As much as I try to avoid the travel blogger-meets-Instagrammer stereotypes, I’ll admit: I’m a sucker for brunch. I don’t go as often as I’d like and frankly, most weekends I’m working, but when I’m willing to take a Saturday off, nothing beats a brunch of egg and cheese concoctions and thick, fluffy pancakes. In recent visits to Minnesota, I’ve made a point of going to brunch in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Brunch in the Twin Cities is an eclectic gaggle of modern Filipino delicacies to classic diner bites. Indulge in Southern comfort food or traditional Mexican breakfast plates. These restaurants for breakfast and brunch in Minneapolis are the best the cities have to offer.
The Best Restaurants for Breakfast and Brunch in Minneapolis and St. Paul
Hi-Lo Diner
An original 1957 Federo Diner traveled from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2015 after 60 years in business just to serve up one of the Twin Cities’ best breakfasts. This hip, retro diner features familiar breakfast plates like huevos rancheros, French toast, and pancakes.
In addition to diner greatest hits, indulge in Hi-Lo’s original creations and modernized confections like the Minneapolis Bliss—a donut topped with apples, sea salt caramel, whipped cream, and candied pecan; or spicy cheese curds. The diner also brings some East Coast favorites to the midwest, like New Jersey’s diner fries.
Skip the mimosa here—Hi-Lo Diner has a well-sized signature cocktail menu, and even offers ice cream cocktails for those craving something sweet in the morning.
Hope Breakfast Bar
St. Paul: 1 S Leech St, St Paul, MN 55102
St. Paul hours: Open 8 am to 3 pm, daily
St. Louis Park: 5377 W 16th St, St Louis Park, MN 55416
St. Louis Park hours: Open 7 am to 3 pm, daily.
Hope Breakfast Bar is currently one of the trendiest brunches in the Twin Cities. The inventive breakfast restaurant in St. Paul attracts all ages for their savory and sweet creations. The menu is expansive, split into sweet and savory. A pleasant surprise, the restaurant offers tons of vegetarian breakfast options—a rarity.
On a recent visit, I tried the pimento cheese scramble, while my dining companions went for the blackened cauliflower and fried egg, and the banana churro waffle. Although my pimento cheese scramble may not have looked like much, it was rich, hearty, and indulgent. Hashbrowns were solid, but didn’t have enough flavor to stand up on their own without ketchup or hot sauce. The blackened cauliflower’s spicy cheese gratin was a surprise favorite, and the banana churro waffle was the dessert breakfast of my childhood dreams (though definitely is not for those missing their sweet tooth).
Hope Breakfast Bar features an extensive cocktail menu just as whimsical as their food. Instead of serving just a classic mimosa, the restaurant offers a “unicorn mimosa” made of Prosecco poured over cotton candy. Mimosa enthusiasts can order a “mimosa board,” of champagne or sparkling rosé, fresh juice, and fresh berries. Those looking to step away from classic brunch cocktails can try the pistachio martini, West 7th Cereal Bowl, and pineapple coconut whip.
With so many interesting options on the menu, Hope Breakfast Bar is a disruptors in the Twin Cities’ brunch scene. I have my eye on the giant pickle pretzel, cheddar cheese grilled cheese, and piña colada French toast for future visits.
Café Cérés
1840 NE Central Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Hours: Open 10 am to 9 pm Sunday to Thursday, open 10 am to 10 pm Friday and Saturday.
Sometimes brunch is a laid-back way to start your week with friends and let’s be honest: sometimes it’s the sweet elixir to nurse a hangover. Mexican food is always my brunch of choice for the latter use.
Maya Cusine and Bar is home to one of the best affordable brunches in the Minneapolis, serving an authentic Mexican brunch every Sunday for less than $20. Brunch is from 10 am to 3 pm, and features all-you-can-eat Mexican breakfast dishes.
Locally, Maya Cuisine has become a Northeast Minneapolis darling for their self-serve salsa bar. Featuring mild to spicy salsas such as avocado salsa, habanero salsa, and a signature salsa Maya amongst others, it’s tempting to try them all.
Hola Arepa
3501 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Hours: Open 4 to 10 pm Tuesday to Wednesday, open 10 am to 11 pm on Saturdays, and open 10 am to 11 pm on Sundays. Closed on Mondays.
