Designed by Ted Rossiter

What makes a restaurant qualify for a “Top 75” best-of list? Minnesota Monthly launched a Top 75 Restaurants project online at minnesotamonthly.com/top-75-restaurants at the beginning of the year.

The editorial team spent a lot of time thinking about the finalists as we created our most ambitious list-based project in my time as a critic for the magazine. We wanted a comprehensive group that readers could bookmark for a fun weeknight out as well as that special celebration. We wanted the taco joints and pizza places, as well as the four-star fine-dining spots. We wanted to celebrate the innovators and the classics, as well as the places that are really excelling right now. The newest restaurants on the list are Kim’s in Uptown, from Ann Kim, and Porzana in the North Loop, from Daniel del Prado. The oldest is Jax Cafe, where the Kozlak family just celebrated its 90th anniversary.

Making a Top 75 Restaurants list wasn’t easy. In fact, we started making a master list in April of 2023, and we finalized it in early December. Some places closed during that year, new spots opened, and some restaurants came into their own while others slipped in consistency.

Debates: Do you put 6 Smith and Baldamar on the list? They have the same owner and almost identical menus, so we decided no. 6 Smith got the nod, for the Lake Minnetonka location and for being first. Chef Kim’s Young Joni made the list, but Pizzeria Lola didn’t. Martina, Colita, and Porzana all are in, but not Josefina, nor Blondette. Let’s be honest: It’d be boring to have a list of the great restaurants from the same six big names.

I personally love Mexican food and Mexican chefs, and you can see that in the list: El Sazon, Nico’s, Taqueria y Birrieria, Las Cuatro Milpas, Andale, Oro by Nixta, and more. We wanted to make sure some of the underrated gems were on the list, like Joan’s in the Park and Brunson’s Pub. And we made sure we had east metro and west side representation, too. I wish we could have included more greater Minnesota restaurants, such as New London Cafe in Duluth, Val’s in St. Cloud, King’s Place in Miesville, and some Rochester spots.

And we admit there are some Twin Cities misses: 112 Eatery should probably be on this list, as should Tullibee at the Hewing. There’s a pho place and a ramen spot, but we’d still say those restaurants are underrepresented. Should more counter-service spots be in the mix, like OG Zaza in Roseville? Tongue In Cheek is another one in retrospect we missed. Early in 2024, there are already new spots opening that are top-notch, so which of the Top 75 come off the list?

Someone asked if I really have eaten at all these restaurants, and the answer is yes! Absolutely! And that’s the real test. Looking at this list from top to bottom, I’m proud of what we came up with. It’s a diverse list in price point, in type of food, in geography, and in style of service. Happy eating—we’re already working on the update for next year.

Photo by Terry Brennan

Best Steak

✻ The Lexington

✻ Jax Cafe

✻ Manny’s

✻ Porzana

✻ P.S. Steak

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Provided

Best Small Plates

✻ All Saints

✻ Gus Gus

✻ Hai Hai

✻ Kim’s

✻ STEPCHLD

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Best Cocktails

✻ Chip’s Clubhouse

✻ Estelle

✻ Lolo American

✻ Nico’s Tacos

✻ Travail

Jimmy Eagle

Best Sandwiches

✻ Abang Yoli

✻ Brunson’s Pub

✻ Clancey’s

✻ Mario’s

✻ Marty’s Deli

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Photo by Danielle Gernes

Kevin Kramer

Best Burgers

✻ The Nook

✻ Parlour

✻ Petite Leon

✻ Red Cow

✻ Saint Dinette

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Best Ambiance

✻ Churchill St.

✻ Gai Noi

✻ Mara

✻ Mr. Paul’s Supper Club

✻ Owamni

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Provided

Best Wine Selection

✻ Alma

✻ Joan’s in the Park

✻ Meritage

✻ Myriel

✻ Spoon & Stable

Photo by Kevin Kramer

Best Pasta

✻ Bar La Grassa

✻ Bungalow Club

✻ Hyacinth

✻ Martina

✻ Mucci’s

Photo by Terry Brennan

Provided

Best Pizza

✻ Black Sheep Pizza

✻ Boludo

✻ Punch Pizza

✻ Red Wagon Pizza

✻ Young Joni

Photo by Eliesa Johnson

Provided

Best Mexican

✻ Andale Taqueria y Mercado

✻ Nico’s Tacos

✻ Oro by Nixta

✻ Sonora Grill

✻ Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas

Photo by Kevin Kramer

The List: Top 75 Restaurants of Minnesota

Find the categorized list with descriptions of each restaurant here .

