The Best Restaurants in Minneapolis
Minneapolis has one of the most underrated food scenes in the country. While this Minnesota city was once just the land of hotdish (ew), it’s now home to award-winning chefs and a diverse selection of authentic, global cuisines. The best restaurants in Minneapolis range from Argentinian to Vietnamese, Cuban, and even the first Native American restaurant of its kind. With some of the best food being found anywhere from world-renowned restaurants to classic neighborhood dives, there’s something for everyone here.
This is your foodie guide to the best restaurants in Minneapolis, MN.
The Best Restaurants in Minneapolis
Breakfast
Black Walnut Bakery
This bakery in Uptown serves my favorite croissant in Minneapolis! Perhaps that’s not surprising considering it was a trip to France that inspired the baker/owner to open Black Walnut. The pastries are all incredible, but don’t overlook the sandwiches or coffee either – everything here is great!
LOCATION
Uptown
CUISINE
French
PRICE
$ – $$
Rise Bagel Co.
Rise makes artisan, from-scratch bagels that even a New Yorker wouldn’t turn down. They’re the perfect balance of crispy and chewy, and they come in a variety of flavors with multiple spreads or toppings to choose from. Rise is open until 1 pm or until they sell out (and it gets super busy on weekends), so come early for the best availability.
LOCATION
North Loop
CUISINE
Bagels
PRICE
$
Victor’s 1959 Cafe
For a little slice of Cuba, head to Victor’s. Locals have been loving brunch here for over 20 years! This little Cuban cafe was even featured in Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It’s only open until 2:30 pm, so this is a brunch-only spot, and they don’t take reservations.
LOCATION
Kingfield
CUISINE
Cuban
PRICE
$$
The Buttered Tin
If you’re looking for classic brunch dishes served up with elevated flavor – look no further. The menu features scratch-made and locally sourced eats, all dreamed up by James Beard-recognized chef and Cupcake Wars winner Alicia Hinze. This much-loved brunch spot can be found in Northeast Minneapolis or at the original location in St. Paul.
LOCATION
Multiple
CUISINE
American
PRICE
$$
Lunch & Dinner
Colita
Colita has long been one of my favorite restaurants, not just in Minneapolis but in the world. Please do yourself a favor and order the chicken tinga tostadas. They may not sound special, but I promise you they are! While the tostadas will always be my top choice, everything here is really just so good. Chef Daniel del Prado has a way of elevating every dish he touches and creating flavors you WISH you’d thought of (like cacio e pepe tostadas – try to find that on any other Oaxacan menu). Bonus: the drinks are really fun as well (why yes, one of them does feature a rubber duck atop a mountain of foam). Reservations are recommended.
LOCATION
Armatage
CUISINE
Oaxacan
PRICE
$$$
Martina
This is the OG Daniel del Prado restaurant in Minneapolis and the one that really put him on the map. Daniel del Prado grew up in Argentina with parents of Spanish and Italian descent, and the menu here definitely reflects his heritage. This is a popular date night or special occasion spot in the Cities, so definitely book your reservation ahead.
LOCATION
Linden Hills
CUISINE
Argentinian & Italian
PRICE
$$$
If you can’t get in at either Martina or Colita, I highly recommend checking out Daniel del Prado’s other Minneapolis restaurants: Cardamom for Mediterranean dishes, Rosalia for wood-fired pizza, Sanjusan for Japanese-Italian (what!?), and Bar Rufus for cocktails, oysters, and French-influenced bites.
Sooki & Mimi
James Beard award-winner Ann Kim is another chef taking Minneapolis by storm. She’s best known for her pizza joints (more on those later), but Sooki & Mimi heads in a new direction with a menu featuring small plates and tacos crafted using handmade tortillas. The blended culinary style here includes flavors from Korea, the Midwest, and Latin America. Book a reservation for the dining room or head down to the first-come, first-served basement bar which serves the full menu.
