Must-see restaurants in Minnesota

  • Uptowner Cafe on Grand

    Minnesota

    Likable greasy spoon, serving enormous helpings of hash browns at breakfast and a classic list of lunchtime sandwiches.

  • Hmongtown Marketplace

    Minnesota

    The nation's largest enclave of Hmong immigrants lives in the Twin Cities, and this market delivers their favorite Vietnamese, Lao and Thai dishes at its…

  • Palmer's Tavern

    Northern Minnesota

    Family-owned Palmer's has been feeding the folks of Hibbing for four generations. Burgers are the big draw on the small menu, which also includes chicken…

  • Matt's Bar & Grill

    Minneapolis

    You'll have to stand in line to eat at this South Minneapolis dive bar, where legend has it the 'Jucy Lucy' was born. It's a local cheeseburger, where the…

  • King of Creams

    Northern Minnesota

    Order at the counter of this informal sandwich shop and ice cream parlor, and then wedge yourself into a table beside the exposed brick walls. There's a…

  • Oasis Cafe

    Minnesota

    The Oasis is a greasy-spoon classic. Scoot into a turquoise booth (mind the duct tape) and fork into a haystack (aka hash browns filled with ham, cheese…

  • Canal Park Brewing Co

    Northern Minnesota

    Try this big, slick brewpub in the main visitor hub of Canal Park for a predictable list of sandwiches, burgers and nachos. It does have a couple of…

  • Rocky Ledge

    Northern Minnesota

    Dig into walleye sandwiches, fish tacos in fry bread (deep-fried flat bread that's popular in Native American cuisine), wild rice casserole and other…

  • Glam Doll Donuts

    Minneapolis

    These tattooed ladies with bright-hued hair make seriously badass doughnuts (including many vegan ones) in their punk pink shop in the heart of 'Eat…

  • Boathouse Brewpub

    Northern Minnesota

    Sink your teeth into a beer-battered walleye sandwich or the Boathouse version of poutine (French fries topped with beef brisket, bacon, cheese curds and…

  • Al's Breakfast

    Minneapolis

    The ultimate hole in the wall: 14 stools at a tiny counter. Whenever a customer comes in, everyone picks up their plates and scoots down to make room for…

  • Palisade Cafe

    Northern Minnesota

    This woodsy little joint in the middle of nowhere is a welcome respite, whipping up stuffed hash browns (as in stuffed with gooey cheese) and killer pies…

  • Portland Malt Shoppe

    Northern Minnesota

    A delightfully old-timey malt shop conveniently located just east of downtown. Order at the window and munch your cone or slurp your root-beer float while…

  • Front Porch

    Northern Minnesota

    This homey coffee shop and bakery is a decent all-rounder for breakfast burritos and lunch sandwiches as well as coffee, cake and cookies, including a…

  • Peninsula

    Minneapolis

    Malaysian dishes – including red curry hot pot, spicy crab and fish in banana leaves – rock the palate in this contemporary restaurant in the heart of the…

  • Pizza Luce

    Northern Minnesota

    Head here for great brunches and gourmet pizzas (vegan and gluten-free versions too). It's also plugged into the local music scene and hosts bands. Fully…

  • Uncle Loui's Cafe

    Northern Minnesota

    Ideal for a quick meal, this popular diner serves an all-day breakfast special ($10) as well as the usual suspects of burgers, BLTs and grilled-cheese…

  • World’s Best Donuts

    Northern Minnesota

    Mmm, doughnuts. Staff nobly arrive at 3am each morning to fry and glaze. Try the elephant ear–like skizzle.

More destinations you need to see