St. Paul is the capital and second-largest city in Minnesota, situated on the banks of the Mississippi River. Known for its diverse neighborhoods, Victorian architecture, and cultural attractions like the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul is also home to a thriving food scene. From trendy eateries serving locally-sourced cuisine to old-school diners dishing up hearty comfort fare, St. Paul offers an array of delicious dining options to satisfy any palate.
In this article, we highlight the 12 best restaurants that represent the amazing variety of flavors and dining experiences St. Paul has to offer. From Japanese hot pot to Southern barbecue to modern Italian, these restaurants span cuisines, settings, and budgets. Whether you’re a local looking to revisit an old favorite or a visitor eager to discover St. Paul’s culinary highlights, you’re sure to find a memorable meal at one of these exceptional eateries.
1.Handsome Hog
Specializing in nose-to-tail whole hog barbecue, Handsome Hog puts a contemporary twist on Southern cooking traditions. Located in the trendy Lowertown neighborhood, this rustic-chic restaurant sources its pasture-raised pigs from local Minnesota farmers. The tender pulled pork shoulder, beefy ribs, and crispy pork belly are all standouts, slow-smoked over a wood-burning pit.
Can’t decide? Go family-style with the Whole Hog Feast platter featuring all the best cuts. Don’t skip the sides like the addictive corn pudding, tangy potato salad, and the signature Hog & Corn cake. The craft beer list offers local suds to wash it all down. With its flavorful barbecue, Handsome Hog brings a taste of the South to St. Paul.
2.Kyatchi
For a unique dining experience in St. Paul, pull up a stool at Kyatchi. This popular Japanese hot pot restaurant takes an interactive, DIY approach to mealtime. Each table contains an electric grill where diners cook their own thinly sliced meats, seafood, and vegetables in a simmering broth.
Build your own sauce from the variety of homemade options and dip to your heart’s content. While there are no bad combos, local favorites include wagyu beef with sesame garlic sauce and buttery scallops with ponzu. Beyond hot pot, Kyatchi’s menu features sashimi, rice bowls, and Japanese street food like takoyaki fried octopus balls. With its modern vibe and focus on high-quality ingredients, Kyatchi brings an exceptional hot pot experience to St. Paul.
3.Restaurant Alma
For fine dining in a casual and convivial setting, make a reservation at Restaurant Alma. This perennial favorite serves progressive American cuisine aimed to surprise and satisfy. The five-course tasting menu offers the optimal way to experience Chef Alex Roberts’ cooking which highlights seasonal, regional ingredients in creative combinations.
Dishes like celery root soup with blue cheese, squash ravioli, and rainbow trout deliver comfort with refinement. Every preparation exhibits elegant plating, from the hand-churned butter to the miniature sweets that end the meal.
Restaurant Alma’s dining room matches the food with its warmth – all dark wood, soft lighting, and upbeat buzz. With a talented kitchen, skillful service, and charming atmosphere, Restaurant Alma offers a singular fine dining experience in St. Paul.
4.Pajarito
With its vibrant energy and contemporary take on Mexican cuisine, Pajarito has earned many fans since opening in 2018. The stylish space matches the ambitious menu starring creative small plates alongside staples like tacos and enchiladas elevated with high-quality ingredients.
Standouts include the fried avocado withcotija cheese and spiced pork chicharrones in a lime vinaigrette. Their variety of house-made tortillas and salsas shine in dishes like cochinita pibil tacos with achiote pork shoulder.
Those with hearty appetites will relish options like the imposing short rib platter served with refried black beans, Mexican rice, and caramelized plantains. From Sunday brunch to daily happy hour specials to late-night dining on weekends, Pajarito makes for a festive spot to experience St. Paul’s thriving restaurant scene.
5.Tongue in Cheek
The delightfully named Tongue in Cheek brings playful irreverence to fine dining in St. Paul. Located downtown in the historic St. Paul Hotel, this stylish restaurant and bar serves progressive American plates strong on flavor and presentation.
The seasonally changing menu showcases regional ingredients in dishes like seared scallops with wild rice and beets or roasted acorn squash with farro verde, grapes, and mascarpone. Their mini tasting menu allows diners to sample several items without overindulging, featuring options like pork belly ravioli and pheasant cassoulet.
Tongue in Cheek also entices with a well-curated wine and craft cocktail list. Whether sampling appetizers in the lounge or enjoying a special occasion dinner, Tongue in Cheek brings whimsical sophistication to the St. Paul dining scene.
6.Market House Collaborative
For delightful breakfast and lunch fare in the Lowertown neighborhood, check out Market House Collaborative. This airy cafe serves wholesome, seasonal food sourced directly from local farmers and purveyors.
Ingredients take center stage in fresh preparations like ricotta toast with berry compote, grain bowls loaded with vegetables, and the ever-popular McClucky fried chicken sandwich. Daily specials keep things interesting while the bakery case tempts with its gorgeous layer cakes and oversized cookies.
In nice weather the garage-style doors roll up, creating an open-air feel primed for people watching. Community lies at the heart of Market House Collaborative through partnerships supporting kids’ nutrition education. So savor feel-good food, coffee, and mission at this darling St. Paul cafe.
7.Brunson’s Pub
Ask any local – if you’re seeking a genuine neighborhood pub in St. Paul, Brunson’s is the spot. This unpretentious corner bar has remained a staple of the Payne-Phalen area for over six decades now. The magic lies in Brunson’s steadfast commitment to quality pub grub and delivering quintessential Minnesota hospitality.