LOCATION
Uptown
CUISINE
Latin American & Korean
PRICE
$$$
Spoon and Stable
I can’t talk about the best restaurants in Minneapolis without mentioning Spoon and Stable. We might owe the explosion of the Minneapolis food scene to world-renowned chef Gavin Kaysen. Since this James Beard award-winning chef moved from New York City back to Minnesota, the Twin Cities dining scene has been transformed. The gorgeous restaurant is located in a former horse stable in the North Loop, and the menu features perfectly cozy dishes made using the classic French technique Kaysen is famous for. This is definitely considered one of the best restaurants in Minneapolis, so be sure to grab a reservation if you want to get in here.
LOCATION
North Loop
CUISINE
New American
PRICE
$$$ – $$$$
Broders’ Pasta Bar
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I’m obsessed with pasta. Broders’ is the neighborhood favorite for classic pasta dishes, and it’s a favorite of mine as well. You’ll find fresh-made pasta served with traditional sauces as well as seasonal and locally-sourced options.
Broders’ Pasta Bar is perfect for a cozy dinner, but also check out the original Broders’ Cucina Italiana across the street for their market and over-the-counter takeout. For a more elevated dinner, hit up their third restaurant, TERZO.
LOCATION
Fulton
CUISINE
Italian
PRICE
$$
Bar La Grassa
Remember what I said about my pasta obsession? I eat a lot of noodles, and I can honestly say I’ve never tasted anything like the dishes served up at Bar La Grassa. Heads up – I would definitely classify this restaurant as “bustling”, so this isn’t the best spot for an intimate dinner. Reservations are recommended.
LOCATION
North Loop
CUISINE
Italian
PRICE
$$$
Owamni
A meal at Owamni is the most significant dining experience in the city. Presented by the Sioux Chef, Sean Sherman, the Indigenous menu is crafted using solely pre-colonial ingredients native to North America. This means that everything is also naturally free of many common allergens like dairy, soy, and gluten. Everything about Owamni is well thought out, including the restaurant’s location next to OwamniYomni, the sacred site of peace and well-being for the Dakota and Anishinaabe people.
As of this writing, there’s no other restaurant like Owamni in the world, so it can be a bit difficult to get a reservation. Book well in advance to snag a seat here.
LOCATION
Downtown
CUISINE
Native American
PRICE
$$
Brasa Rotisserie
Brasa is best known for their incredible rotisserie chicken, but I must implore you to order the crispy yucca. It’s the most perfectly cooked yucca I’ve ever tried, and the mojo sauce for dipping is the cherry on top. Brasa is also a great choice for anyone with allergies, and they have a dedicated vegan section on the menu as well.
LOCATION
Multiple
CUISINE
Latino-influenced
PRICE
$$
Uncle Franky’s
Despite its great location near Able Brewery, this little hot dog joint has managed to remain somewhat of a hidden gem. This may be because it’s a proper dive, but what it lacks in frills it makes up for in incredible hot dogs. Chicago, New York, Coney Island – whatever your favorite style of dog, Uncle Franky’s does it, and they do it perfectly. For all those fine vegetarian folks out there – order yours with a carrot dog.
LOCATION
Northeast
CUISINE
American
PRICE
$
Red Cow
The Twin Cities is an area that’s a little obsessed with good burgers, and Red Cow is continually a local favorite. There was a time when my husband and I ate here so often that the staff knew our (somewhat complicated) order by heart. Each burger is handcrafted and has an elevated twist that can make this seemingly ordinary dish feel gourmet. Vegan friends – no need to cross this one off your list. You can get any burger made with an Impossible patty, and they offer quite a few other delicious vegan options on the menu as well.
LOCATION
Multiple
CUISINE
American
PRICE
$$
Red Cow has a few locations throughout the Cities (my favorite is the St. Paul location). They now also have a fantastic sister restaurant, Red Rabbit, that serves pasta, pizza, and oysters.
