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White porcelean dishes holding a rice dish, meat kebabs with French fries, and shredded carrots, plus a blue porcelain teapot, on a patterned tablecloth. Samarkand

14 Underrated Restaurants to Explore in the Twin Cities

Semisecret spots for Uzbek cuisine, generous bowls of bibimbap, and golden-fried arepas

by Justine Jones and Jon Cheng Updated
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by Justine Jones and Jon Cheng Updated
Samarkand

As exciting as it is to check out the newest, flashiest restaurants around Minneapolis and St. Paul, there are certain neighborhood gems that anchor the dining landscape — restaurants we return to again and again. For golden-fried arepas, tangy pani puri, or barbacoa de Borrego, here are 14 underrated restaurants in the Twin Cities, listed geographically (not ranked) as always.

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Guavas Cuban Cafe

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Guava’s, in far south Minneapolis near the Richfield border, serves stellar Cuban fare day in and day out. Breakfast and brunch is popular here: The menu leans savory, catering to meat lovers with chimichurri steak and eggs and vaca frita braised beef hash; one eggy highlight is the Havana breakfast, which pairs eggs with moro rice and a warming picadillo. (Pairing the meal with a Cuban-style coffee drink is a must.) Dinner highlights include a sweet corn tamal with chicharron and lechon; seafood paella; and pollo a la plancha.

5607 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 824-0951
(612) 824-0951

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Heather's

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Heather’s might be the perfect neighborhood restaurant. The brunch specials — like pineapple upside-down pancakes and classic croque-madames, to name a few past favorites — are always a hit. For lunch and dinner, Heather’s rotates in specials that feel fresh and seasonal (think sweet corn polenta with roasted duck and blueberry chutney). The space is casual but bright, and usually filled with fresh-cut flowers. Cap off a meal with a stroll around nearby Lake Nokomis, and grab a noodle salad from the little deli counter on the way out.

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 445-8822
(612) 445-8822

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Abi's Restaurant

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Chef Abi Baire takes inspiration from the women in her family — her grandmother, mother, and Aunt Maria — who’ve been cooking Salvadoran food for generations. She brought their time-tested recipes to Minneapolis in 2015, when she opened Abi’s Restaurant on Lyndale Avenue. The entire menu, which has everything from quesabirria to camarones a la plancha, is stellar, but the absolute musts are the flavor-packed pupusas. Mix and match the revueltas, the chicharrón con queso, and the queso con ayote (zucchini and cheese).

2828 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 721-0013
(612) 721-0013
A plate for rice, vegetables, salsa, and a long plantain on a bright striped table cloth.
Abi’s on Lyndale.
Abi’s Restaurant

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Samarkand Restaurant

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Plymouth’s Samarkand restaurant serves Uzbek, Tajik, and Russian food, dishing up doughy mantu (steamed beef dumplings), samsas (a traditional Uzbek savory pastry), and springy lagman noodles. Meat-heavy entrees are balanced by bright carrot salads and steaming cups of borscht. Samarkand’s plov — a flavor-dense rice dish made with beets, currants, and spices — is a specialty.

16 Nathan Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441
(763) 545-9842
(763) 545-9842
White porcelean dishes holding a rice dish, meat kebabs with French fries, and shredded carrots, plus a blue porcelain teapot, on a patterned tablecloth.
A dinner spread at Samarkand.
Samarkand

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Giulia

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While Giulia is a hotel restaurant in sleepy downtown Minneapolis, it pretty much stands on its own. Giulia shares its vaulted space with the Emery’s lobby, but the hotel overlap stops there. The focus on northern Italian flavors are precise and spot-on — think virtually faultless ricotta meatballs, a play on arancini (here, named suppli) paired with apple, and maltagliati: homemade, silky ribbons of pasta with a tonkotsu-style Japanese stock that’s wildly flavorful.

215 S 4th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 215-5450
(612) 215-5450
A bowl of green noodles at Giulia.
A bright bowl of pasta at Giulia.
Giulia

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Zakia Deli

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Zakia Deli dishes up fresh Lebanese and Greek fare in Northeast Minneapolis, just off Stinson Boulevard. Hot falafel sandwiches, gyros, kebabs, baba ghanoush, and spanakopita are all staples here — but the best move is to take advantage of Zakia’s daily specials, which feature entrees like lamb shank, bazella (a pea stew), and cabbage rolls.

