Cambodian kitchens are scarce across this metro, which makes the two St. Paul rooms in this guide worth naming plainly, alongside the pan-Asian and Chinese counters that round out a weeknight dinner search. This list holds to the actual city line: St. Paul is St. Paul, Richfield and Chanhassen and Spring Park are their own municipalities, and Minneapolis gets only what is actually inside it.
448 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55103 · +16512225577
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Somlaw koa kou, a sour Cambodian soup, anchors the menu at this St. Paul room, alongside lok lak and spring rolls priced under five dollars. The room seats generously and the counter moves fast without rushing anyone through. For a first taste of Khmer cooking in the Twin Cities, this is the plain, unfussy entry point, and the value holds up plate after plate.
What to orderSomlaw Koa Kou, Spring rolls, Lok Lak
№ 02
Jungle Kitchen
Chanhassen $$
460 Lake Dr, Ste 150, Chanhassen, MN 55317 · +19529499977
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Pad Thai loaded with vegetables and a full vegetarian lineup make this Chanhassen counter a dependable stop for takeout and delivery. Orders arrive on time and packed with care, the kind of detail that separates a real kitchen from a reheat operation. The room stays clean and comfortable for the rare dine-in visit, but this one is built for the pickup line.
What to orderPad Thai, vegetable stir-fry, spring rolls
№ 03
Kolap Restaurant
St. Paul $
601 Dale St N, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16513366108
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Kuy teav, the Cambodian noodle soup, opens at ten in the morning here, a rare window for that dish anywhere in St. Paul. Congee and nom banh chok round out a short menu built for volume, not flourish: portions run generous and the broth carries real depth. This is a Khmer kitchen serving a Khmer community first, and it shows in every bowl.
What to orderkuy teav, congee, nom banh chok
№ 04
Red Pepper ASIAN Restaurant
Richfield
6700 Penn Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423 · +16123289343
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Sesame chicken and kung pao chicken return to the same Richfield neighborhood that missed this room when it closed, and the welcome back has been genuine. The kitchen leans on standard Chinese-American plates rather than scratch technique, and the record on execution runs uneven from table to table. Reliable for familiar comfort food, less so for anyone chasing precision.
What to ordersesame chicken, ma po tofu, kung pao chicken
№ 05
Asian Bistro
Spring Park $$
4669 Shoreline Dr, Spring Park, MN 55384 · +19524712625
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Chicken fried rice built to order draws steady praise at this Spring Park room, where floral touches and a quiet dining room make the wait pleasant. Vegetable fried rice and egg rolls round out a short, focused menu suited to a weeknight dinner without ceremony. Consistency has been the strength here, though the kitchen's handling of complaints has drawn some frustration.
What to orderchicken fried rice, vegetable fried rice, egg roll
№ 06
Angkor Restaurant
$
506 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448 · +17637577777
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Mapo tofu and chicken with black bean sauce come made to order at this pickup-only counter near Foley Boulevard and 109th in Minneapolis, set inside a small strip mall with room for only a handful of chairs. The family-run kitchen keeps hours tight and enforces its closing time, so calling ahead pays off. Portions run generous enough to split, and turnaround is quick once the order goes in.
What to ordermapo tofu, chicken with black bean sauce, fried rice
Frequently asked
What is the best Cambodian restaurant near me in the Twin Cities?
Both Cambodian rooms in this guide, Cheng Heng and Kolap, sit in St. Paul, not Minneapolis. Cheng Heng suits a first visit with affordable, approachable plates, while Kolap is built around noodle soup and congee served from the morning on. Neither restaurant paid to appear here; placement follows each restaurant's Insider Score.
What is Somlaw Koa Kou?
It is a sour Cambodian soup, one of the signature dishes at Cheng Heng Restaurant in St. Paul. It is a good entry point for a first taste of Khmer cooking alongside lok lak and spring rolls.
Is Angkor Restaurant dine-in or takeout only?
Angkor Restaurant in Minneapolis is a pickup counter with only a handful of seats for waiting on an order. It works best as a call-ahead weeknight stop rather than a sit-down meal.
How are restaurants ranked on this list?
Ranking follows each restaurant's Insider Score, a measure built from the review record and public data. No restaurant pays for placement or a higher rank on this guide.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.