As the name suggests, Venezuelan arepas are placed front and center at this South Minneapolis eatery. Started as a food truck by Chef Christina Nguyen (also of Hai Hai), and her partner, Birk Grudem, Hola Arepa has become a Twin Cities hotspot for casual brunch or dinner.
While vegetarian arepas are few and far between in Venezuela and Colombia (save for cheese), Hola Arepa serves a few interesting vegetarian and vegan arepa options, such as the jackfruit al pastor arepa (my go-to, though unfortunately not on the brunch menu). Every arepa is served with yuca fries, aioli verde, and chimichurri.
It’s not just arepa’s on Hola Arepa’s brunch menu. Latin American-inspired breakfast plates are also in the kitchen, such as tostada chilaquiles, fried yuca hash, and vegan arroz verde.
I’ll admit: on my first visit, I wasn’t so sold on Hola Arepa. Since giving the restaurant a second try, food greatly improved, I’ve come to see why the restaurant is such a popular spot in Minneapolis.
Prices are affordable—nothing on the menu is above $16. While the indoor space is splashy and fun, Hola Arepa is best in the warmer months when diners can enjoy the restaurant’s expansive, dog-friendly patio.
Brunch at Hola Arepa is served 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Martina
4312 Upton Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Hours: Open 5 to 10 pm Monday to Friday, open 10 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 10 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Daniel del Prado’s original modern Argentinian haunt in Linden Hills, Martina, is perfect for those looking for a refined brunch in Minneapolis. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm.
Martina’s elevated brunch menu bridges American and Latin flavors. Smoked salmon and burrata is served on a bagel with salsa verde and pepitas. While you could order a classic burger, the jalapeño burger is topped with white cheddar, corn, and Serrano.
The empanadas are a must-order at Martina for brunch or dinner, filled with creamed leeks and gorgonzola. A nod to Martina’s revamped seafood-centric dinner menu, lobster toast, crab benedict, and oysters on the half shell all make their way onto Martina’s brunch menu.
I’ve hardly had a bad meal at a DDP restaurant (save for some lackluster oyster mushroom kebabs at Cardamom), and Martina is no different. The Linden Hills staple is a great pick for brunch with friends, family, or your significant other.
Victor’s 1959 Cafe
3756 Grand Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Hours: Open 9 am to 2:30 pm Wednesday to Sunday.
The walls at Victor’s 1959 Cafe tell a story. This neighborhood institution in Kingston has names, notes, and drawings from generations of locals scrawled across its walls. The restaurant is a true breakfast joint, only opening 9 am to 2:30 pm daily for breakfast and brunch.
Victor’s 1959 Cafe is a Cuban restaurant in South Minneapolis, nestled in an old Shell gas station. The cozy cafe received national attention after being featured on Guy Fieri’s Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
On the menu are classic Cuban plates, including rope vieja, croquetas, pan con lechon, and tostones rellenos. If you’re looking for something more familiar with a little cuban flair, try the mango or corn pancake.
French Meadow
Minneapolis: 2610 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 Minneapolis hours: Open 8 am to 3 pm Monday and Tuesday, open 8 am to 9 pm Wednesday to Sunday.
St. Paul: 1662 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
St. Paul hours: Open 7 am to 8 pm Sunday to Thursday, open 7 am to 9 pm Friday and Saturday.
The first certified organic bakery in the United States, French Meadow is one of the best restaurants for brunch in Minneapolis and St. Paul for dietary restrictions. This healthy restaurant has been ahead of its time for 35 years, embracing “farm-to-table” dining well before the term was coined.
French Meadow is best known for its emphasis on healthy eating, and intentional living. The bistro’s menu changes seasonally and features options for vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free diets, and of course, omnivores. Ingredients, wines, and spirits are source from small, organic, hormone-free producers who engage in sustainable and humane business practices.
Despite their conscious business practices, French Meadow doesn’t feel preachy or crunchy. Instead, the bistro is comforting and cozy.
Little Tijuana
17 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Hours: Open 4 pm to 1 am on Mondays, and Wednesday to Saturday; open 10 am to 1 am Sundays. Closed on Tuesdays.
