9 cheap eats rooms in Minneapolis, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Minneapolis — the places editors actually return to. All Minneapolis food.
Matt's Bar ★ 4.7
longfellow-powderhorn · 3500 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Matt's Bar on Cedar Avenue has poured the Jucy Lucy in South Minneapolis since 1954. The original cheese-stuffed burger; Anthony Bourdain ate here in 2009.
Tip: Cash and cards both accepted. Note the spelling on the sign: Jucy Lucy, no 'i' in Jucy. Be patient with the molten cheese.
Quang Restaurant ★ 4.7
eat-street · 2719 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Quang on Nicollet Avenue has run Minneapolis's defining Vietnamese pho room on Eat Street since 1989. James Beard America's Classics Award 2024 winner.
Tip: Lunch line out the door by 12:30; arrive before noon or after 13:30. The cash discount is worth bringing bills.
Kramarczuk's East European Deli ★ 4.5
northeast · 215 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Kramarczuk's on East Hennepin has cured Eastern European sausages in Minneapolis since 1954. James Beard America's Classics 2013; pierogi and varenyky to take home.
Tip: Cafeteria line moves fast at lunch; the deli counter at the front sells uncooked sausage.
Izzy's Ice Cream ★ 4.5
saint-paul · 2034 Marshall Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55104
Izzy's Ice Cream on Marshall Avenue has run a small-batch ice cream counter in Saint Paul since 2000. The Izzy scoop, a tiny extra flavour on top of any cone.
Tip: Summer line wraps around the block by 19:00. Solar-powered scoop shop and the second location in Minnehaha is faster.
Manny's Tortas ★ 4.4
eat-street · 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Manny's Tortas in the Midtown Global Market has run Mexico City-style sandwiches in Minneapolis since 1999. Telera-bread tortas; the Cubana stacks five meats.
Tip: Inside Midtown Global Market; counter service. Family-run since opening.
Bebe Zito ★ 4.4
uptown · 704 W 22nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Bebe Zito on West 22nd Street is Minneapolis's chef-driven ice cream and smash burger counter, with a flamed creme brulee scoop as its calling card.
Tip: Open daily 11am to 10pm. The Malcolm Yards stall at 501 30th Ave SE is the easier sit; Uptown is the original.
5-8 Club ★ 4.3
longfellow-powderhorn · 5800 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55417
The 5-8 Club on Cedar Avenue South claims the original Juicy Lucy in Minneapolis, contested with Matt's Bar. The other side of the cheese-burger debate.
Tip: Lunch crowd thins after 13:00. The patio in summer makes the cheese-burn waiting easier.
El Burrito Mercado ★ 4.3
saint-paul · 175 Cesar Chavez St, Saint Paul, MN 55107
El Burrito Mercado on Cesar Chavez Street has run a Mexican grocery and counter in Saint Paul's West Side since 1979. Carnitas, tamales, the cafeteria-style counter.
Tip: Front grocery sells pan dulce; counter at the back. Sunday brunch buffet runs $14.
Hot Hands Pie and Biscuit ★ 4.3
saint-paul · 272 Snelling Ave S, Saint Paul, MN 55105
Hot Hands Pie and Biscuit in Saint Paul bakes scratch pies and buttermilk biscuits on Snelling Avenue, a small Macalester-Groveland counter run from a tight kitchen.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday 8am to 3pm, Sunday 9am to 2pm, closed Monday. The biscuit sandwiches are the morning pick.