Restaurant Spotlight: Stock & Bond

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

There’s a new steakhouse in Minneapolis that is a must visit – Stock & Bond at 88 S 6th Street. In the former Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank space, it is a glorious experience to just walk into the space. We talked to General Manager Craig Stuck about the delicious heritage steak options, the curated whiskey list of 350 whiskeys, and how to join the Insiders Club to stay current on all offerings, events and collaborations. 

Q:  Congratulations on opening a marvelous new steakhouse in downtown Minneapolis! What do you want a guest to feel or experience the moment they walk into Stock & Bond? What can you tell us about the former Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank space?

A:  Thank you! I think as a guest first walks into the restaurant, my best role is to simply step back and let them enjoy the space for a moment. We are blessed with a dining room that is truly that beautiful. The space holds so many stories, memories, and relationships that predate us, it is incredible seeing the reactions when our guests walk in the front doors.

The design firm, Wilson Ishihara, did a fabulous job of building into the existing space and highlighting its grandeur. Importantly, they highlighted several original aspects of the space – the 38 foot high ceiling, the original walnut-clad walls, the relief sculptures by William T Mosman, and of course the over-the-top, tropical themed, art deco chandeliers. Each of these elements tell an important story and can't really be found anywhere else.

The redesign carefully brought the space to its modern art deco roots and the designers tied many elements with banker and financial themes along with its timeless patterns and textures. One of the most remarkable additions is the hand-painted farmer and mechanic mural by Aaron Petz that spans the ceiling of the restaurant. The renovation honors the history of the space rather than replaces the history. It is something to behold.

Q:  I couldn’t agree with you more – it’s stunning. What was your vision for Stock & Bond when you came on board, especially given its historic location and ambitious design?

A:  We have to serve the space. Our dining room has so many stories – it's truly one of the grandest restaurants in Minnesota. It is exciting meeting people who used to work at the Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank, or remember visiting on a field trip during elementary school. The beautiful space determines so many of our goals – it would have been heartbreaking to fall short of the room.

Our space demands the hospitality we provide, and gives us the best possible vector to host memorable experiences and build long-term relationships with members of our community.

Truthfully, I want Stock & Bond to be on the tip of the tongue of anyone looking to create a special moment.

Q:  “Heritage steak” is on the menu - what does heritage steak mean to you, in terms of sourcing, flavor, sustainability, and guest expectation?

A:  Heritage steak is a very important phrase for us. We obtain our beef from two sources. Meats By Linz out of Hammond, IN provides our Black Angus, and Fellers Ranch out of Conger, MN provides our American Wagyu. There are a million places to source beef from, but the source you choose is one of the biggest determining factors of the end experience with your steak. Linz and Fellers are both family-owned and managed, with the best genetics programs and most humane and natural raising and processing standards. Both purveyors also have top tier handling and aging processes for the meat, and both purveyors hand cut the steaks they sell us. You can immediately taste and feel the difference in the meat compared to the commodity beef on the market. It all comes down to the care they put into every step of the production.

Q:  How important is the local sourcing / working with local purveyors to you? Which suppliers are you most excited about, and why?

A:  The sourcing of our ingredients is one of the key pillars of our restaurant. It is important to us that we are serving products that are raised or grown with honesty and integrity, which is something that is becoming more and more difficult to find year by year. Wild Acres, a legendary local farmer, provides us with heritage breed, pasture raised chickens. We receive pasture raised, heritage breed pork from a family-owned farm in Missouri. And of course, our two beef purveyors provide quality and experience that sets them apart from most of the others.

Separately from our food sourcing, our whiskey list features 350 whiskeys from across the United States and around the world. Truthfully, some of the best whiskeys on that list come from just a few miles away. Our friends from distilleries like Brother Justus, Far North, and Tattersall are producing some of the most exciting and delicious whiskies that I have tried in recent memory. We don't support producers like these only because we come from the same community, but also because they are masters of their craft and provide us with some of our highest-quality products. It's just a side benefit that it takes less fuel to get the bottles here.

Q:  The whiskey / bourbon / rye selection is clearly a core draw. How do you curate that? What criteria do you use when adding new selections?

A:  There are a million reasons to love a whiskey and choose it for our menu. Many that we love are based on heritage and history. Many others are based on new and exciting techniques that provide something different. It takes a lot of work to curate a list this size, but it certainly isn't the worst job to have the restaurant!. The only criteria needed to make the list is that the whiskey must be delicious. The fun part is learning the unique stories and history that led to each whiskey's creation.

Q:  How do you differentiate Stock & Bond from other steakhouses or whiskey bars in Minneapolis?

A:  Our goals as a team are to invite you into a truly stunning experience, and to provide the most genuine hospitality that we are capable of. In our changing world, it is nice to find a place to be taken care of for a couple hours by someone who truly cares that you are enjoying your experience.

Q:  How have you invested in staff training or culture to ensure consistency?

A:  There is never enough time for training and learning. But I feel strongly that knowledge – of products, of techniques, of styles and history – allow us to provide our most confident and genuine hospitality. If we are excited about the products and dishes we are serving, it is difficult not to pass that excitement along to you.

We find time in our daily pre-shift meetings to discuss ingredients, spirits and wine. We try things we don't understand, and we have discussions. Many of us do a lot of reading. When I overhear staff members discussing wine or whiskey as they are cleaning up or polishing glasses at the end of the night, I feel proud that our values are aligned and that we are organically working towards something that improves our ability to create experiences every day.

Q:  Is Stock & Bond also a place to gather for Happy Hour?

A:  I think so! We are not a far walk from nearly any office downtown and right in the middle of the skyway system for when it is cold. Give me a call for larger groups so I can have a table set up for you, but we'd love to help you wind down and commiserate after a day of work.

Q:  Any plans for events, special nights, future collaborations with local distilleries, farms, artists, etc.? 

A:  Yes, join our Insider's Club to hear about them first, but we have some pretty great things planned for the new year.

Q:  How may we stay current on your news?

A:  Insider's Club! There are a ton of benefits, including a welcome cocktail on your first visit! Sign up at stockandbondmn.com. Please also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.