Though it may be known as one of the best restaurants for late night food in Minneapolis, Little Tijuana is just as good in the morning. Little Tijuana, colloquially known as “Little T’s,” is quickly earning a reputation as one of the best restaurants for brunch in Minneapolis, but if you’re familiar with their funky, international late night menu, you may be surprised by their brunch offering.
Little Tijuana’s brunch menu is shockingly straightforward, seemingly focused on getting the American and European breakfast classics right. On the menu are an eggs benedict, Croque Madame, and lemon curd pancakes (a popular brunch pick anywhere for me). Asian-inspired fare still makes an appearance with their beef or mushroom rice bowl, made of jasmine rice, kimchi, cucumber, a sunny side up egg, scallion, and gochujang sauce.
For a full review of Little Tijuana, click here.
Spoon and Stable
211 N 1st St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Hours: Open 4 pm to 12 am Monday to Saturday, open 10 am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 12 am on Sundays.
Aptly named for the former stable the restaurant is housed in, Spoon and Stable is one of the best farm-to-table, fine dining restaurants in Minneapolis. Behind the scenes of this rustic-chic, New American restaurant is famed Minneapolis chef and James Beard award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen.
Spoon and Stable opens at 10 am on Sundays for brunch, whipping up mouthwatering brioche French toast, a spinach and gruyère quiche, and pork schnitzel. Perhaps just as compelling is Spoon and Stable’s pastry case, filled with cinnamon croissant rolls, chocolate marshmallow danishes, and vanilla crêpe cake. Previously, the pastry case’s yuzu lemon curds were the toast of the town.
I can attest to the restaurant’s penchant for pastries—even for dinner service, desserts are one of the stars of the show.
Hell’s Kitchen
80 S 9th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Hours: Open 8 am to 9 pm Tuesday to Saturday, open 8 am to 2 pm on Sundays. Closed on Mondays.
If you’re seeking something lively and energetic for brunch in Minneapolis, make your way to Hell’s Kitchen. This quirky, employee-owned restaurant in Downtown Minneapolis frequently features live music during weekend brunch.
Hell’s Kitchen takes standard brunch cocktails to the next level each weekend, with a decadent, 35-foot Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar aptly titled “Hell’s Jacked Up Bloody Mary and Champagne Mimosa Bar.” The bar features 243 hot sauces, rim salts, and garnishes like olives and cheese.
Food feels touched by the Midwest, with a bison benedict waffle, beer-battered Walleye bites, and Mahnomin porridge in the lineup. The restaurant may be best known for its lemon ricotta hotcakes, topped with fresh berries.
Brunch is offered until 3 pm daily, with the exception of Sundays when the restaurant closes at 2 pm. Happy hours then begins at 3 pm from Monday to Friday.
More Amazing Breakfast and Brunch Restaurants in the Twin Cities
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to visit these restaurants for breakfast and brunch in Minneapolis and St. Paul yet, but they’re on my list. These restaurants come with songs of high praise from locals, for their menus, service, and ambiance.
Kalsada
1668 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104
Hours: Open 4 pm to 9 pm Tuesday to Friday, open 8 am to 2 pm and 4 to 8 pm Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
Step out of the many American restaurants for brunch in Minneapolis and St. Paul at Kalsada, a modern Filipino restaurant in St. Paul. During the day, the restaurant has a wide array of coffee, espresso, iced, and blended drinks, including frozen hot chocolate, a mango smoothie, chai, and an ube leche espresso drink.
Kalsada puts its own touch on brunch with Filipino tocilog, arroz caldo, and crispy tortang talong. Reviewers love the ube pancakes, lumpia Shanghai, and pork bbq skewers.
The Lynhall
LynLake (Minneapolis): 2640 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
LynLake hours: Open 9 am to 2 pm Thursday to Sunday. Closed Monday to Wednesday.
Edina: 3945 Market St, Edina, MN 55424
Edina hours: Open 9 am to 2 pm Monday to Tuesday, open 9 am to 1 pm Friday to Sunday.
The Lynhall’s simple, airy space is a favorite of Minneapolis brunch enthusiasts and Instagrammers alike. The European market-inspired restaurant and event space is purely a breakfast spot, never open past 2 pm at either of its two locations.
