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The 11 Must-Try Global Dishes on Nicollet Avenue

by Claire Stanford
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by Claire Stanford

No other street in Minneapolis is as well known for its array of global culinary styles and tastes than Nicollet Ave (it's called Eat Street for a reason). From Minneapolis's only Malaysian restaurant to jerk chicken and endless bowls of pho, the options are seemingly endless, which can lead to some difficult choices for even the most expert eater. And all too often, Nicollet's most spectacular specialties dodge the rookie epicurean gaze.

That's where this map comes in, telling you not only the best global spots to eat on Nicollet, but specifically what to eat there. So without any further ado, here are the 11 must-try global dishes on Nicollet Avenue.

Did we miss your favorite global dish along Nicollet? Let us know in the comments.


—Theresa Swaney

· All Eater Maps [Eater MPLS]

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

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2424 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 871-6801
(612) 871-6801
Visit Website
Located in a basement, what this restaurant lacks in décor they more than make up for in tempting vegetarian and vegan dishes, including Evergreen’s house-style eggplant with basil. Made with Asian eggplant, a smaller cousin to what you traditionally find in the grocery store, and stir-fired with Thai basil, garlic, and brown sauce, this dish is a velvety, smooth, and spicy eating experience while worth the trip downstairs.

2. Krung Thep Thai

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2523 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 874-7721
(612) 874-7721
The sister restaurant of Bangkok Thai Deli in Saint Paul, Krungthep Thai has a low-key atmosphere but a reputation for authenticity, especially when it comes to curries, red, green or otherwise. Where other Thai restaurants give you an oversweetened creamy coconut mess, Krungthep give you a sophisticated bowl of spicy-brothey-curry filled with protein, vegetables, and ever so necessary to Southeast Asian curries, Thai eggplants. They aren’t lying about their spice levels either, be warned.

3. Jasmine Deli

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2532 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-4700
(612) 870-4700
Visit Website
Inside this small and unassuming eatery in the heart of Eat Street, the bánh mì sandwiches are cheap and delicious. While you might be tempted to go for the classic cold cuts or grilled beef sandwich, trying Jasmine Deli’s curried mock dock bánh mì is a decision you won’t regret. This sandwich seamlessly merges the worlds of vegetarians and carnivores, French and Vietnamese, into a fusion of crunchy, spicy goodness.

4. Jasmine 26

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8 E 26th St
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-3800
(612) 870-3800
Visit Website
One of Nicollet’s few upscale ethnic restaurants, Jasmine 26 takes a contemporary approach to Vietnamese cuisine. In between sips of cucumber martinis and ginger fizzes order a plate of sea salt and pepper tofu cubes to share. A dish even meat-eaters will love, these tofu cubes are fried and coated with natural sea salt and chili peppers. The seasoning is so simple and so tasty you might even forget you are eating tofu.

5. Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine

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2608 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 871-8282
(612) 871-8282
Visit Website
There is a lot to love about Peninsula, like the unique cuisine and stellar chefs that cook in an open kitchen. But when push comes to shove, going to Peninsula means getting an order of roti canai. A classic Malaysian street food, roti canai is a chewy-crispy flatbread that Peninsula serves with a curried potato & chicken dipping sauce. Besides devouring the roti canai in seconds, the best part about ordering this dish is watching the cooks sling the dough around in the open kitchen.

6. Harry Singh's Carribean Restaurant

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2653 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 729-6181
(612) 729-6181
Spice is the name of the game at this small family-run restaurant where you can sample the culinary wonders of Trinidad, or more accurately, brave heat infused platters of jerk-spiced meat. You can choose from pork, lamb, or chicken, all of which come with a side of white rice, red beans, and vegetables. But please, no matter what you choose, order something to drink to cool that heat.

