Band Box Diner, a well-loved time capsule in Minneapolis
This morning, I trudged through the snow to the Band Box Diner at 729 S. 10th St. in Minneapolis, MN for a homemade-style veggie omelette and several cups of the special bold coffee blend. Even though I’ve been there a million times, I never get tired of its greasy standard, nostalgic ambiance and myriad characters.
The 1930s-era prefabricated building is wedged cozily into a narrow, peninsular strip in the diverse Elliot Park neighborhood. While luxury condominium towers emerge only a few blocks away, the 24-seat diner provides a rearview glimpse on the cityscape with its gleaming white panels, ketchup-red tables and stainless steel barstools.
Food is stored in a Victory freezer. Freshly ground coffee comes from a neighbor man’s family farm in Africa and is brewed from a Bloomfield coffeemaker while meals are prepared on an open flattop. Printed on the bottom of the one-page menu it reads, “Turning grease into a feast for over 60 years!” At the Band Box, cheap isn't a judgment, but a term of endearment. A plain burger with fries costs $5.60. There are also pancakes, eggs, toast and jelly, omelettes and more.
On busy Sunday mornings you'll wait on the bench beneath the “daily specials” blackboard for a table or stool to open up. It's well worth the wait.
Breakfast and lunch is served daily at the diner from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-- Anna Pratt
