WA Frost and Co
W.A. Frost & Company is a privately held fine dining restaurant in Saint Paul's Cathedral Hill, serving seasonally rotating American cuisine, hosting private events across four dedicated spaces, and operating since 1975 within the historic 1889 Dacotah Building.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WA Frost and Co does
W.A. Frost & Company is a privately held fine dining restaurant founded in December 1975 and operated as part of Commonwealth Companies, located in the historic 1889 Dacotah Building at 374 Selby Avenue in Cathedral Hill, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The restaurant operates on a direct-to-consumer model combining walk-in and reservation-based dining with a structured private events and catering business, and is supported by 14 employees under Executive Chef Grant Nelson. Its product surface is organized around seasonally rotating American cuisine menus (dinner, lunch, weekend brunch, dessert, kids, beverages), four distinct private event spaces (Sophie's Room, Fireside Room, Lower-Level Lounge, and Patio Garden Bar) accommodating up to 60 guests, off-premise catering, gift cards, and weekly live music programming.
The restaurant's commercial infrastructure includes a 3,000-bottle award-winning wine cellar, original tin ceilings and a Tiffany-designed stained glass peacock window as part of its architectural salvage interior, and what multiple regional publications have called the best outdoor patio in Minnesota. Revenue is generated through unit-priced menu sales (dinner entrees $22-$63), subscription-style private event pricing with room rentals ($300-$800) plus food and beverage minimums ($600-$2,000), catering priced by the dozen with minimum order requirements, and gift cards sold in any denomination. Distribution is exclusively direct: no third-party delivery, marketplace, or reseller channels are used, and online reservations are managed through the Tock platform while e-gift cards are sold through Toast Tab.
The company has accumulated 50+ years of continuous operation, 20+ regional press awards including AAA 3-Diamond recognition and Minnesota Monthly Silver Spoon Awards, and is part of a broader Commonwealth Companies portfolio that includes The Commodore Bar & Restaurant, University Club of Saint Paul, Villa Maria, and Stout's Island Lodge. There is no public ticker, no disclosed funding history, and no parent-company investment vehicle; operating ownership has been continuous since 1974.
WA Frost and Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WA Frost and Co
- Legal name
- W.A. Frost and Company
- Website
- https://wafrost.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- W.A. Frost & Company is a privately held fine dining restaurant in Saint Paul's Cathedral Hill, serving seasonally rotating American cuisine, hosting private events across four dedicated spaces, and operating since 1975 within the historic 1889 Dacotah Building.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WA Frost and Co industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Dining Restaurant Services
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro industry
- All-Day Dining RestaurantsTravel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Full-Service Restaurants (Casual & Fine Dining)Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise)Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)Wedding & Reception CateringHome & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)
Keywords
Where WA Frost and Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WA Frost and Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from dine-in restaurant service including lunch, dinner, and brunch menus. Customers pay per menu item for food, beverages, cocktails, and desserts. Also includes live music offerings.
- Private Events and Catering: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate parties, rehearsal dinners. Includes room rental fees and minimum food and beverage purchases. Offers catering menus for off-site events.
- Gift Cards: Sale of e-gift cards and physical gift cards for restaurant dining.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lunch Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brunch Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dessert Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids' Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering Menu - Hors d'Oeuvres |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Limited Private Event Dinner |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Event Brunch Buffet |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Sophie's Room Private Event Space |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fireside Room Private Event Space |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Lower-Level Lounge Private Event Space |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Patio Garden Bar Private Event Space |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
WA Frost and Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
W.A. Frost & Company is a full-service fine dining restaurant serving award-winning American cuisine in Cathedral Hill, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Operations include dine-in service across lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch menus, four private event spaces (Sophie's Room, Fireside Room, Lower-Level Lounge, Patio Garden Bar) hosting weddings and corporate events, off-site catering, gift card sales, and live music programming.
Product overview
W.A. Frost & Company is a fine dining restaurant established in 1975, offering a unified full-service dining experience. The restaurant operates multiple dining services including dinner, lunch, and weekend brunch menus featuring American cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Grant Nelson. It features an award-winning 3,000-bottle wine cellar, multiple fireplaces, and what is described as the best outdoor patio dining in the Twin Cities. The company also operates a comprehensive private events division hosting weddings, corporate events, and celebrations across four distinct event spaces (Sophie's Room, Fireside Room, Lower-Level Lounge, and Patio Garden Bar) with capacities up to 60 guests. Additional offerings include catering services, gift cards, and live music entertainment. All menus emphasize seasonally driven food sourced from Minnesota local farmers and artisans.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 50+ years in business serving award-winning cuisine
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use WA Frost and Co
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WA Frost and Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
WA Frost and Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WA Frost and Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Meritage Restaurant: Upscale farm-to-table American restaurant in downtown Saint Paul offering seasonal menus and private dining. Direct competitor in the Twin Cities fine dining segment with similar target customer and price point.
- The Commodore Bar & Restaurant: Sister property under Commonwealth Companies located in Cathedral Hill, Saint Paul. Operates as a bar and restaurant in the same neighborhood with shared brand ecosystem and overlapping target audience.
- The Lexington Restaurant: Historic Saint Paul restaurant housed in a 1930s building, serving American cuisine with a strong private events business. Comparable brand positioning around heritage architecture and fine dining.
- Manny's Steakhouse: Minneapolis-based upscale steakhouse serving American cuisine with private dining capabilities. Comparable Twin Cities fine dining competitor with similar price points and business clientele.
- Murray's Restaurant: Minneapolis fine dining steakhouse operating since 1946 in a historic building. Long-established Twin Cities fine dining institution with comparable heritage positioning and event business.
- Joe's Garage Restaurant: Saint Paul casual-to-upscale American restaurant with patio dining and event capabilities. Regional competitor in Cathedral Hill area with overlapping menu philosophy and customer base.
Broad incumbents
- The Capital Grille: National chain of upscale American steakhouses offering fine dining with private dining rooms. Broader incumbent competing in the premium American cuisine category but with national footprint rather than local specialization.
- Kincaid's Restaurant: Multi-location American chophouse and fish house offering fine dining with private events. National chain competing in similar upscale American cuisine category with comparable price positioning.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WA Frost and Co social profiles
Digital presenceWA Frost and Co compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
WA Frost and Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WA Frost and Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WA Frost and Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WA Frost and Co M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WA Frost and Co
What does WA Frost and Co do?
W.A. Frost & Company is a full-service fine dining restaurant serving award-winning American cuisine in Cathedral Hill, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Operations include dine-in service across lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch menus, four private event spaces (Sophie's Room, Fireside Room, Lower-Level Lounge, Patio Garden Bar) hosting weddings and corporate events, off-site catering, gift card sales, and live music programming.
Is WA Frost and Co a public or private company?
WA Frost and Co is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was WA Frost and Co founded?
WA Frost and Co was founded in 1975.
Where is WA Frost and Co based?
WA Frost and Co is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does WA Frost and Co make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Events and Catering and gift Cards.
Who are WA Frost and Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Meritage Restaurant, The Commodore Bar & Restaurant, The Lexington Restaurant, Manny's Steakhouse, Murray's Restaurant and Joe's Garage Restaurant. Broad incumbents are The Capital Grille and Kincaid's Restaurant.
Does WA Frost and Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for WA Frost and Co.
What industry is WA Frost and Co in?
WA Frost and Co's product category is Fine Dining Restaurant Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAJ, All-Day Dining Restaurants, with a secondary code of HSACAGAA, Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.