Minneapolis has one of the best food scenes in the Midwest and I don’t think enough people know about it. National Geographic recently named it one of the top food destinations in the world, and with multiple James Beard Award winners cooking here right now, the city is having a moment. Heading into 2027, the restaurant scene is stronger than it’s been in years. There’s several exciting new openings alongside longtime favorites.
I’ve put together this list of 21 unique restaurants in Minneapolis that all foodies have to visit. You’ll find everything from Hmong and Laotian cooking to Texas-style barbecue, Indigenous cuisine, and a 120-year-old supper club. Trust me, you won’t run out of incredible places to eat here anytime soon!
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21 Most Unique Restaurants in Minneapolis at a Glance
Minneapolis has a lot of great restaurants and narrowing this list down to 21 was hard enough. If you need a starting point, these are the five I recommend highest. They represent the range of what makes eating in Minneapolis special right now.
- Indígena by Owamni: Indigenous cuisine using only pre-colonial North American ingredients, newly reopened at the Guthrie Theater in 2026
- Hai Hai: James Beard Award-winning Chef Christina Nguyen’s Southeast Asian street food in a converted Northeast dive bar
- Vinai: Hmong restaurant from James Beard finalist Yia Vang, named one of the NYT’s 50 best restaurants in 2024
- Matt’s Bar: The birthplace of the Jucy Lucy since 1954, cash only, and still one of the best cheap meals in the city
- Oro by Nixta: Heirloom masa-focused Mexican food from Chef Gustavo Romero, a 2024 James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant
The full guide below covers all 21 restaurants with details on what to order, when to visit, and how to book. I’ve updated everything for late 2026 and into 2027. Enjoy exploring the Minneapolis food scene!
1. Martina
If you’re looking for Argentinian-Italian food in Minneapolis, Martina is where you need to go. Chef Daniel del Prado, born in Buenos Aires, built this restaurant around wood-fired cooking, handmade pastas, and fresh seafood. It’s housed in a converted old laundromat in Linden Hills with high ceilings, polished concrete, and an open kitchen.
The empanadas (creamed leeks, gorgonzola, chimichurri) are a perfect starter, and the Cacio e Pepe ravioli is one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in the Twin Cities. For something heavier, go for the Wagyu Zabuton with potato churros and chimichurri. Save room for the Panqueque, a dulce de leche and banana dessert with crushed caramel that I still think about!
I’d recommend booking through OpenTable, especially for Friday or Saturday evenings. Martina offers weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm, with lobster toast and potato churros being popular picks. There’s a small private parking lot outside. After dinner, Lake Harriet is a short stroll away if you want a lakeside walk to finish the evening.
2. Victor’s 1959 Cafe
Victor’s 1959 Cafe is a tiny, bright Cuban restaurant in South Minneapolis where every inch of the walls is covered in messages from past diners. It’s loud, it’s packed, and it smells incredible the second you walk in. If you’ve seen it on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (featured twice, in 2008 and 2018), you already know the vibe.
The menu is pure Cuban comfort food. I’d recommend starting with the Cuban hash, which is seasoned ground beef simmered in creole sauce with potatoes, green olives, raisins, and capers, served with eggs and sweet plantains. The slow-roasted lechon asado is another favorite, and the Sandwich Cubano at lunch is one of the best I’ve had outside of Miami. Portions are generous and prices are low.
Victor’s is open daily from 8am to 2:30pm for breakfast and lunch only (no dinner service at the time of writing). They don’t take reservations, and the space is small, so expect a wait during peak weekend hours. There’s a small parking lot with a handful of spots and street parking on Grand Ave. It’s about five minutes from downtown and 15 minutes from MSP airport.
3. Khâluna
Khâluna is a Laotian and Southeast Asian restaurant on Lyndale Ave in South Minneapolis, and it’s one of the best dining experiences in the city right now. Chef Ann Ahmed has been a James Beard Outstanding Chef semifinalist four years in a row, and the food here is a big reason why. The name means “please” in Lao and comes from the Buddhist concept of compassion.
The dining room is airy and calm, with hanging greenery, rattan lighting, and soft earth tones. I’d start with the chicken samosas or basil wings, then move to the Khao Soi or the whole fried mango fish. The cocktail menu leans into Southeast Asian ingredients like makrut lime and galangal, and they pair well with the bolder dishes. Weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 2pm) is also excellent if you can get a table.