7. Quang Restaurant

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2719 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 870-4739
(612) 870-4739
Visit Website
The menu at Quang’s Restaurant may seem endless but you need only peruse the first few items to find what you are looking for: cha gio. Better known as egg rolls, Quang’s packs them full of pork and vegetables and then fries them to a golden crispy crunch. (Health nuts should switch over to Quang’s pork and shrimp spring rolls.) At only $3.50 for two, this must-try dish is one of the cheapest you will find anywhere.

8. Rainbow Chinese

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2739 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 870-7084
(612) 870-7084
Visit Website
While much of Rainbow’s menu reflects your average take out menu, they throw in a curve ball with their black bean sauce. An extremely popular flavor in Chinese cuisine, black bean sauce is made from fermented soybeans not the black beans you find in Latin and South American cuisine. To get a taste for this unique salty-garlicky sauce order Rainbow’s house special, Hong Kong style pan-fried noodles with chicken in black bean sauce. Vegetarians can opt for the fried tofu and mixed vegetables version of this must-try dish.

9. Pho Tau Bay

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2837 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 874-6030
(612) 874-6030
Good pho requires a delicate balance of seasoned broth, quality cuts of meat and perfectly cooked vermicelli noodles. At Pho Tau Bay this delicate balance is found in 20 different varieties of pho that are sure to please yours senses and warm your toes in the dead of winter. Stick to the classic #9 pho with slices of raw beef (they cook in the steaming hot broth) and you won’t be disappointed.

10. Cocina Latina

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3764 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55409
(612) 354-2971
(612) 354-2971
Visit Website
Don’t assume Cocina Latina is your average Mexican restaurant. Sure, it has tacos, burritos, and the like on the menu, but what this South Minneapolis eatery really specializes in is huge plates of mouth-watering Ecuadorian and Columbian grilled meats. Their Parrillada Latina plate, or Latin barbeque platter has it all: grilled beef, pork, sausage, pork rind, and some fried plantains throw in for good measure. The best way to wash down this must-try dish is with one of Cocina Latina’s imported Ecuadorian sodas.

11. La Chaya Bistro

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4537 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 827-2254
(612) 827-2254
Visit Website
Tucked away in South Minneapolis’s Kingfield neighborhood, La Chaya Bistro is a contemporary Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant that prides itself on locally sourced, organic ingredients. Brunch is where La Chaya really shines and their take on eggs benedict will leave you wishing every restaurant embraced multiculturalism the way they do. Served atop an English muffin, two poached eggs are slathered with avocado, melted cheese, and green salsa. If that’s not enough, it also comes with the side of roasted potatoes and greens.

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1. Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

2424 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Located in a basement, what this restaurant lacks in décor they more than make up for in tempting vegetarian and vegan dishes, including Evergreen’s house-style eggplant with basil. Made with Asian eggplant, a smaller cousin to what you traditionally find in the grocery store, and stir-fired with Thai basil, garlic, and brown sauce, this dish is a velvety, smooth, and spicy eating experience while worth the trip downstairs.
2424 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 871-6801
Visit Website

2. Krung Thep Thai

2523 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
The sister restaurant of Bangkok Thai Deli in Saint Paul, Krungthep Thai has a low-key atmosphere but a reputation for authenticity, especially when it comes to curries, red, green or otherwise. Where other Thai restaurants give you an oversweetened creamy coconut mess, Krungthep give you a sophisticated bowl of spicy-brothey-curry filled with protein, vegetables, and ever so necessary to Southeast Asian curries, Thai eggplants. They aren’t lying about their spice levels either, be warned.
2523 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 874-7721

3. Jasmine Deli

2532 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Inside this small and unassuming eatery in the heart of Eat Street, the bánh mì sandwiches are cheap and delicious. While you might be tempted to go for the classic cold cuts or grilled beef sandwich, trying Jasmine Deli’s curried mock dock bánh mì is a decision you won’t regret. This sandwich seamlessly merges the worlds of vegetarians and carnivores, French and Vietnamese, into a fusion of crunchy, spicy goodness.
2532 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-4700
Visit Website