Graze | Provisions + Libations
Perfect for the indecisive, Graze is a collection of six food stalls, a bar, and a coffeeshop-by-day-wine-bar-by-night. It’s also just a super cool space with funky indoor seating, a patio with bean bag toss and fire pits, and a great rooftop. All of the food stalls in Graze are excellent, but two of the most-loved are Soul Bowl and Union Hmong Kitchen.
LOCATION
North Loop
CUISINE
Multiple
PRICE
$ – $$
Young Joni
Remember that amazing pizza I said we’d get to? Well, here it is – Young Joni, brought to you by James Beard winner Ann Kim. The wood-fired pizzas made with globally-influenced toppings are even tastier than they look (and they look pretty mouth-watering). Reservations are recommended for the dining room. If that’s booked, check out the ultra-cool back bar which features the full pizza menu and is first-come-first-served.
LOCATION
Northeast
CUISINE
Globally-influenced
PRICE
$$
Alternatively, check out Ann Kim’s other pizza joints. Head to Pizzeria Lola (Ann Kim’s first restaurant) for a very similar menu to Young Joni, or check out Hello Pizza in nearby Edina for New York and Sicilian-style pizza with classic toppings.
Quang
On a cold Minnesota winter day, nothing hits better than a cozy bowl of pho. Unsurprisingly, Minneapolis has it’s fair share of pho spots, but Quang is by far the fan favorite. This Twin Cities icon started serving up authentic Vietnamese dishes in 1989 and is still run by the same family today. With its flavorful beef broth pho and other Vietnamese favorites, Quang has been beloved by locals for decades.
LOCATION
Whittier
CUISINE
Vietnamese
PRICE
$
Dessert
MN Nice Cream
MN Nice Cream is what happens when you take Instagram-worthy ice cream that actually tastes as good as it looks. The toppings are extravagant, and you might wonder how on earth you’re supposed to take your first bite, but once you figure it out, it’s worth it. Choose your own toppings to create your own masterpiece or pick from the menu of signature flavors and weekly specials. They always have an oat-milk-based vegan flavor, and allergens are clearly marked on the online menu.
LOCATION
Northeast
CUISINE
Ice Cream
PRICE
$$
Sebastian Joe’s
You’ll find a line of locals outside Sebastian Joe’s all summer long. The love for this ice cream is real, and Minnesotans have been coming here for hand-crafted, small-batch scoops for over 30 years. With flavors that rotate daily, there’s always something new to try. They always have a few vegan options as well.
LOCATION
Multiple
CUISINE
Ice Cream
PRICE
$
Edwards Dessert Kitchen
The desserts here are made in-house daily and are so delicious and decadent. Edwards also happens to have one of the largest selections of vegan desserts I’ve seen in the Cities – all equally as scrumptious as the non-vegan options. Bonus: if you’re looking for a little more than just dessert, Edwards Dessert Kitchen also has a menu of small plates along with a wine and cocktail bar.
LOCATION
North Loop
CUISINE
Dessert
PRICE
$ – $$
Milkjam Creamery
Everything on the menu at Milkjam is unique, delicious, and just so darn trendy. Keep it simple with a scoop of one of their signature or seasonal flavors, or go all out with a boozy float or Jam Bun (ice cream sandwich between a sliced Glam Doll glazed donut). Vegan options are also available, and allergens are clearly marked on the menu.
LOCATION
Uptown
CUISINE
Ice Cream
PRICE
$$
The food scene in Minneapolis rivals that of some of the best foodie cities in the country. If you check out any of these incredible Minneapolis restaurants, you’ll see exactly what I mean. It’s only a matter of time before the world wakes up to this hidden gem.
Is there anything you would add to this list? Let everyone know in the comments below!
The Best Breweries in Minneapolis
Minneapolis has an enthusiastic craft beer scene that you definitely shouldn’t sleep on. Whether you’re a fan of hoppy IPAs, flavorful porters, Bavarian-style brews, or just want to find the best brewery with food, this guide has you covered.
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