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A cut in half burger stuffed with orange cheese in a basket with onion rings
A burger worth seeking out
5-8 Club/Facebook

All the Best Places to Eat Around the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport

Where to get an iconic burger, fat hoagies, cubanos, and more before or after a flight

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A burger worth seeking out
| 5-8 Club/Facebook

Sure, the ever-expanding dining options inside MSP make it one of the top airports offering quality pre-flight eats. Still, that post-security confinement is always quite the drag. So, for those times when a memorable meal is in order en route to the airport, or when a lengthy layover allows for a short excursion outside of the terminal. Take a look at these spots located just minutes from MSP.

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Have a four-hour layover at MSP? Lyn 65 might be the perfect place to escape from the confines of the terminal for a bit and enjoy a great meal and a couple drinks among seemingly gastronomy savvy locals. Greatest hits include their signature fried chicken and Lyn 65 cheeseburger, which both pair nicely with one of the many house craft cocktails.

A print of a watercolor cow on a gray wall with the reflection of the Lyn 65 logo shadow
A gorgeous place for cocktails and burgers
Katie Cannon/Eater Twin Cities

Guavas Cuban Cafe

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With a bright decor and an open kitchen, Guavas offers an inviting space serving up authentic Cuban eats. Try the vaca frita hash – braised beef, potatoes, charred onions, yuka, and cilantro aioli topped with two eggs and tostada. And, of course, their most-excellent cubano.

Local Roots

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Fast, casual, and rustic cafe Local Roots touts using locally sourced ingredients for its soups, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast menu. Add in local beers on tap, a full-service coffee counter, plus kids play area, and there’s a little something for everyone.

Frenchman's Pub

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There’s nothing particularly extraordinary about Frenchman’s Pub, but that’s a good thing. It shines as a neighborhood watering hole that’s an excellent spot for a classic burger and a cold bottle of beer. Throw in a game or two of pool and it might just be the perfect getaway from airport craziness.

Taqueria La Hacienda

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Taqueria La Hacienda’s Richfield location has authentic Mexican favorites, from street tacos, to tortas, to burritos, and more. Try the torta gorda – breaded steak, chorizo and eggs, marinated pork, carnitas smothered in queso fresco and melted mozzarella. Then head back to the airport for a well-earned nap.

5-8 Club

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In its 90-plus years, the famous 5-8 Club has always been a go-to spot for a burger and a beer near the airport. The 5-8 Club is also the disputed originator of the Juicy Lucy – the signature burger of the Twin Cities with cheese cooked between, oozing out at near-molten temperatures. The history and lore of the 5-8 Club is certainly no secret, so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait.

The gray brick exterior, lit up at sunset
It’s not a trip to Minnesota without a Juicy Lucy
5-8 Club [Official]

Fat Lorenzos

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A classic neighborhood pizza joint in Nokomis with quirky murals wrapping around the outside of the building and adorning the walls and ceilings within. The pizza at Fat Lorenzo’s is a worthy go-to, with build-your-own options alongside specialty pies like the New Haven, topped with baby clams in an herb sauce and asiago cheese. All pies feature a classic crispy, puffy crust. Hoagies, pasta dishes, gelato and other desserts are available as well.

The exterior with a green and blue mural of Minneapolis greenery and water
Pizza and hoagies near the airport
Fat Lorenzo’s [Official]

Hazelwood Food and Drink

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Hazelwood Food and Drink, part of the Nova Restaurant Group family, features modern, creative takes on American cuisine. From the shrimp deviled eggs (fried, breaded shrimp stuffed into deviled eggs) to the wood fired rotisserie chicken, Hazelwood is a spot for an indulgent meal that’s accessible via the light rail to/from MSP.

Dominguez Restaurant

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Dominguez Family Restaurant is a comfy, family-friendly (naturally) restaurant with colorful decor and a menu of hearty Mexican food at reasonable prices. Try the enchilada de tres – three types of enchiladas topped with three different sauces. Oh, and it also got a shoutout in that one Atmosphere song.

Grande Sunrise seafood and mexican restaurant y

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Grande Sunrise boasts a number of seafood dishes that aren’t very common in Minnesota, or elsewhere in the Midwest. For example, the caldo del buen sabor is a soup full of shrimp, tilapia, clams, mussels, scallops, squid, and crab. There’s plenty to satisfy those not into the seafood thing as well, from carne asada tacos to pozole to pollo en mole.

Berry Sweet Kitchen

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Berry Sweet Kitchen serves made-from-scratch breakfast fare like berry crepes, banana French toast, sweet potato hash, and a bacon waffle, filled and topped with bacon. Lunch and dinner fare is also available at this fast-casual eatery.

Sassy Spoon

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A dedicated gluten-free restaurant, complete with glutenless beer and wine, Sassy Spoon nicely fills a niche for those with dietary restrictions. That said, anyone can love a good gluten-free meal, especially with a miso-braised pork plate – roasted pulled pork with pickled onions and ginger-garlic slaw. And add an egg, because why not?

