What to order at Colita

Must order
The lamb barbacoa tacos with handmade tortillas and the mole negro.
Editor tip
Dinner only, 4pm or 5pm start depending on day. The bar pours mezcal flights and is the easiest walk-in seat.
CuisineMexican
Price$$$
NeighborhoodLinden Hills
HoursMon-Thu 17:00-21:00, Fri-Sat 16:00-22:00, Sun 16:00-21:00
Last verified

Why locals love it: Daniel del Prado's Tex-Oaxacan room sits at the Armatage edge of Linden Hills, six miles south of downtown, with the cocina sending out smoked lamb barbacoa and mole negro.

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Location

Address: 5400 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419

More hidden gems in Minneapolis

Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub ★ 4.2

$$ American BarbecueLongfellow Powderhorn

Northbound Smokehouse in Minneapolis runs a Longfellow brewpub on East 38th Street with house-smoked wings, American barbecue and beers brewed.

OrderSmoked wings with house barbecue and a pint of the Honey Wheat.

Why locals goOff the East 38th Street corridor in Longfellow, the smokehouse paired with an in-house brewery rarely shows up on downtown lists yet pours its own beer with smoked wings nightly.

TipKitchen runs to 9:30 weekdays and 10:30 Friday and Saturday. Walk-up tables open after 8pm on weekday evenings.

Hot Hands Pie and Biscuit ★ 4.3

$ BakerySaint Paul

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.

OrderChicken pot pie and a side of the buttermilk biscuit with jam.

Why locals goA small Macalester-Groveland counter on Snelling that bakes pies and biscuits from scratch, open only Tuesday to Sunday with savory pot pies often gone by 1pm.

TipTuesday to Saturday 8am to 3pm, Sunday 9am to 2pm, closed Monday. The biscuit sandwiches are the morning pick.

Hola Arepa ★ 4.5

$$ VenezuelanEat Street

Hola Arepa in Minneapolis runs the city's defining Venezuelan kitchen on Nicollet, with stuffed arepas, plantain bowls and tropical cocktails.

OrderPabellon arepa with shredded beef, black beans and plantain.

Why locals goChristina Nguyen and Birk Grudem's South Minneapolis arepa room sits well off the downtown circuit, three miles south of Loring Park.

TipBrunch lands Saturday and Sunday from 10:00; tropical rum punch is the order with the arepa plate. Book a Resy for Friday night.

Animales Barbeque Co. ★ 4.5

$$ American BBQNorth Loop

Animales Barbeque Co. runs the smoker that defines Minneapolis barbecue, with brisket and ribs from a 12,500 square foot Harrison music hall on Fremont Ave N.

OrderThe brisket plate by the pound with white bread, pickles and onions.

Why locals goAfter a decade as a Bauhaus parking-lot pop-up, the smoker moved into a 12,500 square foot Harrison room with a live music stage in 2025.

TipWednesday to Sunday only; meats sell out by 8pm on busy weekends. Order at the counter, grab a booth, listen for the band.

Bebe Zito ★ 4.4

$ BurgersUptown

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.

OrderThe smash burger paired with a creme brulee ice cream, flamed at the counter.

Why locals goOn a quiet Uptown side street off Lyndale, the original Bebe Zito flies under the radar of the Lake Street crowd ten blocks south.

TipOpen daily 11am to 10pm. The Malcolm Yards stall at 501 30th Ave SE is the easier sit; Uptown is the original.

Cardamom ★ 4.4

$$$ MediterraneanLowry Hill

Cardamom in Minneapolis runs Daniel del Prado's Aegean Mediterranean kitchen inside the Walker Art Center, with grilled fish and meze plates.

OrderThe whole grilled branzino with lemon and Aegean greens.

Why locals goHidden inside the Walker Art Center, Daniel del Prado's Aegean room reads as a museum cafe at first glance, then sends out grilled octopus and koji-aged lamb.

TipClosed Monday and Tuesday. Brunch from 11:00 Wednesday to Sunday; the Walker sculpture garden is the post-meal walk.

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