But the Duluth Bridgeman’s restaurant is independently owned, and creates its own menu, handles its own restaurant design, et cetera. After all these years, the Duluth Bridgeman’s continues its tradition of offering delicious, scratch-cooked meals, along with plenty of nostalgic ice cream and malts. Its cozy, modern-style diner setting adds an extra element of wholesome fun to the dining experience, making it a perfect choice for all ages. Please join us as we Eat & Drink Duluth – at Bridgeman’s! History Back in 1883, Duluth resident Henry Bridgeman founded a dairy business, where he delivered milk to local residents. He began by peddling fresh milk from home to home, using a goat cart. Through hard work, persistence, quality products, and a little luck, his business grew into the largest dairy concern in the Midwest. Bridgeman-Russell was founded in 1888, and incorporated in 1903 by Henry Bridgeman and Newell Francis Russell. Through hard work, persistence, quality products, and a little luck, their business grew into the largest dairy concern in the Midwest.

Later, his sons, Chester and Roy, expanded the brand to include ice cream, and opened the original Bridgeman’s Ice Cream Shoppe. The brothers ultimately opened six Bridgeman Ice Cream Shoppes within eighteen months. Bridgeman’s restaurants later followed. Over the years, many Bridgeman’s restaurants opened across the United States. Today, however, the Duluth location – at 2202 Mountain Shadow Drive – is the only Bridgeman’s Restaurant left. The restaurant is owned and operated by Jay and Emily Broman. After working as a busboy in his youth, Jay bought the restaurant in 2002. The couple, both from Duluth, are hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. They are also the founders and organizers of the Duluth Junk Hunt. Vibe As noted, Bridgeman’s offers a “modern-style diner” vibe. We visited in December, and the Christmas spirit was in full swing. The restaurant was warm and cozy, and the décor included Christmas lights and balloons, with festive Christmas music playing in the background. The restaurant features a color scheme of black, white, and teal. There are teal- colored booths, and retro Formica tables. Vintage Bridgeman’s signs adorn the walls. Our fellow diners spanned the gamut: from young families to elders, and everyone in between.

Food The menu – which the Bromans have created themselves – offers everything from mouth-watering burgers and salads to sundaes, shakes, “mega malts,” a Friday night fish fry, tons of hearty breakfasts, and more. They even have a variety of from-scratch desserts, including pies, cookies, and bars. I decided to indulge, and ordered a regular-sized chocolate malt as my “beverage.” The malt was thick and rich, with rivers of decadent chocolate syrup visible inside the glass. It was topped with a generous dollop of delicious whipped cream, and served up in an old-timey malt glass. The malt was huge and very filling.

Bridgeman’s also offers “mega malts,” with delicious accoutrements like cookies (and toys) on top. They are served in a souvenir Mason jar tumbler, and come with a reusable lid and straw. They come in fun themes, like Bentleyville and Polar Express. Anyway, on to dinner … We were both in the mood to have breakfast for dinner. I opted for the turkey omelette. From the menu: Freshly baked turkey, spinach, tomato, Monterey Jack, and drizzled with pesto.

All omelettes come with hashbrowns and a choice of toast: white, wheat, English muffin, sourdough, or cranberry wild rice, served with house-made strawberry jam. I selected the sourdough. This dish was very yummy. The turkey inside the omelette was tender and perfectly salty. Tomato and spinach added a fresh flavor and texture. Melted cheese added plenty of delicious gooey-ness. And the pesto drizzle was the perfect, creamy accompaniment. It also made a pretty garnish. I absolutely love pesto, and everything basil, for that matter. The hashbrowns were melt-in-your-mouth good. Buttery and crisp, they were delicious when combined with a bite of omelette. The well-buttered, toasted sourdough was very good, and the house-made strawberry jam tasted exactly like a fresh, summer strawberry. Mike chose the Mizzle Skizzle. On the menu, Bridgeman’s cheekily describes a Skizzle as “What Snoop eats for breakfast.” With several varieties, Skizzles are a skillet-style dish, with different combinations of hashbrowns, meat, veggies, cheese, and sauces. Mike paired his meal with a Sprite. From the menu: Hashbrowns topped with honey-pit ham, sausage, bacon, over-easy eggs, cheddar, and Hollandaise.

Mike also got his choice of toast, and selected white bread. This provided another great vehicle for some more of that amazing strawberry jam. The Skizzle was salty, savory, and very filling. While the menu describes the eggs as over easy, customers can select how they want their eggs prepared. Mike opted for his eggs scrambled. This dish, full of protein, is almost guaranteed to satiate even the biggest appetite. He even had some leftovers, which is a very rare occasion for my husband. The creamy Hollandaise, which he requested on the side, provided a creamy dipping sauce for the dish. Service Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by the night manager, who simply goes by the name “Shades.” How cool is that? Shades led us to our table, while exchanging pleasantries and making friendly small talk. Our server arrived in short order; a bubbly, friendly young lady named Ellie. Ellie has worked at Bridgeman’s for four years, and started out as a hostess. Ellie’s favorite dish at Bridgeman’s may surprise you: the humble tuna melt! And, she shared that the most popular dishes include the dish Mike ordered: the Mizzle Skizzle. Another top pick is the Parks & Rec-themed, “Ron Swanson Omelette.” Both are very filling, meat-heavy dishes. Ellie was incredibly sweet and attended to our every need. She was patient with my many questions. She is no doubt a highly-valued member of the Bridgeman’s crew.

Verdict Bridgeman’s provides delicious, scratch-cooked dishes in an atmosphere of a cozy diner. It almost feels like you’ve entered a time machine, and stepped back to a slower, more wholesome time. Prices are affordable, and menu options are incredibly diverse. The portions are huge so you’ll likely walk away stuffed; likely with some leftovers for later. And, the nostalgia and comfort of the setting, along with the incredibly personable staff, will nourish much more than just your belly. _____________________________________________________________________ Bridgeman’s also offers catering services and a food truck! For more information, please visit duluthbridgemans.com.

______________________________________________________________________ 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.