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A bowl of red soup with dumplings alongside other small bowls of rice and slaw on a table.
Kimchi Tofu House in Dinkytown.
Alma Guzman

Where to Eat in Dinkytown, Near the University of Minnesota Campus

Silken tofu stew, charred kebabs, and buttermilk pancakes near campus

by Justine Jones and Eater Staff
1 comment / new
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Kimchi Tofu House in Dinkytown.
| Alma Guzman
by Justine Jones and Eater Staff
1 comment / new

Few Minneapolis neighborhoods have a restaurant turnover rate quite like Dinkytown’s — the area has been shaped and reshaped again by generations of college students passing through. But certain staples endure. From Cantonese fare at Shuang Cheng to blueberry pancakes at Al’s Breakfast; mac and cheese pizza at Mesa to fresh hummus platters at Wally’s, here are 11 essential restaurants in Dinkytown, near the University of Minnesota campus.

Note that these maps are listed geographically.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Banh Appetit

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It’s all about the banh mi at Banh Appetit. The Dirty Bird, which pairs saucy, panko-crusted fried chicken tenders with bright pickled vegetables, is a favorite, but banh mi choices range from pork with pate to curried mock duck. The fries are Dinkytown’s most famous.

511 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 367-4765
(612) 367-4765

Wally's Falafel & Hummus

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This family-run spot serves hummus platters, kabobs, gyros, and sides like dolmas and baba ghanoush. The chicken shawarma sandwich, a highlight, packs tender shawarma alongside French fries and pickles in a thin, supple pita. Save room for baklava or gooey knafeh.

423 14th Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 746-4776
(612) 746-4776
A white plate of hummus topped with olive oil, chick peas, and vegetables.
A hummus spread at Wally’s.
Wally’s Falafel & Hummus

Al's Breakfast

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Known affectionately as Minneapolis’s narrowest restaurant, Al’s Breakfast, which opened in 1950, is nestled into a 10-food-wide storefront in Dinkytown. The cook might sing to the radio while he’s dolloping sour cream and strawberries on hot waffles; strangers rub elbows, literally, as they tuck into salami scrambles. The extra $1.50 for the real maple syrup is worth it.

413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-9991
(612) 331-9991
A small restaurant with a blue awning and a sign in the window that reads “Al’s Breakfast.”
Al’s alleyway spot.
Justine Jones

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Mesa Pizza By The Slice

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There’s no better spot than Mesa for post-party munchies. These pizzas have unorthodox toppings — creamy chicken penne, breaded eggplant, and barbecue steak and fries, to name a few. But none compare to the mac and cheese pizza, a legendary drunken slice for generations of U of MN students.

1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 436-3006
(612) 436-3006

Shuang Cheng

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This 31-year Dinkytown staple is known for its top-notch Cantonese menu. It specializes in seafood dishes, like crab with ginger and scallions and baked lobster in a five-spice salt. (For holidays and celebrations, the Peking-style roast duck is a great choice.) Shuang Cheng has great hot pot, too.

1320 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 378-0208
(612) 378-0208

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Pho Mai Dinkytown

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Pho Mai is a great spot for all kinds of Vietnamese food: wonton egg noodle soup, banh mi, bun dac biet with springy rice noodles. But in the winter, it’s hard to beat the pho. Pho Mai’s hearty seafood pho combines shrimp, squid, crab, and fish balls — or keep things simple with the pho tai, made with tender sheets of lean beef. The light, balanced broth ties it all together.

319 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 236-4538
(612) 236-4538
A white bowl of pork, peanuts, shredded vegetables, and rice noodles.
A pork sausage and rice noodle salad from Pho Mai.
Pho Mai Dinkytown

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Frank From Philly & Andrea Pizza

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Frank & Andrea’s is a great option for dining on a budget — the popular Philly cheesesteaks all land around $12 or so. The New York-style pizza menu spans from the classics (margherita with meat; pepperoni and sausage drizzled with chili oil) to quirky specialties (chicken tenders with honey mustard; sweet onion over white sauce).

1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 208-1973
(612) 208-1973
Two slices of pizza on a paper plate.
Slices from Frank & Andrea’s.
Frank From Philly & Andrea Pizza

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Kbop Korean Bistro

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Kbop’s most popular dish might be its bulgogi, sliced thin and served piping hot on a cast-iron skillet. But don’t overlook its kimchi pancakes, rice and noodle dishes (like glassy japchae stir-fried with veggies) and warming soups, like the fiery sundubu chigae, made with seafood, tofu, and a soft egg.

425 13th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-4993
(612) 331-4993
A bowl of thick red soup with tofu and an egg.
Kbop’s sundubu chigae.
Kbop Korean Bistro

Kimchi Tofu House

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Kimchi Tofu House, tucked into a bright yellow storefront on Oak Street, serves comforting Korean dishes. The namesake silken tofu stews, teeming with tender dumplings, meat, kimchi, or bright veggies, are hard to beat — but don’t overlook the Korean-style ramen, which kicks the spice level up a notch.

307 SE Oak St, Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 331-1112
(612) 331-1112
A bowl of ramen with shrimp on a table with a number of other plates and bowls of rice and other dishes.
Ramen with shrimp.
Alma Guzman

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Hong Kong Noodle

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A Dinkytown favorite for Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong Noodle is a great stop for a bowl of warming barbecue pork noodle soup, a salt-and-pepper squid appetizer, or a dim sum brunch of steamed buns and dumplings.

