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Two chicken enchiladas on an orange Fiestaware plate covered in vibrant tomatillo enchilada sauce garnished with white crumbly cheese and cilantro
From longstanding family-owned restaurants, to exciting up and comers, St. Paul’s West Side is filled with culinary finds
Boca Chica/Website

Where to Eat in St. Paul’s West Side Neighborhood

Thick and rich mole enchiladas, pita stuffed with gyro meat, sweat-inducing pad Thai and more

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From longstanding family-owned restaurants, to exciting up and comers, St. Paul’s West Side is filled with culinary finds
| Boca Chica/Website

Past the bustle of Lowertown, over the historic limestone cliffs and across the winding Mississippi River lies Saint Paul’s West Side. Once home to early immigrant settlers and brewers, West Side has evolved into a culinary hotbed for icons of St. Paul dining; we’re talking crusty Cubanos, overstuffed burritos, pink-ringed barbecue and more. Where the city meets the suburbs, West Side has it all: homestyle Mexican cuisine, State Fair-worthy gyros and arguably the crispiest chicken wings you’ll find in the Twin Cities.

Restaurants are listed in order from West to East.

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Black Market StP

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The best way to celebrate the end of a long week is here. Black Market StP has all the best parts of barbecue - tender brisket, slabs of baby-back ribs and baked beans that are more meat than beans. Get your order in by the end of your workday on Friday (earlier if you’re eyeing something specific) for pickup on Friday and Saturday at this smoker parked on Smith Avenue.

A pile of barbecue: still steaming meats including brisket, ribs, and a white bowl heaped with beans
Brisket, ribs, and meaty beans
Black Market StP/Facebook

FoodSmith Bistro-Pub

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Currently working as a takeout-only operation, this gastropub takes classic pub food and turns it on its head. Order crispy cheese-stuffed potato poppers, expertly fried chicken schnitzel and a bottle of your new favorite red from an impressive takeout wine list.

A close up of a bowl of penne with a dark red sauce, garnished with shreds of Parmesean
Modern comforts available for takeout
Foodsmith/Facebook

Capitol View Cafe & Catering

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Since 1993, this West Side family has been perfecting the art of diner food. Stop by for breakfast with one of five takes on a classic eggs Benedict or come in for lunch to chow down on a double fisted Baja burrito, filled with chorizo, cheese and fried potatoes.

El Cubano

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The perfect Cuban is hard to find, but look no further - it’s right here in Saint Paul. Enjoy fluffy, crispy yuca fries and mojito sauce from the comfort of the covered patio complete with palm trees and a thatched roof. 

The exterior of El Cubano with picnic tables and small palm plants out front
Crispy bread, melty cheese, tender pork: find the full Cubano experience here
El Cubano/Website

Wabasha Brewing Company

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With socially distanced indoor seating and a heated outdoor section, Wabasha Brewing Company serves up tasty brews and savory bites seven days a week. Parked right outside of the taproom, Wabasha’s mobile kitchen offers an eclectic menu of overstuffed bao buns, customizable mac-and-cheese bowls and asada fries loaded with tender steak, grilled onions and silky cheese sauce. Wash down your meal with a smoky, jalapeno-tinged West Side Popper or something seasonal from the rotating tap. Beyond the mobile kitchen, the brewery regularly brings in guest food trucks. Common collaborators include El Hornito, K-Town and D’s Kitchen. 

Boca Chica Taco House

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When you don’t have time to sit down at Boca Chica, Taco House is here to satisfy your cravings in minutes. This fast casual spot has all of the restaurant’s Mexican favorites for affordable prices. Tuesday night taco specials include six tacos at low prices after 4 pm.

Boca Chica | Restaurante Mexicano & Cantina

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Family owned for an impressive 50 years, Boca Chica Restaurante has built a sterling reputation as a West Side institution with fantastic margaritas, enchiladas and Oaxacan tamales. 

Two chicken enchiladas on an orange Fiestaware plate covered in vibrant tomatillo enchilada sauce garnished with white crumbly cheese and cilantro
An icon on the West Side
Boca Chica/Website

Beirut Restaurant

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Open since 1984 this Lebanese restaurant is still family-owned. For the full experience, order mezze, piles of small bites like stuffed grape leaves, luscious baba ghanous followed by hearty mains like kebabs or crusty-spiced slices of gyro meat.

Thai Pepper

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Thai Pepper offers a wide selection of Thai favorites from the convenience of a drive-through. Try a satisfying lunch of silky rama curry or spicy pad thai.

Cora's Best Chicken Wings

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The name says it all. For more than 20 years, Cora’s has been serving West Saint Paul sweet and savory wings as well as other Chinese-American staples like fried rice, cream cheese wontons and egg rolls.

El Burrito Mercado

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El Burrito originally opened in 1979 as an 800-square-foot market serving dry goods and tortillas to a burgeoning Mexican population. Today, El Burrito is a neighborhood icon that operates as a full-service grocery store, bakery, deli and restaurant that offers the best versions of all of your Mexican favorites. With summer on its way, don’t miss the seasonal special of elotes and esquites - mouthfuls of buttery, sweet corn topped with a dollop of crema and sprinkled with tajin and cotija cheese served in the parking lot.