4. Jasmine 26

8 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404
One of Nicollet’s few upscale ethnic restaurants, Jasmine 26 takes a contemporary approach to Vietnamese cuisine. In between sips of cucumber martinis and ginger fizzes order a plate of sea salt and pepper tofu cubes to share. A dish even meat-eaters will love, these tofu cubes are fried and coated with natural sea salt and chili peppers. The seasoning is so simple and so tasty you might even forget you are eating tofu.
8 E 26th St
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-3800
Visit Website

5. Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine

2608 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
There is a lot to love about Peninsula, like the unique cuisine and stellar chefs that cook in an open kitchen. But when push comes to shove, going to Peninsula means getting an order of roti canai. A classic Malaysian street food, roti canai is a chewy-crispy flatbread that Peninsula serves with a curried potato & chicken dipping sauce. Besides devouring the roti canai in seconds, the best part about ordering this dish is watching the cooks sling the dough around in the open kitchen.
2608 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 871-8282
Visit Website

6. Harry Singh's Carribean Restaurant

2653 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Spice is the name of the game at this small family-run restaurant where you can sample the culinary wonders of Trinidad, or more accurately, brave heat infused platters of jerk-spiced meat. You can choose from pork, lamb, or chicken, all of which come with a side of white rice, red beans, and vegetables. But please, no matter what you choose, order something to drink to cool that heat.
2653 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 729-6181

7. Quang Restaurant

2719 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
The menu at Quang’s Restaurant may seem endless but you need only peruse the first few items to find what you are looking for: cha gio. Better known as egg rolls, Quang’s packs them full of pork and vegetables and then fries them to a golden crispy crunch. (Health nuts should switch over to Quang’s pork and shrimp spring rolls.) At only $3.50 for two, this must-try dish is one of the cheapest you will find anywhere.
2719 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 870-4739
Visit Website

8. Rainbow Chinese

2739 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
While much of Rainbow’s menu reflects your average take out menu, they throw in a curve ball with their black bean sauce. An extremely popular flavor in Chinese cuisine, black bean sauce is made from fermented soybeans not the black beans you find in Latin and South American cuisine. To get a taste for this unique salty-garlicky sauce order Rainbow’s house special, Hong Kong style pan-fried noodles with chicken in black bean sauce. Vegetarians can opt for the fried tofu and mixed vegetables version of this must-try dish.
2739 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 870-7084
Visit Website

9. Pho Tau Bay

2837 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Good pho requires a delicate balance of seasoned broth, quality cuts of meat and perfectly cooked vermicelli noodles. At Pho Tau Bay this delicate balance is found in 20 different varieties of pho that are sure to please yours senses and warm your toes in the dead of winter. Stick to the classic #9 pho with slices of raw beef (they cook in the steaming hot broth) and you won’t be disappointed.
2837 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 874-6030

10. Cocina Latina

3764 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Don’t assume Cocina Latina is your average Mexican restaurant. Sure, it has tacos, burritos, and the like on the menu, but what this South Minneapolis eatery really specializes in is huge plates of mouth-watering Ecuadorian and Columbian grilled meats. Their Parrillada Latina plate, or Latin barbeque platter has it all: grilled beef, pork, sausage, pork rind, and some fried plantains throw in for good measure. The best way to wash down this must-try dish is with one of Cocina Latina’s imported Ecuadorian sodas.
3764 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55409
(612) 354-2971
Visit Website

11. La Chaya Bistro

4537 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Tucked away in South Minneapolis’s Kingfield neighborhood, La Chaya Bistro is a contemporary Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant that prides itself on locally sourced, organic ingredients. Brunch is where La Chaya really shines and their take on eggs benedict will leave you wishing every restaurant embraced multiculturalism the way they do. Served atop an English muffin, two poached eggs are slathered with avocado, melted cheese, and green salsa. If that’s not enough, it also comes with the side of roasted potatoes and greens.
4537 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 827-2254
Visit Website

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