Cinnamon Janzer

Minneapolis may have been catapulted into Gen Pop fame most recently by a Timothée Chalamet film about one of the state’s music heroes, but a vibrant music scene is just one reason to love this city. Of course, we’re proud of Prince and Bob Dylan, but we’re also enamored with our parks and our award-winning food scene, too. Coming up with a fresh list of the 10 best things to do in Minneapolis was a challenge, to say the least—there are classics that are hard to let go of, and so many new developments and venues that it’s hard to choose. But we did it and here’s what we’ve got.  May 2025: We did a pretty extensive overhaul of this list. We kept five of our favorite things from the previous list and added five more new(er) things to do with summer just around the corner. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Minneapolis

Minneapolis chefs and restaurants have adorned the lists of James Beard finalists and winners practically every year in recent memory because the food scene here stands out. You’ve got the Minnesotan predilection for supporting what’s local alongside a shared desire by everyone to spend as much time outside—even or especially while dining—when the weather is nice. In the winter, when we need a reason to get out of the house, tucking into a cozy restaurant with friends and family is the best. From fancy spots to beloved dives, Minnesotans love their bars and restaurants.  That means, though, that curating a list of just the 10 best restaurants in Minneapolis feels almost impossible. Choosing to nix iconic staples like Matt’s Bar and Victor’s 1959 Cafe as well as stellar debuts like Vinai from the list this time around was a difficult decision. But there's a good reason for it: There are just so many other spots that don’t quite get the love they deserve, so that’s where the list is focused this time around. There are still some tried and true favorites, but the goal was to expand beyond obvious choices and into a much more local, less iconic perspective on what’s worth trying, based partly on new-to-me discoveries I’ve made across the city recently. May 2025: With spring in full swing and summer around the corner, we did a hefty overhaul of this guide with an eye toward every Minnesotan’s favorite time to dine: patio season! That’s not all, though—we also updated this list by

This small South Minneapolis restaurant serves up a super seasonal six-course tasting menu from a team that’s packed with talent but zero pretension (which is exactly why it’s so lovable). In the attached bar, Next Door, you’ll find small, snack-sized offerings as well as TenantWurst sausages to enjoy with the beer, wine, and cocktails the bar serves up. The restaurant itself includes a few tables and a sit-down counter that revolves around Tenant’s open kitchen. The tasting menu is the only thing on the menu in the restaurant, going for $80 per person with an optional $40 wine pairing. The music comes from vinyl (get your Shazam ready, they spin great tunes) and the restroom is stocked with comic books. The thing about Tenant is that it’s just super cool—the kind of cool that comes from knowing what you’re doing and why so that you can be completely unbothered by expectations or what everyone else in the restaurant scene is up to. The vibe: Cool, casual, and creative. The food: Expect the form of a tasting menu with none of the over-the-top explanations of the food—just a lot of delicious dishes from friendly folks. The drinks: The bar Next Door is a hidden gem in the city for well-done yet reasonably priced cocktails.  Time Out tip: Get a drink at the bar Next Door, either before or after dinner, or anytime—it’s open for walk-ins!

Mandarin Kitchen has been serving up Hong Kong-style Chinese food since 1991 from the same strip mall location it’s in today. What started as a takeout and buffet spot morphed into a full-service restaurant that makes its own soy sauce and chili oil! Come for the congee and hot pot, stay for the best dim sum in the metro area, hands down! Starting at 9:30 am on Saturdays and Sundays, expect a bit of a wait for dim sum, but it’s worth it. Besides being able to entertain yourself with fish tanks and a koi pond while you wait, the thing about waiting for dim sum is that you get to start eating pretty much immediately after sitting down. Expect fluffy pork buns and savory shrimp shumai alongside pineapple buns for dessert from the dozens of carts passing by. From start to finish, the experience of getting dim sum at Mandarin Kitchen is well worth the short drive to the suburbs on a weekend morning. The vibe: A no-frills Chinese restaurant in the suburbs. The food: Hong Kong-style Chinese with dim sum. The drinks: Tea, tea, and more tea! Time Out tip: Get there early (think 9:15am) to try to minimize your wait time for the popular weekend dim sum or when the tables turn over around 10:30am or 11:00am.

When you think of Japanese food meeting Italian food, it might seem like a curious choice for fusion. But once you go to Sanjusan, you’ll stand corrected. This cozy North Loop spot blends these two culinary traditions into unique, umami-filled dishes that include a long list of yakitori (grilled skewers), pastas like agnolotti made from hon shimeji mushrooms and the Isaac Becker pizza that features spicy raw tuna. The best part is that Sanjusan is just one of three sister establishments in the same location—there’s also an omakase sushi restaurant and an extremely legit Japanese whiskey bar upstairs. You might get lucky and notice a dab of gold on your glass or plate—they use the Kintsugi method of repairing broken dishware with gold powder so the flaws become something to marvel at. Finally, Sanjusan has recently started offering Monday evening omakase dinners that are comprised of five seasonal courses of Itameshi (Japanese for “Italian food,” but referring more to Japanese-Italian fusion) cuisine. The intimate counter experience can accommodate 10 guests or less and offers 5:30pm and 7:45pm seatings. The vibe: Upscale date night. The food: Japanese-Italian fusion. The drinks: Lots of wine, creative cocktails, and some beer, too. Time Out tip: Snag a table out front under Sanjusan’s twinkly lights for an A+ summer dinner date.