The menu features food perfect for a simple morning with a touch of easygoing sophistication. Vegetarians can enjoy several options, including a mushroom and pea omelette made of mushroom conserve, English peas, fonduta, mushroom croutons, and spring allium; and green shakshouka, a twist on classic red shakshuka, made using green tomatoes, chard, spring onions, chickpea panosse, green tahini yogurt, and poached egg, with a choice of falafel or lamb pompette, served alongside mixed greens. Of course, the menu also includes plenty of meat-based options, such as the steak and eggs, a modern take on the classic dish using n’duja potato puree, coddled eggs, asparagus, 4oz Peterson New York Strip, chives, and crusty bread.
In addition to brunch, the Lynhall’s new Edina location now also offers afternoon tea, served every Friday to Sunday at 3pm. Reservations must be made in advanced, and secured with a credit card. Afternoon tea pricing is regularly $55 per adult, and $35 for children 10 and under, raising to $65 per adult and $40 for children on holidays including all of December, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
For years, the Lynhall has been one of the Twin Cities’ hottest brunch tickets. For either the LynLake or Edina locations, I highly recommend making a reservation in advance. Reservations for the Lynhall can be made on OpenTable.
Revival
Minneapolis: 4537 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Minneapolis hours: Open 4 to 9 pm Monday to Friday, open 9 am to 10 pm on Saturdays, and open 9 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
St. Paul: 525 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
St. Paul hours: Open 3 to 9 pm Monday to Thursday, open 3 to 10 pm on Fridays, open 9 am to 10 pm on Saturdays, and open 9 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
St. Louis Park: 8028 Minnetonka Blvd, St Louis Park, MN 55426
St. Louis Park hours: Open 3 to 9 pm Monday to Thursday, open 3 to 10 pm on Fridays, open 9 am to 10 pm on Saturdays, and open 9 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
James Beard award nominee, Chef Thomas Boemer, brings traditional Southern flavor to Minneapolis with his award-winning fried chicken. Revival has long been a frequent haunt of my friends in the Twin Cities because frankly, there are few Southern restaurants in the cities able to compete with Revival’s famous fried chicken, and critics have taken notice.
Famed food critic and Minnesota-native, Andrew Zimmern, named Revival as one of the top 10 barbecue restaurants in America, stating that St. Paul was a “barbecue wasteland” before Revival’s second location opened its doors, with an added focus on classic smoked meats.
Brunch at Revival is 9 am to 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday, offering guests Southern comfort food classics like brisket hash and a chicken and gravy biscuit. Revival’s brunch sides don’t skimp on the Southern theme either, with white cheddar grits and collared greens on offer.
Al’s Breakfast
413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Hours: Open 6 am to 1 pm Monday to Saturday, and 9 am to 1 pm on Sundays.
My boyfriend insisted, insisted that Al’s Breakfast makes this list. When I asked if he’d gone, he responded “No! Because it’s impossible to get a table there!” This man rarely has a strong opinion on my blog content, but when it comes to brunch in Minneapolis, he apparently gets going about this tiny breakfast restaurant.
Al’s Breakfast is a true diner, nestled in the narrowest restaurant in Minneapolis. The diner’s 14 seats have seen noteworthy Minnesotans such as Garrison Keillor. The restaurant has stood in Dinkytown since 1950, earning a James Beard Award in “America’s Classics Restaurants,” and being featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives three times.
It’s no surprise that Al’s Breakfast’s menu is strictly diner essentials, serving up omelettes, eggs any way, and pancakes, amongst others. Unlike many popular spots for brunch in Minneapolis, you won’t overpay at Al’s. Al’s Breakfast is also one of the most inexpensive breakfast restaurants in Minneapolis—there’s hardly a plate over $12.
Hen House Eatery
114 S 8th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Hours: Open 7 am to 3 pm Monday to Friday, open 7:30 am to 2 pm Saturday and Sunday.
This family-friendly restaurant in Downtown Minneapolis focuses on locally sourced, homestyle food. The menu is extensive, featuring both American and Mexican breakfast staples including chicken and waffles, and chilaquiles. The banana bread French toast and cinnamon roll are praised by reviewers.
Hen House Eatery also offers a kids’ menu, unlike many of the best restaurants for brunch.
NOLO’s Kitchen & Bar
515 N Washington Ave #100, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Hours: Open 8 am to 9 pm Sunday to Thursday, open 8 am to 10 pm Friday and Saturday.