2412 Kennedy St NE (at Stinson Blvd), Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-0288
(612) 379-0288
A braised lamb shank protuding from a white bowl of rice.
Lamb shank at Zakia Deli.
Zakia Deli

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Korea Restaurant

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Nearly lost in the menagerie of PR-backed restaurants that populate Dinkytown, Korea Restaurant keeps quietly chugging along with a glorious assortment of bibimbap, bulgogi, and potstickers. Lunch is mayhem, but worth every second of wait time. Prepare for self-service and generous helpings, and don’t be shy to refill on the side dishes.

221 Oak St SE, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 746-0559
(612) 746-0559

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Cafe Racer Kitchen

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Cafe Racer’s arepas — subtly sweet and soft on the inside, fried golden on the outside — are at the heart of this pared-down Latin American menu. For breakfast, they’re served with marmalade or kielbasa, or as a side to an omelet topped with bright salsa criolla and pico. For dinner, they’re a perfect complement to braised pulled pork or roasted chicken, and other sides like yuca frita and sweet plantains.

e, 2929 E 25th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 208-1695
(612) 208-1695
Yuca frita, an arepa, and shredded pork topped with sauce and purple onions on a white plate.
Don’t miss the cilantro aioli at Cafe Racer.
Cafe Racer

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Midori's Floating World Cafe

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John and Midori Flomer’s Japanese restaurant was extensively damaged during the social uprisings of 2020, but has since opened at a new location just a few blocks west on Lake Street. The sushi menu is simple (think spicy salmon and vegan caterpillar rolls; hamachi and unagi nigiri, etc.), beautifully presented, and accompanied by other Japanese dishes like kitsune udon, shoyu ramen, unagidon (grilled fresh-water eel over rice) and soba salad. Save room for sweet, doughy daifuku: sweet red bean filling encased in a mochi shell. For now, Midori’s is takeout only.

3425 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
(763) 464-7829
(763) 464-7829

Zait & Za'atar: Mediterranean Dhaba

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Zait & Za’atar, a casual “Mediterranean dhaba” on Selby Avenue, marries Mediterranean and South Asian flavors. It’s a great place to fill up on fresh falafel, baba ghanoush, and juicy shawarma sandwiches and plates. But don’t overlook the chaat: crispy samosas, tangy pani puri dripping with tamarind, and vada (fried lentil balls) doused in cool dahi (yogurt).

1626 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 493-7438
(651) 493-7438

Homi Restaurant

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Owners Hortencia Reyes and Miguel Lopez opened Homi (a combination of their names) in 2010. More than a decade later, their son chef Miguel Lopez leads the kitchen, serving family recipes in a sunny, recently updated space on University Avenue. The whole menu — from the chille relleno to the empanadas to the fried beans — is made from scratch. Stop by on a chilly day for Hidalgo-style barbacoa de Borrego served with consome; menudo; or pozole.

864 University Avenue West, MN 55104
(651) 222-0655
(651) 222-0655

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Hyacinth

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Intimacy, comfort, and Italian romance are the themes this petite Grand Avenue dining room. Founder Rikki Giambruno opened Hyacinth after running a popular New York restaurant — Abraham Gessesse, one of Gambruno’s first line cooks, took the reins as chef and owner in 2023. Hyacinth’s succinct menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like tomato crostini; risotto al salto with mushroom puree; and fried chicken parmesan with plump cherry tomatoes. Hyacinth stays airy and sun-drenched during the day, and takes on the feel of a cozy, crowded New York City restaurant at night.

790 Grand Ave (S Avon St), Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 478-1822
(651) 478-1822
A light-filled room with a bar and small table set nearby.
Hyacinth, on Grand Avenue,
Kevin Kramer / Eater Twin Cities

Also featured in:

Moscow on the Hill

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Moscow on the Hill is a St. Paul staple for Eastern European fare: Think pillowy deruny (Ukranian-style potato pancakes), borscht, chicken kiev, and neatly wrapped pelmeni served with a dollop of sour cream. The house infused vodkas — particularly the horseradish — are one of this restaurant’s specialties. There’s a big, leafy patio out back for when the weather’s good; otherwise, the main dining room, draped in rich red and gold fabrics, is one of St. Paul’s coziest.

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-1236
(651) 291-1236
Two potato pancakes on a white plate topped with sour cream and caramelized onions.
Ukranian-style potato pancakes at Moscow on the Hill.
Justine Jones

Also featured in:

El Cubano

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Tucked off Dodd Road in a residential area of St. Paul, El Cubano serves hot sandwiches, all toasted and pressed with butter. Try the eponymous Cubano, a layered masterpiece of roasted meat, tangy mustard, and pickles, served with yuca frita and a house mojito dip. (El Cubano serves entrees like Dominican-style red snapper or traditional Cuban bistec encebollado, too.) Don’t forget an order of the tostones.