I’d recommend making a reservation, especially for Friday and Saturday dinner. If you’re visiting on a warm day, ask for the patio. There’s also The Shop at Khâluna next door, where Ahmed has curated Laotian goods including fair trade textiles and Asian groceries. Ahmed also runs Lat14 in Golden Valley (also on this list) and Gai Noi near Loring Park if you want to try more of her cooking.
4. Momo Sushi
Momo Sushi is a Japanese and Tibetan restaurant that has built a devoted following in Northeast Minneapolis. Owner Sonam Nyorie serves fresh, well-crafted sushi alongside Tibetan momos (steamed dumplings), which you won’t find at many other spots in the city. It’s a combination that works really well, and the quality of the fish has always been a cut above for the price.
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Their original Central Ave location was damaged by a fire in 2025. As of September 2026, Momo Sushi has reopened at a new, bigger space at 825 E. Hennepin Ave. Nyorie kept the same menu and brought over the original decor to make it feel familiar. The new spot also has a patio.
I’d recommend ordering the tuna dumplings or the shrimp tempura, then try a couple of the specialty maki rolls. Portions are generous, and you’ll probably spend less here than at any other sushi restaurant of this quality in Minneapolis. No reservations are needed, but expect a wait during Friday and Saturday dinner hours. This stretch of Hennepin Ave is walkable to several breweries and restaurants if you want to make an evening of it.
5. Centro
If you’re looking for a fun, affordable Mexican restaurant in Minneapolis, head straight to Centro in the Northeast Arts District. It’s been a neighborhood favorite since 2018, and has since expanded to Eat Street and Highland Park. I keep coming back for the energy of the Quincy Street location, which has terrazzo floors, colorful murals, and communal seating inside and out.
You order through an app on your phone here, and the food comes out fast. Go for the carnitas or chorizo tacos, and the Centro Crunch (their take on a Crunchwrap) is a fan favorite for good reason. The frozen guava margarita is one of the best cocktail deals in Minneapolis. Happy hour gets you $10 margaritas, $5 tap beers, and $5 chips and salsas.
You don’t need a reservation at Centro. It fills up on weekend evenings but the turnaround is quick. Vivir, a Mexican cafe and market from the same team, is right next door on Quincy Street if you want to browse curated groceries and baked goods. Dogs are welcome on the patio, and the whole stretch of Quincy St is walkable with a few bars and restaurants close together.
6. Hai Hai
Hai Hai is a Southeast Asian street food restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis from Chef Christina Nguyen, who won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest in 2024. The menu is inspired by dishes Nguyen grew up eating at home and during her travels through Vietnam, Laos, and the wider region. She also created Hola Arepa (also on this list), and both restaurants are among the best places to eat in Minneapolis right now.
The building used to be a dive bar called the Deuce Deuce, and the name Hai Hai means “two two” in Vietnamese. Inside, it feels tropical, with hanging plants, warm lighting, and a buzzy dining room that fills up fast. I’d order the crispy fried rice paper rolls, the turmeric and dill fish (cha ca la vong), and the banana blossom salad. The banana bread pudding is an excellent way to finish.
Hai Hai is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4pm to 10pm, and Sunday from 4pm to 9pm (closed Mondays). I’d book through OpenTable, especially for Thursday through Saturday evenings. Walk-ins are welcome but you might wait during peak hours. Happy hour food and drinks are available from 4 to 5:30pm, and the patio is a great spot on a warm evening.
7. Hola Arepa
Hola Arepa is where Chef Christina Nguyen (of Hai Hai, above) got her start. She and partner Birk Grudem launched it as a food truck in 2011 before opening this brick-and-mortar on Nicollet Ave in South Minneapolis in 2014. It’s a Venezuelan-inspired restaurant focused on handmade arepas, Latin American small plates, and tropical cocktails.
The arepas are made fresh every day from cornmeal dough, griddled until golden, and stuffed with fillings like slow-roasted pulled pork or braised beef with pickled onion. I always order the yuca fries with chimichurri on the side, and the sweet plantain tostadas are a close second. The entire menu is gluten-free, which is a nice bonus. Cocktails are tropical and well-made, and the mezcalrita is a popular pick.
If the weather is good, ask for the patio. It’s colorful, palm-fringed, and one of the best outdoor dining spots in Minneapolis. Reservations are available and I’d recommend booking for weekend evenings. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday mornings.