901 SE Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 379-9472
(612) 379-9472
A basket of steamed dumplings on a table.
Dumplings from Hong Kong Noodle.
Hong Kong Noodle

Caspian Bistro and Gourmet Marketplace

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Stop by Caspian Bistro for dolmas, baked eggplant, and lightly charred kebabs served over basmati rice and grilled tomatoes. Save room for Greek baklava (layered with walnuts and almond butter) and bastani, a homemade pistachio-saffron ice cream.

2418 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 623-1113
(612) 623-1113

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Banh Appetit

511 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

It’s all about the banh mi at Banh Appetit. The Dirty Bird, which pairs saucy, panko-crusted fried chicken tenders with bright pickled vegetables, is a favorite, but banh mi choices range from pork with pate to curried mock duck. The fries are Dinkytown’s most famous.

511 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 367-4765
(612) 367-4765

Wally's Falafel & Hummus

423 14th Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414

This family-run spot serves hummus platters, kabobs, gyros, and sides like dolmas and baba ghanoush. The chicken shawarma sandwich, a highlight, packs tender shawarma alongside French fries and pickles in a thin, supple pita. Save room for baklava or gooey knafeh.

423 14th Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 746-4776
(612) 746-4776
A white plate of hummus topped with olive oil, chick peas, and vegetables.
A hummus spread at Wally’s.
Wally’s Falafel & Hummus

Al's Breakfast

413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Known affectionately as Minneapolis’s narrowest restaurant, Al’s Breakfast, which opened in 1950, is nestled into a 10-food-wide storefront in Dinkytown. The cook might sing to the radio while he’s dolloping sour cream and strawberries on hot waffles; strangers rub elbows, literally, as they tuck into salami scrambles. The extra $1.50 for the real maple syrup is worth it.

413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-9991
(612) 331-9991
A small restaurant with a blue awning and a sign in the window that reads “Al’s Breakfast.”
Al’s alleyway spot.
Justine Jones

Mesa Pizza By The Slice

1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

There’s no better spot than Mesa for post-party munchies. These pizzas have unorthodox toppings — creamy chicken penne, breaded eggplant, and barbecue steak and fries, to name a few. But none compare to the mac and cheese pizza, a legendary drunken slice for generations of U of MN students.

1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 436-3006
(612) 436-3006

Shuang Cheng

1320 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

This 31-year Dinkytown staple is known for its top-notch Cantonese menu. It specializes in seafood dishes, like crab with ginger and scallions and baked lobster in a five-spice salt. (For holidays and celebrations, the Peking-style roast duck is a great choice.) Shuang Cheng has great hot pot, too.

1320 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 378-0208
(612) 378-0208

Pho Mai Dinkytown

319 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Pho Mai is a great spot for all kinds of Vietnamese food: wonton egg noodle soup, banh mi, bun dac biet with springy rice noodles. But in the winter, it’s hard to beat the pho. Pho Mai’s hearty seafood pho combines shrimp, squid, crab, and fish balls — or keep things simple with the pho tai, made with tender sheets of lean beef. The light, balanced broth ties it all together.

319 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 236-4538
(612) 236-4538
A white bowl of pork, peanuts, shredded vegetables, and rice noodles.
A pork sausage and rice noodle salad from Pho Mai.
Pho Mai Dinkytown

Frank From Philly & Andrea Pizza

1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Frank & Andrea’s is a great option for dining on a budget — the popular Philly cheesesteaks all land around $12 or so. The New York-style pizza menu spans from the classics (margherita with meat; pepperoni and sausage drizzled with chili oil) to quirky specialties (chicken tenders with honey mustard; sweet onion over white sauce).

1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 208-1973
(612) 208-1973
Two slices of pizza on a paper plate.
Slices from Frank & Andrea’s.
Frank From Philly & Andrea Pizza

Kbop Korean Bistro

425 13th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Kbop’s most popular dish might be its bulgogi, sliced thin and served piping hot on a cast-iron skillet. But don’t overlook its kimchi pancakes, rice and noodle dishes (like glassy japchae stir-fried with veggies) and warming soups, like the fiery sundubu chigae, made with seafood, tofu, and a soft egg.

425 13th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-4993
(612) 331-4993
A bowl of thick red soup with tofu and an egg.
Kbop’s sundubu chigae.
Kbop Korean Bistro

Kimchi Tofu House

307 SE Oak St, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Kimchi Tofu House, tucked into a bright yellow storefront on Oak Street, serves comforting Korean dishes. The namesake silken tofu stews, teeming with tender dumplings, meat, kimchi, or bright veggies, are hard to beat — but don’t overlook the Korean-style ramen, which kicks the spice level up a notch.

307 SE Oak St, Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 331-1112
(612) 331-1112
A bowl of ramen with shrimp on a table with a number of other plates and bowls of rice and other dishes.
Ramen with shrimp.
Alma Guzman

Hong Kong Noodle

901 SE Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A Dinkytown favorite for Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong Noodle is a great stop for a bowl of warming barbecue pork noodle soup, a salt-and-pepper squid appetizer, or a dim sum brunch of steamed buns and dumplings.

901 SE Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 379-9472
(612) 379-9472
A basket of steamed dumplings on a table.
Dumplings from Hong Kong Noodle.
Hong Kong Noodle

Caspian Bistro and Gourmet Marketplace

2418 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Stop by Caspian Bistro for dolmas, baked eggplant, and lightly charred kebabs served over basmati rice and grilled tomatoes. Save room for Greek baklava (layered with walnuts and almond butter) and bastani, a homemade pistachio-saffron ice cream.

2418 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 623-1113
(612) 623-1113

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