Locals adore menu staples like the Juicy Lucy burger stuffed with melty American cheese and the crunchy walleye fish fry basket. Other favorites include Italian and vegetarian thin crust pizzas baked to order and the pot roast sandwich piled high with tender meat and veggies.
An admirable selection of local and national craft beers pair nicely with the classic bar fare. Visiting Brunson’s Pub feels a bit like coming home thanks to the warm welcome and familiar vibe.
6.Black Hart of Saint Paul
A lovely addition to the St. Paul dining scene, Black Hart of Saint Paul brings elevated comfort food with a distinctly local focus. This laid-back Lowertown eatery serves progressive takes on classics using seasonal, sustainable ingredients sourced mainly from Minnesota farmers and producers.
Must-try dishes include their textbook wild rice pancakes with maple sausage and the iconic Juicy Lucy burger made with grass-fed beef from a nearby ranch. Vegetarians relish options like the kale Caesar salad and the drool-worthy buffalo cauliflower sandwich coated in sticky hot sauce and blue cheese dressing.
Pair your meal with a local craft brew or one of their signature cocktails like the refreshing Black Hart 75 spiked with gin and lingonberry. With its talent in the kitchen, cozy atmosphere, and commitment to community, Black Hart brings a fresh perspective to Midwestern dining in St. Paul.
7.Saint Dinette
Hailed for Chef Adam Eaton’s impeccable French-inspired cooking, Saint Dinette brings serious culinary chops to St. Paul’s dining scene. This refined-yet-approachable Lowertown bistro excels at turning simple combinations of quality seasonal ingredients into deeply satisfying fare.
Musts from the dinner menu include escargots served sizzling in garlic parsley butter and steak frites with prime beef and house-cut fries. Their availability shifts with what’s fresh but diners eagerly await favorites like the coppa duck breast with charred broccolini.
Saint Dinette’s lengthy wine list offers Old World selections and hidden gems to perfectly match each French-leaning plate. For a weeknight treat, stop in for happy hour to nosh on their stellar cheese and charcuterie boards. At Saint Dinette, care and skill shine through in executing sophisticated comfort fare.
8.The Lexington
For quintessential Midwestern fare taken up several notches, make a beeline for The Lexington. Housed in a strikingly restored building along Grand Avenue, this contemporary tavern puts creative spins on supper club classics using seasonal and regional ingredients.
Their “Almost Famous” signature dishes have earned many fans including the crazy good wild rice soup flavored with leeks, shallots, and cream sherry. Seafood standouts like walleye and prawns grace the menu alongside roasted duck breast in a black cherry glaze and open-faced pot roast sandwiches drenched in jus.
Save room for The Lexington’s homemade desserts like their epic carrot cake capped with smoky burnt honey ice cream. From handcrafted cocktails to the handsome mahogany bar to white tablecloth service, The Lexington offers a luxurious but laidback neighborhood spot in historic St. Paul.
9.Hyacinth
Led by James Beard Award nominee Jack Riebel, Hyacinth earns national acclaim for its refined contemporary cuisine served in an elegant yet relaxed setting. Located in a Victorian mansion along Grand Avenue, Hyacinth’s multiple dining spaces invite diners to linger over the nuanced flavors and artistic plating.
Menus shift with the seasons but recent standouts include foie gras crème brûlée, delicate Agnolotti pasta filled with roasted chicken, and dry-aged duck paired with false morel mushrooms. Extensive wine features celebrate smaller boutique producers to complement the food.
With its dedication to hospitality, talent in the kitchen, and commitment to the dining experience, Hyacinth represents the pinnacle of fine dining in St. Paul.
10.Mickey’s Dining Car
No list of essential St. Paul restaurants would be complete without Mickey’s Dining Car. This beloved 24-hour diner first opened in 1939 and has occupied its present corner spot downtown since the 1960s. A St. Paul institution for generations, Mickey’s slings homemade comfort food around the clock in an atmosphere mixing nostalgia with neon.
Locals and visitors alike keep returning for standbys like fluffy pancakes, 50-cent coffee refills, and the “Jackburger” fully loaded with fixings. Late-night owl cravings get satisfied by mac and cheese skillet platters or patty melts with cottage fries.
Breakfast at Mickey’s means classics like eggs and hashbrowns or perhaps their famous biscuits and gravy. However you dine there, expect friendly counter service and a hearty dose of St. Paul’s history served on the side. When tradition, value, and hospitality matter most, Mickey’s Dining Car always delivers.
Conclusion
Boasting inviting neighborhood gems, critically acclaimed fine dining establishments, and beloved institutions, St. Paul deserves its reputation as an exceptional food city. From Lowertown to Cathedral Hill to West 7th, excited eaters find cuisine spanning the globe along with progressive renditions of Midwestern staples.
The twelve restaurants profiled here represent the diverse culinary landscape and hospitable spirit St. Paul offers visitors and residents alike. Food brings people together – around a late-night diner counter, over small plates and wine, passing steaming platters family-style.
In many ways, you haven’t fully experienced Minnesota’s capital city until you pull up a chair and share in the flavors that make St. Paul dining so special. So loosen your belt, grab your stretchy pants, and get ready to eat your way through one of America’s great food towns.