If you are in need of night filled with Mediterranean-meets-French food, warm lighting and waitstaff with a keen eye on detail, look no further than South Minneapolis’ Cafe Maude off Penn, just north of the Crosstown Highway. A neighborhood gem if there ever was one, Maude rests in the Armatage neighborhood which is named for Park Commissioner Maude Armatage, born 1870 to a family of civic leaders whom founded the library, school, church and parks. Maude, elected to the Park Board in 1920 – just one year after women got the vote – was one of the first women to run for public office in Minnesota and the first woman to serve on the Minneapolis Park Board. A pioneer who helped Minneapolis to come of age in the 20th century, along with leaders such as Theodore Wirth, she founded our park system. While linked to the local history, Maude is the only restaurant in South Minneapolis with a full liquor license allowing it to offer a unique craft cocktail menu. Said to have the best burger in Minneapolis since 2007, people also rave about Maude’s taco Tuesday’s. I loved the homey bistro ambiance and the outdoor patio but I would go back for the Mexican street corn alone.