Photo: Khâluna
Even in the face of pandemic challenges, the Twin Cities food scene continues to stand out.
The big picture: The restaurant industry has been hit with dining restrictions, rising food prices, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions over the last two years.
- But after a devastating number of closures in 2020, the last 12 months were filled with exciting openings and accolades recognizing metro establishments.
Why it matters: A robust dining scene is good for our appetites and our economy, bringing attention and prestige to the region.
Case in point: It's not just locals noticing the array of ambitious haunts.
- New entrants Owamni by The Sioux Chef and Sooki & Mimi both made the New York Times' 2021 Restaurants List.
Our picks: From elaborate tasting menus to vegan fried chicken takeout, here are some more of the the most buzzed-about restaurants that opened this year.
Union Hmong Kitchen
After 18 months as a pop-up restaurant, chef Yia Vang's Hmong cuisine found a home in North Loop food hall Graze this fall. The menu includes protein platters, noodle bowls, sandwiches and "Vinai Feasts," a smorgasbord of Hmong food for two or more.
Price: $$.
Location: 520 N. 4th St., Minneapolis.
Hope Breakfast Bar
Pina colada French toast, fried pickle waffles and chili biscuits — expect breakfast foods with a unique spin at Sarah and Brian Ingram's latest expansion into St. Louis Park.
Price: $$.
Location: 5377 W 16th St., St Louis Park, and 1 South Leech St., St. Paul.
Herbie Butcher's Fried Chicken
The owners of Minnesota's first vegan butcher shop opened Herbie Butcher's in South Minneapolis, a takeout-only fried chicken spot substituting meat with seitan.
Price: $$.
Location: 735 E 48th St, Minneapolis.
Petite León
Though the South Minneapolis restaurant technically started as a takeout-only operation in late 2020, chef and owner Jorge Guzman has pivoted to an intimate and cozy dine-in space known for its craft cocktails, wine list and Mexican-inspired cuisine.
Price: $$-$$$.
Location: 3800 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis.
The Market at Malcolm Yards
The long-awaited Prospect Park food hall opened this summer with nine vendors, a self-pour tap wall and a full bar, including unique craft cocktails that pair with each restaurant.
Price: $-$$.
Location: 501 30th Ave. SE, Minneapolis.
Sooki & Mimi
Young Joni owner and chef Ann Kim's latest venture is an award-winning Mexican-Korean fusion restaurant with a semi-secret basement speakeasy.
Price: $$$-$$$$.
Location: 1432 W 31st St., Minneapolis.
Owamni by The Sioux Chef
Sean Sherman's award-winning Indigenous restaurant on the banks of the Mississippi River is a decolonized dining experience, showcasing native ingredients like wild plants and game while skipping foods brought by white European settlers. Want in? Be prepared to wait. Dinner reservations fill up months in advance.
- Check out our review and some additional photos on Instagram.
Price: $$-$$$$.
Location: 420 S First St., Minneapolis.
Myriel
The 10-course, two-hour dining experience by Karyn Tomlinson is one of the most expensive, but well-reviewed tasting menus in the Twin Cities. Go in with an open mind. No menus are posted online.
Price: $$$$$.
Location: 470 Cleveland Ave S., St Paul.
Khâluna
The Southeast Asian restaurant and bar is the latest project of chef Ann Ahmed, with space for cooking classes and a retail store with hand-crafted goods from her home country of Laos.
Price: $$$-$$$$.
Location: 4000 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis.
Sanjusan
The North Loop fusion restaurant by Daniel del Prado and Shigeyuki Furukawa blends Italian and Japanese cuisine, creating dishes like fettuccini with uni and crab, and pizza topped with raw tuna.
Price: $$-$$$.
Location: 33 N 1st Ave., Minneapolis.
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