Restaurant in Minneapolis, United States
Serious wine, casual room, worth it.
Terzo is a neighborhood Italian restaurant in southwest Minneapolis with a World of Fine Wine-accredited all-Italian wine list and a seasonal menu that evolves with local ingredients. Opened by the Broder family in 2013, it is the right call for a wine-focused special occasion dinner in a relaxed setting. Booking is easy, making it more accessible than most comparable Minneapolis options.
Yes — if you want a neighborhood Italian restaurant that takes its wine program as seriously as its kitchen, Terzo is one of the stronger options on the southwest Minneapolis side of town. Opened in 2013 by the Broder family as the third in their local restaurant group, Terzo holds both 2-Star and 3-Star accreditations from the World of Fine Wine & Lifestyle Awards, a credential that puts its all-Italian wine list in a different category from most casual Italian spots in the Twin Cities. The combination of a considered wine program and a menu that tracks Italian regional traditions against seasonal local ingredients gives this room a dual identity: genuinely neighborhood-casual in feel, but with enough depth to justify booking it for something that matters.
The atmosphere at Terzo reads as settled and convivial rather than loud or performative. Energy is present without tipping into the kind of noise level that makes conversation across a table difficult — which is exactly what you want for a date or a small celebration. The format rewards lingering: the all-Italian wine list, recognized at both 2-Star and 3-Star levels by World of Fine Wine, is the feature that separates Terzo from the broader field of neighborhood Italian in Minneapolis. An exclusively Italian wine program at this breadth is uncommon even in larger markets, and for a diner who cares about drinking well alongside Italian food, it is the primary reason to choose this address over alternatives. If your group is wine-focused, prioritize this. If wine is incidental to the evening, the food still holds up, but the value proposition shifts.
The menu operates as a contemporary Italian expression built on regional Italian traditions, adjusted for seasonality and local sourcing. This is a kitchen that evolves its offering rather than running a fixed greatest-hits list, which means repeat visits tend to reward regulars. For a special occasion, that flexibility is an asset: the menu is unlikely to feel stale if you have been before.
Terzo sits at 2221 W 50th St in the Linden Hills neighborhood of southwest Minneapolis, a residential corner that the Broder family has developed into a small cluster of restaurants. Booking here is rated Easy, which means you do not need to plan weeks in advance the way you would at Spoon & Stable or Owamni. A few days' notice is typically sufficient for a party of two or four, though Friday and Saturday evenings in summer and around the holidays will fill faster. If your date is flexible, a Tuesday or Wednesday booking is the most reliable way to get exactly the table you want. The bar seating offers a practical alternative when the dining room is full, and it doubles as a good solo or two-leading option for working through the wine list without committing to a full seated dinner.
Group dinners of six or more are worth calling ahead to confirm , phone details are not listed in public records, so checking the restaurant directly through their website or a reservation platform is the safest route. For a special occasion with a larger group, confirm capacity and any set menu options in advance rather than assuming flexibility on the night.
Terzo is a year-round address, but the seasonal menu focus means the kitchen is at its most interesting in spring and autumn when local ingredient transitions give the menu genuine character. Summer evenings on the southwest Minneapolis side of town have a particular neighborhood warmth to them that makes this kind of spot feel exactly right. Winter visits are entirely viable , the room's settled atmosphere suits colder months , but spring and fall are when the seasonal Italian framing tends to be most coherent. For special occasions specifically, avoid peak holiday weekends if you want an attentive rather than a stretched experience.
For Italian in Minneapolis, the two names that come up most consistently alongside Terzo are 112 Eatery and, more broadly, the wider Northeast and Linden Hills dining corridors. If you want the wine program to be central to the experience, Terzo's accredited all-Italian list is the differentiating factor. If you want a more buzzing, late-night urban energy, 112 Eatery downtown reads differently. Terzo is the better call for a quieter, occasion-worthy evening where the bottle list matters as much as the plate. For broader Minneapolis dining context, see our full Minneapolis restaurants guide, and if you are building a full evening, our Minneapolis bars guide has options for before or after. Wine-focused visitors should also check our Minneapolis wineries guide for the wider regional picture. Other Minneapolis standouts worth considering depending on what you are after include Hai Hai for creative Southeast Asian, Blue in Green for soulful bistro fare, and Spoon & Stable if you want the most polished special-occasion room in the city. For hotels near the Linden Hills area, our Minneapolis hotels guide covers the full range. If you are benchmarking Terzo's wine program credentials against nationally recognized programs, the comparison set includes destinations like Le Bernardin in New York and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg , both World of Fine Wine-recognized programs operating at a different price tier, but useful for understanding what accreditation at this level signals about seriousness of selection.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Terzo | — | |
| 112 Eatery | — | |
| Brasa Rotisserie | — | |
| Kincaid’s | — | |
| Lobby Bar at the Peninsula | — | |
| Manny’s Steakhouse | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Book at least one to two weeks out for a weekday table; weekend reservations at this Linden Hills address fill faster. Terzo has built a loyal neighborhood following since opening in 2013, so Friday and Saturday slots go quickly. If you're planning around a specific occasion, two to three weeks is safer.
Bar seating is generally a good option at restaurants of this format, and given Terzo's all-Italian wine program — accredited at both 2-Star and 3-Star level by the World of Fine Wine — the bar is actually a strong spot for solo diners or couples who want to work through the list. Confirm bar walk-in availability when you call ahead, as this detail is not documented in current public sources.
Terzo is a neighborhood restaurant at a residential Linden Hills corner, which means the dining room is intimate rather than large-format. Groups of four to six should book well in advance and note that large private dining arrangements are not confirmed in available information — call the restaurant directly to discuss options above six covers.
Yes, with the right expectations. Terzo's strength is a combination of a seasonally evolving Italian menu and a wine program that holds 3-Star accreditation from the World of Fine Wine — that's a credible pairing anchor for a birthday or anniversary dinner. The room is convivial and settled rather than formal, so if you need white-tablecloth ceremony, this is not that. If you want quality without performance, it delivers.
112 Eatery is the comparison that comes up most often — broader in format and more downtown-centric, with a less wine-focused identity. For a neighborhood feel closer to Terzo's register, the Linden Hills and Kingfield corridors have options worth checking. If the Italian wine program is what draws you, Terzo is the most credentialed option in southwest Minneapolis for that specific combination.
Terzo is the third restaurant opened by the Broder family on the same southwest Minneapolis corner — context that explains the settled, practiced feel of the operation. The menu shifts with the seasons and leans on local ingredients, so what's available in spring or autumn may differ significantly from a midwinter visit. The wine list is all-Italian and holds World of Fine Wine accreditation, so it's worth spending time on it rather than defaulting to the first option.
Italian kitchens at this level generally accommodate common restrictions — vegetarian requests in particular tend to be well-handled given the structure of Italian regional menus. Specific allergy or dietary accommodation details are not confirmed in current documentation, so contact Terzo directly before booking if you have requirements that affect your meal.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