6Smith

294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata

Abang Yoli

501 30th Ave. SE, Minneapolis

3749 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

All Saints

222 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis

Alma

528 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis

Andale Taqueria & Mercado

7700 Nicollet Ave., Richfield

Bar La Grassa

800 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis

Billy Sushi

116 First Ave. N., Minneapolis

Black Sheep Pizza

2550 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis

600 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis

Boludo

1519 Como Ave. SE, Minneapolis

2935 Girard Ave. S., Minneapolis

Brasa

600 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis

777 Grand Ave., St. Paul

812 46th St. W., Minneapolis

Brunson’s Pub

956 Payne Ave., St. Paul

The Bungalow Club

4300 Lake St. E., Minneapolis

Butcher & The Boar

901 Third St. N., Suite 195, Minneapolis

Butcher’s Tale

1121 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis

Cafe Latte

850 Grand Ave., St. Paul

Centro

1414 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis

750 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul

2412 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

Chip’s Clubhouse

272 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul

Churchill St.

4606 Churchill St., Shoreview

Clancey’s Meats

3804 Grand Ave. S., Minneapolis

Colita

5400 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis

Demi

212 Second St. N., Suite 100, Minneapolis

El Sazon

1815 Diffley Road, Eagan

Estelle

1806 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul

Fhima’s

40 Seventh St. S., Minneapolis

Gai Noi

1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis

The Grocer’s Table

326 Broadway Ave. S., Wayzata

Gus Gus

128 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul

Hai Hai

2121 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis

Handsome Hog

173 Western Ave. N., St. Paul

Hola Arepa

3501 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

Hyacinth Restaurant

790 Grand Ave., St. Paul

Jax Cafe

1928 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis

Joan’s in the Park

631 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul

Kaiseki Furukawa

33 First Ave. N., Minneapolis

Khâluna

4000 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis

Kim’s

432 31st St. W., Minneapolis

The Lexington

1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul

Lolito Cantina

241 Main St. S., Stillwater

Lolo American

233 Main St. S., Stillwater

175 Second St. S., Hudson, Wisconsin

Manny’s Steakhouse

825 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis

Mara

245 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis

Mario’s

232 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul

Martina

4312 Upton Ave. S., Minneapolis

Marty’s Deli

400 Lowry Ave. NE, Minneapolis

Meritage

410 St. Peter St., St. Paul

The Monte Carlo

219 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis

Mr. Paul’s Supper Club

3917 Market St., Edina

Mucci’s

786 Randolph Ave., St. Paul

Myriel

470 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul

Nico’s Tacos

2516 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis

2260 Como Ave., St. Paul

The Nook

492 Hamline Ave. S., St. Paul

Oro by Nixta

1222 Second St. NE, Minneapolis

Owamni

420 First St. S., Minneapolis

Parlour

730 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis

267 Seventh St. W., St. Paul

Other locations

Petite León

3800 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

Porzana

200 First St. N., Minneapolis

P.S. Steak

510 Groveland Ave., Minneapolis

Punch Pizza

Highland Park, Eden Prairie, Lake Street, Northeast Minneapolis, Wayzata, Grand Avenue, Woodbury, Vadnais Heights, Eagan, Roseville, and Apple Valley

Quang

2719 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

Red Cow

Minneapolis, St. Paul, North Loop, Uptown, and Rochester

Red Wagon Pizza

5416 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis

Revival

4537 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

8028 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park

525 Selby Ave., St. Paul

Saint Dinette

261 Fifth St. E., St. Paul

Sanjusan

33 First Ave. N., Minneapolis

Sonora Grill

3300 Lake St. E., Minneapolis

1414 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

Spoon and Stable

211 First St. N., Minneapolis

STEPCHLD

24 University Ave. NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis

Surly Beer Hall

520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis

Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas

1526 Lake St. E., Minneapolis

Tilia

2726 43rd St. W., Minneapolis

Travail

4134 Hubbard Ave. N., Robbinsdale

Union Hmong Kitchen

520 Fourth St. N., Minneapolis

World Street Kitchen

2743 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis

Young Joni

165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis

Zen Box Izakaya

602 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis

The post Behind the List: Picking Our Top 75 Restaurants appeared first on Minnesota Monthly .