870 Dodd Rd, St Paul, MN 55118
(651) 227-1510
(651) 227-1510

Also featured in:

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Guavas Cuban Cafe

5607 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

Guava’s, in far south Minneapolis near the Richfield border, serves stellar Cuban fare day in and day out. Breakfast and brunch is popular here: The menu leans savory, catering to meat lovers with chimichurri steak and eggs and vaca frita braised beef hash; one eggy highlight is the Havana breakfast, which pairs eggs with moro rice and a warming picadillo. (Pairing the meal with a Cuban-style coffee drink is a must.) Dinner highlights include a sweet corn tamal with chicharron and lechon; seafood paella; and pollo a la plancha.

5607 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 824-0951
(612) 824-0951

Heather's

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

Heather’s might be the perfect neighborhood restaurant. The brunch specials — like pineapple upside-down pancakes and classic croque-madames, to name a few past favorites — are always a hit. For lunch and dinner, Heather’s rotates in specials that feel fresh and seasonal (think sweet corn polenta with roasted duck and blueberry chutney). The space is casual but bright, and usually filled with fresh-cut flowers. Cap off a meal with a stroll around nearby Lake Nokomis, and grab a noodle salad from the little deli counter on the way out.

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 445-8822
(612) 445-8822

Abi's Restaurant

2828 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Chef Abi Baire takes inspiration from the women in her family — her grandmother, mother, and Aunt Maria — who’ve been cooking Salvadoran food for generations. She brought their time-tested recipes to Minneapolis in 2015, when she opened Abi’s Restaurant on Lyndale Avenue. The entire menu, which has everything from quesabirria to camarones a la plancha, is stellar, but the absolute musts are the flavor-packed pupusas. Mix and match the revueltas, the chicharrón con queso, and the queso con ayote (zucchini and cheese).

2828 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 721-0013
(612) 721-0013
A plate for rice, vegetables, salsa, and a long plantain on a bright striped table cloth.
Abi’s on Lyndale.
Abi’s Restaurant

Samarkand Restaurant

16 Nathan Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441

Plymouth’s Samarkand restaurant serves Uzbek, Tajik, and Russian food, dishing up doughy mantu (steamed beef dumplings), samsas (a traditional Uzbek savory pastry), and springy lagman noodles. Meat-heavy entrees are balanced by bright carrot salads and steaming cups of borscht. Samarkand’s plov — a flavor-dense rice dish made with beets, currants, and spices — is a specialty.

16 Nathan Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441
(763) 545-9842
(763) 545-9842
White porcelean dishes holding a rice dish, meat kebabs with French fries, and shredded carrots, plus a blue porcelain teapot, on a patterned tablecloth.
A dinner spread at Samarkand.
Samarkand

Giulia

215 S 4th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401

While Giulia is a hotel restaurant in sleepy downtown Minneapolis, it pretty much stands on its own. Giulia shares its vaulted space with the Emery’s lobby, but the hotel overlap stops there. The focus on northern Italian flavors are precise and spot-on — think virtually faultless ricotta meatballs, a play on arancini (here, named suppli) paired with apple, and maltagliati: homemade, silky ribbons of pasta with a tonkotsu-style Japanese stock that’s wildly flavorful.

215 S 4th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 215-5450
(612) 215-5450
A bowl of green noodles at Giulia.
A bright bowl of pasta at Giulia.
Giulia

Zakia Deli

2412 Kennedy St NE (at Stinson Blvd), Minneapolis, MN 55413

Zakia Deli dishes up fresh Lebanese and Greek fare in Northeast Minneapolis, just off Stinson Boulevard. Hot falafel sandwiches, gyros, kebabs, baba ghanoush, and spanakopita are all staples here — but the best move is to take advantage of Zakia’s daily specials, which feature entrees like lamb shank, bazella (a pea stew), and cabbage rolls.

2412 Kennedy St NE (at Stinson Blvd), Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-0288
(612) 379-0288
A braised lamb shank protuding from a white bowl of rice.
Lamb shank at Zakia Deli.
Zakia Deli

Korea Restaurant

221 Oak St SE, Minneapolis, MN

Nearly lost in the menagerie of PR-backed restaurants that populate Dinkytown, Korea Restaurant keeps quietly chugging along with a glorious assortment of bibimbap, bulgogi, and potstickers. Lunch is mayhem, but worth every second of wait time. Prepare for self-service and generous helpings, and don’t be shy to refill on the side dishes.