8. Matt’s Bar
Matt’s Bar is the birthplace of the Jucy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed burger that’s become a Minneapolis icon. It’s been at 3500 Cedar Ave S since 1954, and very little has changed. Walk in and you’ll find a no-frills neighborhood dive with a few tables, a handful of bar stools, and a menu that doesn’t need to be longer than one page.
The Jucy Lucy is the only thing you need to order. It’s two beef patties pressed together with American cheese sealed in the middle, and when you bite into it the cheese is molten. The staff will warn you to let it cool first! Get it with grilled onions and a side of fries, and you’ll spend under $15 for the whole meal.
Matt’s is open daily from 11am to 11pm (last orders at 10:15pm) and they only accept cash, though there’s an ATM on site. They don’t take reservations either, and you’ll probably wait in line on Friday and Saturday evenings, but tables turn over quickly. I’d go on a weekday around lunchtime if you want to walk right in. It’s about five minutes from downtown Minneapolis.
9. Vinai
Vinai is a Hmong restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis, and one of the few places in the country serving this cuisine at such a high level. Hmong food is centered around grilled meats, sticky rice, fresh herbs, and fermented flavors, and Minnesota’s large Hmong community makes the Twin Cities one of the best places to try it. Chef Yia Vang, a James Beard finalist, opened Vinai in 2024, and the New York Times put it on their 50 best restaurants in the US list that same year.
The name comes from Ban Vinai, the refugee camp in Thailand where Vang’s parents met and where he was born. Everything is cooked over live fire and meant to be shared around the table, which is how Vang grew up eating at home. If you bring a group, the sticky ribs and the nearly two-pound pork chop are great dishes to pass around, and the house-made hot sauce ties it all together.
The space used to be the Dangerous Man Brewing taproom on 13th Ave NE, and Vang redesigned it with personal touches throughout. Vinai is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. I’d book as early as possible through their website or OpenTable.
10. Lat14 Asian Eatery
Lat14 Asian Eatery is one of the best Southeast Asian restaurants near Minneapolis, located in Golden Valley about 10 minutes from downtown. It’s from Chef Ann Ahmed, who also created Khâluna (earlier on this list). The name refers to the 14th parallel, the latitude that passes through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, and the menu pulls from all four countries.
Everything is served as small plates meant for sharing. I’d start with the basil wings. These show up across Ahmed’s restaurants, because they’re that good! The Creamy Tom Yum Ramen and the Tamarind Glazed Walleye are two of the stronger dishes on the dinner menu, and the Lat14 Old Fashioned is my go-to from the cocktail list.
Lat14 is open Monday through Friday from 11am to 9pm, and weekends from 4pm to 9pm. Book in advance, especially for Friday or Saturday evening. One thing to flag is that they can’t accommodate vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free requests, which might affect your decision.
11. Pizzeria Lola
Pizzeria Lola in Southwest Minneapolis has one of the best wood-fired pizza menus in the city. It’s from Chef Ann Kim, a Korean immigrant and James Beard Award winner who named the place after her dog. You might have seen it on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza or Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The Korean influence is what I love about this place. The Korean BBQ pizza is their number one seller, and the Lady ZaZa with Korean sausage, kimchi, and soy chili glaze is something you won’t find at another pizzeria in Minneapolis. They do a gluten-free crust for any pizza on the menu, and the soft serve has a bit of a cult following around here.
Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis is open daily from 11am, closing at 9pm on weeknights and 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are available and walk-ins are welcome. It’s right off Highway 62 near MSP airport, and Minnehaha Creek is a short walk away.
12. Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo has been serving food in Minneapolis’s North Loop since 1906. It’s an old-school supper club with dark wood booths, a copper-topped bar, and a dining room that hasn’t really changed in decades. The neighborhood around it has become trendy, but Monte Carlo still feels like your grandparents’ favorite restaurant. I mean that as a compliment!
When you’re here, order the Beijing-style chicken wings. They’re dry-rubbed with no sauce, and they’ve become one of the most talked-about bar snacks in Minneapolis. The martinis are strong and well-made, and if you’re hungry beyond wings, the walleye sandwich and the chicken pot pie both hit. This is a place for comfort food and classic cocktails.
Monte Carlo is open daily from 11am, and the kitchen closes an hour before the restaurant does. They take reservations, and there’s a patio in warmer months. It’s a short walk from Target Field if you’re heading to a Twins game.
