11 Best Lake Street Restaurants in Minneapolis to Try

Lake Street in Minneapolis is one of the most diverse collectives of restaurants and culinary experiences. These are some of the best Lake Street restaurants in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis has a great food scene. You can find a number of different perspectives on where to eat, like the Minneapolis riverwalk, downtown, lakeside, neighborhood, or even rural dining.

Minneapolis has it all when it comes to dining experiences. Lake Street is a long street in south Minneapolis that sits between the 31st and 29th streets and spans nearly the entire city from east to west.

It’s long enough that Lake Street has two sides, West and East. The neighborhood dynamics between the two are very different, along with anything in between. Block by block, you can find cuisine from around the world. And every restaurant excels in its culture’s cuisine.

These are some of the top restaurants to visit along Lake Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Of course, we haven’t tried every restaurant on Lake Street, so if there is a top restaurant you think we should try, tag us on Instagram @viatravelers.

Best Lake Street Restaurants in Minneapolis

The Bungalow Club

Address: 4300 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

A trendy dinner spot with an unbeatable happy hour – yes, it does exist. The Bungalow Club is on the east side of Lake Street, closer to the Longfellow neighborhood, and it boasts Instagram-worthy cocktails, easy-to-share appetizers, and a unique dinner menu that caters to multiple tastes.

Just look at these crispy chicken wings…

The Bungalow Club chicken wings (happy hour favorite)

The best around, I’d say. We live close to The Bungalow Club, so we are frequent visitors in the summer. We bike right up and enjoy cocktails and happy hour munchies before tucking in – or going out, depending on what cocktails we ordered.

There’s a reason why we also called The Bungalow Club one of the best takeout restaurants in Minneapolis.

See Related: Things to Do in Saint Paul

Longfellow Grill

Address: 2990 W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Longfellow Grill is nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River on the furthest east side of Lake Street that you can get. Longfellow Grill is known for its beer and breakfast foods.

As a sister restaurant, Longfellow Grill serves Freehouse beers (another Minnesota native) for only $3 during happy hour. This is another great happy hour spot to add to your list.

Longfellow Grill gets very busy, especially when it is nice out, and their patio fills up. Order a beer for the wait, and you will soon have some excellent upscale diner food.

We recommend the bacon benedict oscar, roasted beet salad, or stroganoff.

See Related: Best Places to Visit in Minnesota

Midtown Global Market: Best International Food on Lake Street

Address: 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Midtown Global Market is the perfect spot for locals and tourists, an international food center with pop-ups like authentic Mexican tacos and dessert-only stands.

There is something for everyone here. At Midtown Global Market, you can walk through aisles and aisles of unique grab-and-go restaurants before making your decision.

You can even stop at a few spots and get a little of everything. Some of our favorite stands are:

Hot Indian (vegan options!)
La Loma Tamales
Andy’s Garage
Safari Express (vegan options!)

Once you’ve chosen, you can head to the brewery attached with your goodies. East Lake Brewing has good beer on tap and a friendly atmosphere. Ask for a flight of your favorite types of beer to try them all.

Sonora Grill: Tex Mex on Lake Street

Burger and Fries in Sonora Grill — image by nullrend is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Address: 3300 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Sonora Grill is an American/Tex-Mex restaurant offering various options. They have an amazing drink list, along with excellent tacos. You can choose tacos a la carte to make up the perfect combination of fish, beef, chicken, vegetarian, etc.

Sonora Grill has options for everyone. From healthy and vegetarian eats to meat-stuffed burritos, nothing at Sonora Grill will disappoint. We recommend the tacos and corn tortillas filled with all the right stuff.

They also have a heavy pour for wines. If margaritas aren’t your thing, you can enjoy a giant beer or a large glass of wine with your tacos.