221 Oak St SE, Minneapolis, MN
(612) 746-0559
(612) 746-0559

Cafe Racer Kitchen

e, 2929 E 25th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Cafe Racer’s arepas — subtly sweet and soft on the inside, fried golden on the outside — are at the heart of this pared-down Latin American menu. For breakfast, they’re served with marmalade or kielbasa, or as a side to an omelet topped with bright salsa criolla and pico. For dinner, they’re a perfect complement to braised pulled pork or roasted chicken, and other sides like yuca frita and sweet plantains.

e, 2929 E 25th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 208-1695
(612) 208-1695
Yuca frita, an arepa, and shredded pork topped with sauce and purple onions on a white plate.
Don’t miss the cilantro aioli at Cafe Racer.
Cafe Racer

Midori's Floating World Cafe

3425 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406

John and Midori Flomer’s Japanese restaurant was extensively damaged during the social uprisings of 2020, but has since opened at a new location just a few blocks west on Lake Street. The sushi menu is simple (think spicy salmon and vegan caterpillar rolls; hamachi and unagi nigiri, etc.), beautifully presented, and accompanied by other Japanese dishes like kitsune udon, shoyu ramen, unagidon (grilled fresh-water eel over rice) and soba salad. Save room for sweet, doughy daifuku: sweet red bean filling encased in a mochi shell. For now, Midori’s is takeout only.

3425 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
(763) 464-7829
(763) 464-7829

Zait & Za'atar: Mediterranean Dhaba

1626 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104

Zait & Za’atar, a casual “Mediterranean dhaba” on Selby Avenue, marries Mediterranean and South Asian flavors. It’s a great place to fill up on fresh falafel, baba ghanoush, and juicy shawarma sandwiches and plates. But don’t overlook the chaat: crispy samosas, tangy pani puri dripping with tamarind, and vada (fried lentil balls) doused in cool dahi (yogurt).

1626 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 493-7438
(651) 493-7438

Homi Restaurant

864 University Avenue West, MN 55104

Owners Hortencia Reyes and Miguel Lopez opened Homi (a combination of their names) in 2010. More than a decade later, their son chef Miguel Lopez leads the kitchen, serving family recipes in a sunny, recently updated space on University Avenue. The whole menu — from the chille relleno to the empanadas to the fried beans — is made from scratch. Stop by on a chilly day for Hidalgo-style barbacoa de Borrego served with consome; menudo; or pozole.

864 University Avenue West, MN 55104
(651) 222-0655
(651) 222-0655

Hyacinth

790 Grand Ave (S Avon St), Saint Paul, MN 55105

Intimacy, comfort, and Italian romance are the themes this petite Grand Avenue dining room. Founder Rikki Giambruno opened Hyacinth after running a popular New York restaurant — Abraham Gessesse, one of Gambruno’s first line cooks, took the reins as chef and owner in 2023. Hyacinth’s succinct menu changes seasonally, featuring dishes like tomato crostini; risotto al salto with mushroom puree; and fried chicken parmesan with plump cherry tomatoes. Hyacinth stays airy and sun-drenched during the day, and takes on the feel of a cozy, crowded New York City restaurant at night.

790 Grand Ave (S Avon St), Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 478-1822
(651) 478-1822
A light-filled room with a bar and small table set nearby.
Hyacinth, on Grand Avenue,
Kevin Kramer / Eater Twin Cities

Moscow on the Hill

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102

Moscow on the Hill is a St. Paul staple for Eastern European fare: Think pillowy deruny (Ukranian-style potato pancakes), borscht, chicken kiev, and neatly wrapped pelmeni served with a dollop of sour cream. The house infused vodkas — particularly the horseradish — are one of this restaurant’s specialties. There’s a big, leafy patio out back for when the weather’s good; otherwise, the main dining room, draped in rich red and gold fabrics, is one of St. Paul’s coziest.

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-1236
(651) 291-1236
Two potato pancakes on a white plate topped with sour cream and caramelized onions.
Ukranian-style potato pancakes at Moscow on the Hill.
Justine Jones

El Cubano

870 Dodd Rd, St Paul, MN 55118

Tucked off Dodd Road in a residential area of St. Paul, El Cubano serves hot sandwiches, all toasted and pressed with butter. Try the eponymous Cubano, a layered masterpiece of roasted meat, tangy mustard, and pickles, served with yuca frita and a house mojito dip. (El Cubano serves entrees like Dominican-style red snapper or traditional Cuban bistec encebollado, too.) Don’t forget an order of the tostones.

870 Dodd Rd, St Paul, MN 55118
(651) 227-1510
(651) 227-1510

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