13. Boludo
Boludo is one of the only Argentinian restaurants in Minneapolis, and it does two things better than almost anywhere else in the city: empanadas and pizza. Chef Facundo DeFraia grew up in Buenos Aires and brought over the recipes he ate there, and you can taste it. This isn’t American-style pizza or your standard handheld empanada.
The Fugazza is what put Boludo on the map. It’s an Argentinian pizza loaded with caramelized onions on a crispy, tangy dough, and there’s nothing else like it in Minneapolis. The empanadas are small enough that I’d order three or four to try different fillings, and the beef picadillo with green olives and raisins is my favorite. A glass of Malbec on the side, and you’re set.
Boludo has a few locations around Minneapolis, including the original El 38 on W. 38th Street and a downtown spot on S. 4th Street with a full bar. Seating is tight at all of them. Check their website before you go to confirm hours and which location is closest to where you’re staying.
14. Tilia
Tilia is a casual American restaurant in Minneapolis’s Linden Hills neighborhood, serving seasonal dishes with Mediterranean and Midwestern flavors. Chef Steven Brown has been cooking in Minneapolis for decades, and this is where he landed. Andrew Zimmern is a regular and has called it his perfect neighborhood restaurant.
The menu changes throughout the year, but you’ll always find well-executed comfort food at fair prices. The fish taco torta and the chicken liver pâté have been staples for a long time, and the weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday from 10am) is one of the better ones in this part of the city. You can sit at the open kitchen counter and watch the team cook, which I’d recommend if you’re dining alone or as a couple.
Tilia is open Tuesday through Friday from 4pm and weekends from 10am, closing at 9pm, and it’s closed on Mondays. Book in advance, especially if you’re planning a weekend brunch visit. It’s in the same neighborhood as Martina (also on this list) and a short walk from Lake Harriet.
15. Saffron
Saffron is a Palestinian and Middle Eastern restaurant that opened in Northeast Minneapolis in late August 2026. Chef Sameh Wadi originally opened Saffron downtown in 2007 and built a national reputation over a decade-long run before closing in 2016. He and his brother Saed bought the former Young Joni building on 13th Ave NE and brought it back, this time with a deeper focus on Palestinian cooking and live-fire techniques.
Wadi grew up in Kuwait in a Palestinian family, and a lot of the menu comes from his grandmother’s recipes. The kitchen has no traditional stove or fryer. Everything is cooked over open flame or in the copper pizza oven left over from Young Joni, which Wadi now uses for taboon bread and mana’eesh-style pizzas. The green beans, slow-cooked for five hours in olive oil with tomatoes and chiles, are already getting attention. Dishes are served as small plates meant for sharing.
Saffron is one of Minneapolis’ newest restaurants, and I’d expect it to become one of the most talked-about restaurants in MN through 2027. It sits on the same stretch of 13th Ave NE as Vinai (also on this list) and Oro by Nixta. Hands down, this one of the best restaurant blocks in the city right now.
16. Bar La Grassa
Bar La Grassa is one of the best Italian restaurants in Minneapolis and has been a North Loop institution for over 15 years. Chef Isaac Becker won a James Beard Award here, and the restaurant was named a 2026 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist. If you want to eat pasta in Minneapolis, this is probably where you should eat it!
The menu has around 20 pasta dishes, split between fresh and dried, and you can order them in small or large portions. The soft egg and lobster bruschetta is the dish this place is known for, and I’ve never met anyone who ordered it and wasn’t impressed. Beyond that, the smoked spaghetti alla chitarra and the Mafalda Bolognese are two I’d recommend. The Italian wine list is deep and reasonably priced.
Bar La Grassa is open Monday through Saturday from 5pm (closed Sundays). Reservations are important here because it gets busy, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. If you can’t get a table, the bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu. Daniel del Prado, the chef behind Martina (also on this list), got his start in this kitchen, which tells you a lot about the level of cooking happening here.
17. Animales Barbeque Co.
If you want Texas-style barbecue in Minneapolis, Animales Barbeque Co. is where I’d send you. Pitmaster Jon Wipfli built a loyal following smoking meat out of a food truck in Northeast. In 2025, he moved into a full brick-and-mortar at 241 Fremont Ave N in the Harrison neighborhood. The new space has a patio, a kids room, live music on most nights, and line dancing on Wednesdays.
The brisket is thick-cut and smoked properly, the ribs are excellent, and the green chile mac is a must on the side. Weekend brunch kicks off at 11am on Saturdays and Sundays, usually with live music in the afternoon. You could easily spend a whole afternoon here.