See Related: Best Places to Visit in Minnesota

Bringing the Brasserie to Minneapolis: Barbette

Barbette Entrance — image by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Address: 1600 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408

A traditional French brasserie in the heart of Lake Street. Champagne, oysters, brie – you name it. If you think it’s French, it is probably on the menu here.

This place is all about the atmosphere and great food. Art lines the walls like a typical French apartment, and the scents from the kitchen are to die for.

Our favorite meal at Barbette is brunch. The food is top-notch, and it is less crowded. You can slowly enjoy a latte and an omelet and take in the art around you.

Did we mention that the bartenders are friendly and make some of the best drinks in town? Well, we did now. The wine menu at Barbette never disappoints, and there is always an option perfect for whatever dish you enjoy.

Football and Nachos on Lake Street: Peppers and Fries

Peppers & Fries on Lake Street, Minneapolis — Kyle Kroeger / ViaTravelers

Address: 3900 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Minneapolis has a lot of bars to watch football at, but not many sports bars. Peppers & Fries is a traditional sports bar offering pub eats and a big beer menu. And they play the sound of the football games.

What keeps us going back is their nachos. Unlike traditional nachos, where you fight to get everything on the chip, these nachos are made for you on giant chips with all the toppings.

We also go back for the Sunday beer specials during football season. Summits on tap and food specials make Peppers & Fries the ultimate Sunday spot.

The only downside to Peppers & Fries is that it’s a Packer bar. Still, it is worth it for the great food and good beer. Try it out; you won’t be disappointed.

See Related: Best Breakfast in Minnesota

Tacos El Primo

Address: 3909 Minnehaha Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Tacos in the city for under $5? Sign us up. Tacos El Primo makes genuine tacos at affordable prices. They also deliver around Minneapolis, so you don’t need to leave your couch on football Sunday.

Gluten-Free, Fast Casual on Lake Street at Brim

Food at Brim Restaurant — image by HowdyDoody4/TripAdvisor

Address: 2919 Knox Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Gluten-free is hard to come by in the restaurant scene, but not at Brim! Brim is a farm-fresh, fast-casual, gluten-free spot on Lake Street in Uptown.

Don’t let gluten-free scare others away. Brim has thought of it all. Brim has turned over every stone, from gluten-free pumpkin bread to avocado toast and even donuts, to ensure gluten-free eaters can enjoy it all.

Perk: they even have a gluten-free beer. Grab your gluten-intolerant buddies and the one who always says they’re gluten-free (we all know they eat drunk pizza), and head to Brim for an excellent meal.

The best quesadilla on lake street: Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas

best minneapolis quesadilla — The ultimate quesadilla

Address: 1526 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Honestly, it’s the best chicken quesadilla we’ve ever had in our entire lives, including trips to Mexico and Costa Rica (among others).

Insane right? They chop up all the parts of the quesadilla and mix them before melting gooey cheese and crisping the tortilla. I literally cannot describe this quesadilla. You have to try it.

The restaurant does not serve alcohol but has traditional fare and Mexican Coca-Cola. It is very casual, comfy, and ready to enjoy the quesadilla!

See Related: Best Mexican Restaurants in Minnesota

English Beers on Lake Street at Merlin’s Rest Pub

Front of Merlin's Rest Pub — Merlin’s Rest Pub / Facebook

Address: 3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406, United States

It isn’t easy to come by proper pub ales in Minneapolis, but not on Lake Street at Merlin’s Rest. Merlin’s Rest serves up some great English ales and pub favorites.

Merlin’s Rest also has an extensive whiskey list to pair with your meal of fish & chips, Cornish pastry, or bangers & mash. We recommend the chips and gravy with a proper ale on the patio. The inside is super cozy in winter – like in an English pub.

Merlin’s Rest also has frequent events and live music. It’s best to check the website to see what’s coming each week.

Lake Street has so many great options for dining. With so many options, picking which one to try first is hard. We hope these restaurants on Lake Street give you a place to start. Let us know which ones you try and if we left somewhere out.