Where to Eat in Minneapolis Right Now

Chef Gavin Kaysen’s North Loop restaurant combines French technique with Midwestern seasonality. The pork chop is a longtime staple served with seasonal sides and its signature tamarind glaze, while pastas are made with heritage grains. At Sunday brunch, the cardamom monkey bread is the highlight. If the dining room is booked, the full dinner menu is also available in the first-come, first-served bar and lounge.

Diane Moua brings together her Hmong heritage and years of experience as a pastry chef at her restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis’s Food Building. The menu features specialties such as Hmong sausage, while the bakery case is stocked with green scallion Danishes and coconut pandan croissants. At brunch, seek out Thai tea French toast.

Located inside the Guthrie Theater, Indígena by Owamni is the successor to Owamni and is operated by the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS). Its cooking centers on ingredients indigenous to the Americas: wild rice, bison, oysters, and corn. The bar showcases beer, wine, and spirits from BIPOC producers, along with an extensive selection of nonalcoholic cocktails.

At Martina in Linden Hills, chef Daniel del Prado reflects his Italian and Argentinian roots through grilled meats and hearty pastas. Opened in 2017 as del Prado’s first restaurant, Martina was later named one of the Twin Cities’ 13 most influential restaurants of the 2010s by the Star Tribune. Potato churros are a fixture, and the bright, airy dining room helps make it a beloved brunch spot.

Diners at this intimate Marcy-Holmes restaurant choose between a three-course prix fixe and a six-course chef’s tasting menu. The seasonal offerings change frequently but always start with fresh bread with local butter and warm marinated olives. The adjacent cafe provides a more casual setting for breakfast or lunch.

In Loring Park, chef Ann Ahmed celebrates Laotian cooking with laab, papaya salads, and fish steamed in banana leaves. Ahmed’s family comes from Xieng Khouang in Laos, an area associated with the short-grain sticky rice that gives Gai Noi its name. Dishes are designed to be shared and eaten by hand with the namesake grain, and all seating, including on the picturesque rooftop patio, is walk-in only.

At her Northeast Minneapolis restaurant, chef Christina Nguyen serves dishes inspired by the regional specialties and street food of Southeast Asia, from Filipino adobo-style ribs to Hanoi sticky rice. The lush, leafy dining room feels summery year-round. The drink list puts a tropical spin on classic cocktails, while thoughtful nonalcoholic drinks round out the selection.

This old-school steakhouse in the Foshay Tower is the place to splurge on dry-aged beef and seafood towers. Expert servers guide diners through the cuts displayed on the roaming meat cart, from filet mignon to the 50-ounce Bludgeon of Beef. Like the steaks, the sides and desserts come in portions meant for the table.

Named for the French word for “lumberjack,” the Kingfield restaurant serves French-American cuisine shaped by Minnesota’s North Woods. In 2025, it won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and earned a place among The New York Times’ 50 Best Restaurants in America. The compact corner space has a cozy feel and a 10-seat bar for walk-in diners.

In the North Loop, chef Shigeyuki Furukawa presents the Edomae sushi he learned to prepare in his native Tokyo through three set omakase menus, each an exquisitely choreographed progression of dishes. On Tuesdays, the restaurant offers a separate 10-course seasonal kaiseki menu called Kaiseki Furukawa.

Oro by Nixta celebrates heirloom corn through preparations ranging from freshly made tortillas to masa dumplings. Chefs Gustavo and Kate Romero also showcase Minnesota ingredients in unexpected ways, including wild rice horchata and pescadillas filled with walleye.

Named for the Thai refugee camp where chef Yia Vang was born, Vinai brings his family’s Hmong recipes to Northeast Minneapolis. Generously portioned grilled meats and funky vegetable dishes come with a lineup of house-made hot sauces. Groups of seven to 12 can reserve the Family Table, which adds a “Secret Menu” of more adventurous dishes to the main menu.

Chef Isaac Becker’s warm, sophisticated North Loop Italian restaurant is a date-night standby. Start with the soft eggs and lobster bruschetta, move on to the red wine spaghetti, and finish with the gjetost cheesecake. Reserve a seat at the pasta bar to watch the kitchen at work.

Perhaps the most intimate dining experience in Minneapolis, Demi seats just 20 diners at a U-shaped counter surrounding its open kitchen for an elegant nine-course tasting menu. Wine and spirit-free temperance pairings are available to accompany each course.

Chef Jeff Watson brings Korean flavors together with dim sum and playful cross-cultural dishes at this chic Northeast Minneapolis spot. Dan dan mafaldini exemplifies his approach, while the adjoining Pikok Lounge offers creative cocktails and its own bar-only menu of snacks.