Animales is open Wednesday through Friday from 4pm and weekends from 11am, closing at 9pm. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday. There’s free street parking and a dedicated lot next door, and it’s an easy drive from downtown. If you’re biking, the Cedar Lake Trail and Kenilworth Trail connect right nearby.
18. Indígena by Owamni
Indígena by Owamni is an Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis that serves food made entirely from ingredients native to North America before European colonization. There’s no wheat, no dairy, no cane sugar, no beef and no chicken. Instead, Chef Sean Sherman and his team cook with bison, elk, venison, wild rice, foraged greens, and native fruits and berries. It’s a dining experience you won’t find in many other cities.
Sherman won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2022 under the original name Owamni, and was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people the following year. The restaurant relocated to the Guthrie Theater in June 2026 with a bigger space, an oyster bar, a chef’s table, and larger game cuts on the menu. Weekend brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
Book well in advance. If you’re seeing a show at the Guthrie, they have a shorter pre-theater menu. The restaurant has its own entrance on the side of the building at 806 South 2nd Street, right on the Mississippi riverfront.
19. Oro by Nixta
Oro by Nixta is a Mexican restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis built entirely around heirloom corn. Chef Gustavo Romero imports heritage corn varieties from Mexico and mills them into masa on-site. That masa goes into everything…from the tortillas and tamales to the tostadas and desserts. It was a James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant in 2024 and made Bon Appétit’s best new restaurants list the same year. Almost the entire menu is naturally gluten-free.
Gustavo and his wife Kate started Nixta as a pandemic-era takeout tortilla operation next door before opening Oro as a full sit-down restaurant. The pollo con mole is the dish Gustavo spent over five years perfecting, and I’d make sure you order it. The duck enmoladas and the carnitas taco are both excellent too. There’s also a ten-seat mezcal bar with artisan cocktails if you want to linger.
Oro is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4pm to 9pm. Reservations are available and I strongly advise booking ahead. Walk-ins can try the bar, which serves the full menu. It’s on the same stretch of 13th Ave NE as Vinai and Saffron, and this block has become one of the best restaurant streets in Minneapolis.
20. Spoon and Stable
A fine dining restaurant inside a horse stable from 1906 is about as unique as it gets in Minneapolis! Spoon and Stable is Chef Gavin Kaysen’s flagship in the North Loop, and it’s the restaurant that put this neighborhood on the national food map. Kaysen grew up in Minneapolis, earned a Michelin star cooking at Café Boulud in New York, then came home to open this place. He’s won two James Beard Awards, and the restaurant was an Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist in both 2025 and 2026.
The menu is seasonal New American with French technique, and it changes regularly. The heritage grain pastas and Dorothy’s pot roast (a signature) are two dishes I’d look for. The room has exposed brick, high ceilings, and an open kitchen. Sunday brunch from 10am to 2pm is also excellent.
Spoon and Stable is open Monday through Saturday from 4pm, with Sunday brunch and dinner. If you can’t get a dinner reservation, try the bar or lounge, which take walk-ins and serve the full menu. Kaysen also opened Bellecour (a French bakery and bistro) in the North Loop in 2025, and his tasting-menu restaurant Demi is nearby if you want something even more intimate.
21. Smack Shack
A lobster shack in landlocked Minneapolis sounds like it shouldn’t work, but Smack Shack has been proving that wrong since it started as a food truck in 2010. The North Loop location at 603 Washington Ave is a big, loud, warehouse-style restaurant with a Gulf Coast-inspired menu and one of the better patios in the neighborhood. They also have locations in Bloomington and Roseville now.
I’m from Boston, and I’ve eaten a lot of lobster rolls on the East Coast. I can confidently tell you: the ones here are good. I prefer the warm Connecticut-style version with drawn butter over the chilled original. The lobster poutine with cajun fries and cheese curds is a Minnesota twist I haven’t seen anywhere else, and the lobster mac and cheese is as heavy as you’d expect in the best way. Happy hour from 2pm to 6pm Monday through Friday is a good deal.
Smack Shack is open daily from 11am, with the kitchen closing at 9pm on weeknights and 10pm on weekends. The bar stays open until 11pm Sunday through Thursday and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Weekend brunch is Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Reservations are available for the dining room, and the patio is first come first served.
- Visit the Smack Shack website
- Read reviews of Smack Shack
- Read Next: 12 Unreal Minnesota Destinations
Global Viewpoint is a personal blog. All content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial, medical, or legal advice.