Town Hall Lanes

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A classic neighborhood hangout with bowling, bites, and beer, the latter of which comes from a sister business brewery of the same same. Stick with the masala curry wings or try the blackened walleye for something especially Minnesotan.

Lyn 65

Have a four-hour layover at MSP? Lyn 65 might be the perfect place to escape from the confines of the terminal for a bit and enjoy a great meal and a couple drinks among seemingly gastronomy savvy locals. Greatest hits include their signature fried chicken and Lyn 65 cheeseburger, which both pair nicely with one of the many house craft cocktails.

A print of a watercolor cow on a gray wall with the reflection of the Lyn 65 logo shadow
A gorgeous place for cocktails and burgers
Katie Cannon/Eater Twin Cities

Guavas Cuban Cafe

With a bright decor and an open kitchen, Guavas offers an inviting space serving up authentic Cuban eats. Try the vaca frita hash – braised beef, potatoes, charred onions, yuka, and cilantro aioli topped with two eggs and tostada. And, of course, their most-excellent cubano.

Local Roots

Fast, casual, and rustic cafe Local Roots touts using locally sourced ingredients for its soups, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast menu. Add in local beers on tap, a full-service coffee counter, plus kids play area, and there’s a little something for everyone.

Frenchman's Pub

There’s nothing particularly extraordinary about Frenchman’s Pub, but that’s a good thing. It shines as a neighborhood watering hole that’s an excellent spot for a classic burger and a cold bottle of beer. Throw in a game or two of pool and it might just be the perfect getaway from airport craziness.

Taqueria La Hacienda

Taqueria La Hacienda’s Richfield location has authentic Mexican favorites, from street tacos, to tortas, to burritos, and more. Try the torta gorda – breaded steak, chorizo and eggs, marinated pork, carnitas smothered in queso fresco and melted mozzarella. Then head back to the airport for a well-earned nap.

5-8 Club

In its 90-plus years, the famous 5-8 Club has always been a go-to spot for a burger and a beer near the airport. The 5-8 Club is also the disputed originator of the Juicy Lucy – the signature burger of the Twin Cities with cheese cooked between, oozing out at near-molten temperatures. The history and lore of the 5-8 Club is certainly no secret, so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait.

The gray brick exterior, lit up at sunset
It’s not a trip to Minnesota without a Juicy Lucy
5-8 Club [Official]

Fat Lorenzos

A classic neighborhood pizza joint in Nokomis with quirky murals wrapping around the outside of the building and adorning the walls and ceilings within. The pizza at Fat Lorenzo’s is a worthy go-to, with build-your-own options alongside specialty pies like the New Haven, topped with baby clams in an herb sauce and asiago cheese. All pies feature a classic crispy, puffy crust. Hoagies, pasta dishes, gelato and other desserts are available as well.

The exterior with a green and blue mural of Minneapolis greenery and water
Pizza and hoagies near the airport
Fat Lorenzo’s [Official]

Hazelwood Food and Drink

Hazelwood Food and Drink, part of the Nova Restaurant Group family, features modern, creative takes on American cuisine. From the shrimp deviled eggs (fried, breaded shrimp stuffed into deviled eggs) to the wood fired rotisserie chicken, Hazelwood is a spot for an indulgent meal that’s accessible via the light rail to/from MSP.

Dominguez Restaurant

Dominguez Family Restaurant is a comfy, family-friendly (naturally) restaurant with colorful decor and a menu of hearty Mexican food at reasonable prices. Try the enchilada de tres – three types of enchiladas topped with three different sauces. Oh, and it also got a shoutout in that one Atmosphere song.

Grande Sunrise seafood and mexican restaurant y

Grande Sunrise boasts a number of seafood dishes that aren’t very common in Minnesota, or elsewhere in the Midwest. For example, the caldo del buen sabor is a soup full of shrimp, tilapia, clams, mussels, scallops, squid, and crab. There’s plenty to satisfy those not into the seafood thing as well, from carne asada tacos to pozole to pollo en mole.

Berry Sweet Kitchen

Berry Sweet Kitchen serves made-from-scratch breakfast fare like berry crepes, banana French toast, sweet potato hash, and a bacon waffle, filled and topped with bacon. Lunch and dinner fare is also available at this fast-casual eatery.

Sassy Spoon

A dedicated gluten-free restaurant, complete with glutenless beer and wine, Sassy Spoon nicely fills a niche for those with dietary restrictions. That said, anyone can love a good gluten-free meal, especially with a miso-braised pork plate – roasted pulled pork with pickled onions and ginger-garlic slaw. And add an egg, because why not?

Town Hall Lanes

A classic neighborhood hangout with bowling, bites, and beer, the latter of which comes from a sister business brewery of the same same. Stick with the masala curry wings or try the blackened walleye for something especially Minnesotan.

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