A Fiestaware plate full of beans, rice, and stewed meat
A market, bakery, deli, and full service restaurant
El Burrito Mercado/Website

La Costa Mexican Sports Bar & Grill

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With wall-to-wall TVs and a generous happy hour, La Costa is ground zero for watching soccer games in the neighborhood. Highlights include creamy guacamole served in a molcajete with Tajin-dusted tortilla chips, tried-and-true street tacos and the namesake La Costa Burger, a cheesy burger piled high with bacon, ham and avocado.

Black Market StP

The best way to celebrate the end of a long week is here. Black Market StP has all the best parts of barbecue - tender brisket, slabs of baby-back ribs and baked beans that are more meat than beans. Get your order in by the end of your workday on Friday (earlier if you’re eyeing something specific) for pickup on Friday and Saturday at this smoker parked on Smith Avenue.

A pile of barbecue: still steaming meats including brisket, ribs, and a white bowl heaped with beans
Brisket, ribs, and meaty beans
Black Market StP/Facebook

FoodSmith Bistro-Pub

Currently working as a takeout-only operation, this gastropub takes classic pub food and turns it on its head. Order crispy cheese-stuffed potato poppers, expertly fried chicken schnitzel and a bottle of your new favorite red from an impressive takeout wine list.

A close up of a bowl of penne with a dark red sauce, garnished with shreds of Parmesean
Modern comforts available for takeout
Foodsmith/Facebook

Capitol View Cafe & Catering

Since 1993, this West Side family has been perfecting the art of diner food. Stop by for breakfast with one of five takes on a classic eggs Benedict or come in for lunch to chow down on a double fisted Baja burrito, filled with chorizo, cheese and fried potatoes.

El Cubano

The perfect Cuban is hard to find, but look no further - it’s right here in Saint Paul. Enjoy fluffy, crispy yuca fries and mojito sauce from the comfort of the covered patio complete with palm trees and a thatched roof. 

The exterior of El Cubano with picnic tables and small palm plants out front
Crispy bread, melty cheese, tender pork: find the full Cubano experience here
El Cubano/Website

Wabasha Brewing Company

With socially distanced indoor seating and a heated outdoor section, Wabasha Brewing Company serves up tasty brews and savory bites seven days a week. Parked right outside of the taproom, Wabasha’s mobile kitchen offers an eclectic menu of overstuffed bao buns, customizable mac-and-cheese bowls and asada fries loaded with tender steak, grilled onions and silky cheese sauce. Wash down your meal with a smoky, jalapeno-tinged West Side Popper or something seasonal from the rotating tap. Beyond the mobile kitchen, the brewery regularly brings in guest food trucks. Common collaborators include El Hornito, K-Town and D’s Kitchen. 

Boca Chica Taco House

When you don’t have time to sit down at Boca Chica, Taco House is here to satisfy your cravings in minutes. This fast casual spot has all of the restaurant’s Mexican favorites for affordable prices. Tuesday night taco specials include six tacos at low prices after 4 pm.

Boca Chica | Restaurante Mexicano & Cantina

Family owned for an impressive 50 years, Boca Chica Restaurante has built a sterling reputation as a West Side institution with fantastic margaritas, enchiladas and Oaxacan tamales. 

Two chicken enchiladas on an orange Fiestaware plate covered in vibrant tomatillo enchilada sauce garnished with white crumbly cheese and cilantro
An icon on the West Side
Boca Chica/Website

Beirut Restaurant

Open since 1984 this Lebanese restaurant is still family-owned. For the full experience, order mezze, piles of small bites like stuffed grape leaves, luscious baba ghanous followed by hearty mains like kebabs or crusty-spiced slices of gyro meat.

Thai Pepper

Thai Pepper offers a wide selection of Thai favorites from the convenience of a drive-through. Try a satisfying lunch of silky rama curry or spicy pad thai.

Cora's Best Chicken Wings

The name says it all. For more than 20 years, Cora’s has been serving West Saint Paul sweet and savory wings as well as other Chinese-American staples like fried rice, cream cheese wontons and egg rolls.

El Burrito Mercado

El Burrito originally opened in 1979 as an 800-square-foot market serving dry goods and tortillas to a burgeoning Mexican population. Today, El Burrito is a neighborhood icon that operates as a full-service grocery store, bakery, deli and restaurant that offers the best versions of all of your Mexican favorites. With summer on its way, don’t miss the seasonal special of elotes and esquites - mouthfuls of buttery, sweet corn topped with a dollop of crema and sprinkled with tajin and cotija cheese served in the parking lot.

A Fiestaware plate full of beans, rice, and stewed meat
A market, bakery, deli, and full service restaurant
El Burrito Mercado/Website

La Costa Mexican Sports Bar & Grill

With wall-to-wall TVs and a generous happy hour, La Costa is ground zero for watching soccer games in the neighborhood. Highlights include creamy guacamole served in a molcajete with Tajin-dusted tortilla chips, tried-and-true street tacos and the namesake La Costa Burger, a cheesy burger piled high with bacon, ham and avocado.

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