NOLO’s Kitchen & Bar is a modern American comfort food restaurant in Minneapolis’ trendy North Loop. The industrial-chic restaurant is best known for its breakfast fried rice, made of jasmine rice, breakfast sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, peas, sesame kale, and yum yum sauce.
Brunch at NOLO’s Kitchen & Bar can be a tricky table to nab on the weekends, but aren’t impossible to grab. Make your reservation via OpenTable at least a week in advance for the best availability.
Saint Genevieve
5003 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Hours: Open 4:30 to 9 pm Tuesday to Thursday, open 2:30 to 9 pm on Fridays, open 10 am to 9 pm on Saturdays, and open 10 am to 2 pm on Sundays. Closed on Mondays.
In Lynnhurst lays Saint Genevieve, an effortlessly elegant French bistro, quickly earning a reputation as one of the best restaurants for brunch in Minneapolis. The restaurant has been buzzy since opening, earning a spot on Bon Appétit’s “America’s Best New Restaurants” list at the time.
Expect to find plays on Frenchy breakfast plates, such as quiche, a breakfast burger, and savory wild mushroom and brie crêpes. The brunch menu is straight and to the point—a display of confidence that Saint Genevieve knows what it does best.
Saint Genevieve’s brunch quickly sells out during prime hours. Reservations can be made on Tock.
The Lowry
This principal Minneapolis eatery in Uptown serves breakfast daily, opening its doors at 8 am every day of the week. The menu is decidedly American, including a farmers’ breakfast, French toast chicken stack, and big ol’ breakfast burrito.
The Lowry also has a free parking lot for guests—rare in Uptown.
Keys Cafe
St. Paul Raymond: 767 Raymond Ave, St Paul, MN 55114
Keys Cafe (The Original) hours: Open 7 am to 2 pm Monday to Wednesday, open 7 am to 7 pm Thursday to Saturday, and open 8 am to 2 pm on Sundays.
W Minneapolis – The Foshay: 114 S 9th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Keys at the Foshay hours: Open 7:30 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday, open 8 am to 2 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Six additional locations in Forest Lake, Roseville, St. Paul Robert, White Bear Lake, and in Wisconsin.
Now look, happy hour may typically be a post-work festivity, but at Keys Cafe, happy hour also takes place at breakfast to kickstart your day. This long-running Twin Cities breakfast chain offers a breakfast happy hour from 8 to 10 am daily at its Minneapolis location.
Keys Cafe focuses on the food “you grew up with.” Simple, recognizable, and somewhat-Southern recipes to start your day, each made from scratch. The restaurant was founded in the early 1970s, and still serves founder and Minnesota Restaurant Hall of Fame inductee, Barbara Hunn’s original recipes to this day at all eight of their locations.
The Butcher’s Tale
1121 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Hours: Open 5 to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, open 10 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
The Butcher’s Tale’s expansive patio is a fitting spot for brunch on a warm, sunny morning. The artisanal steakhouse receives high praise for its Sunday brunch.
The Butcher’s Tale’s brunch menu is heavy and hearty. A regular omelet is revamped with cheddar-crusted, smoked jalapeño cream cheese, and hatch green chili tomato salsa. In a way that almost feels edgy, the traditional Canadian bacon is replaced by smoked prime brisket and drizzled with Tabasco molasses.
Vegetarians aren’t out of luck, either—The Butcher’s Tale offers several vegetarian options, most sweet like pancakes and French toast, save for the savory fried green tomatoes, the restaurant’s play on a vegetarian eggs benedict; and the Arizona omelet.
Our Kitchen
813 W 36th St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Hours: Open 7 am to 3 pm Monday to Friday, open 7 am to 2 pm Saturday and Sunday.
“Our Kitchen is your kitchen,” as self-described by this East Harriet breakfast operation. Our Kitchen is simple and straightforward. Housemade pancakes and omelets are exactly as they sound, served in plentiful portions at fair prices.
The cozy space is often a two-person show, with just one waitress and cook holding down anticipating guests. Locals regularly sing praises for this hole-in-the-wall neighborhood diner—hence the frequent line. On the weekend, expect a wait, and come up with a backup plan.
Looking for more of the best restaurants in Minneapolis and St. Paul? Click here to discover.
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xx,
E
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