Minneapolis carries its sandwich culture in counter lines and neighborhood delis as much as in any tasting room, and this list runs the range: a Lebanese deli three decades deep on the South Side, an Elliot Park breakfast counter with a line before opening, and the Northeast bar that has argued over its roast beef for generations. Order at the counter, name the sandwich, and expect no ceremony.
№ 01
Uncle Franky's
$
728 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16124552181
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The Chicago dog and brat are the reason to know Uncle Franky's, a no-frills counter built around hot dogs, brats, and burgers with wings on the side. It reads as a neighborhood standby rather than a novelty stop, the kind of place regulars pass a dozen times before finally walking in. Order at the counter, expect grease and paper plates, and skip the pretense.
What to orderChicago dog, brat, burger
№ 02
Heather's
$$
5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417 · +16124458822
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Heather's runs its Sunday strongest, with a patio that fills for brunch and a salmon dinner that outperforms its lunchtime reputation. The tuna melt gets equal attention on the menu, and the room favors a slower midday meal over a quick counter turn. Table service, a neighborhood crowd, and a patio worth claiming early on a clear morning.
What to orderSalmon dinner, Tuna melt, Espresso
№ 03
Wise Acre Eatery
$$
5401 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419 · +16123542577
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Wise Acre Eatery pairs a farm table kitchen with a small market of produce and meats up front, and the eggs benedict and pancakes carry the weekend brunch trade. Ordering happens at the counter, close enough to the kitchen to watch the plates come together, and the room gets busy enough on weekends that service can turn uneven. A CSA program runs alongside the eatery itself.
What to ordereggs benedict, pancakes, breakfast sandwich
№ 04
Emily's Lebanese Deli
$$
641 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16123794069
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Emily's Lebanese Deli has held its South Minneapolis corner for over thirty years on the strength of its tabouli, widely called some of the best in the metro, alongside hummus and shawarma. The room is small and built for a table or two, not a crowd, which makes it a lunch stop rather than a group destination. Loyalty here runs generational.
What to ordertabouli, hummus, shawarma
№ 05
Mayslack's
$$
1428 4th St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 · +16127899862
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Mayslack's built its Northeast reputation on the roast beef sandwich, though opinions split on whether the meat still earns the hype, and on 75 cent wing nights that draw a steady bar crowd. It is a sports bar first, a sandwich stop second, with cheap beer and basic bar food filling out the rest of the menu. Come for the wings, judge the roast beef yourself.
What to orderwings, roast beef sandwich, beer
№ 06
Marty's Deli
$$
400 NE Lowry Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55418 · +1612-886-3952
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Marty's Deli draws a line before opening for the egg and cheese sandwich paired with hashbrowns, a breakfast combo that has built a reputation well beyond its counter service setup. The room functions as much as a neighborhood gathering point as a place to eat, with regulars and newcomers standing shoulder to shoulder. Get there early or plan to wait.
What to orderegg and cheese sandwich, hashbrowns, classic deli sandwich
№ 07
Caffrey's Deli & Subs
$
3008 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 · +16128225551
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Caffrey's Deli & Subs earns cross-town drives for the meatball sub alone, with the Adult Club and a well-regarded potato salad rounding out the order. Pricing runs higher than the quick-bite setup suggests, but the sandwiches hold up as takeout with no room or service to speak of. This is a counter built entirely around getting the sandwich right.
What to ordermeatball sub, Adult Club, potato salad
№ 08
O'Donovan's Irish Pub
$$
700 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 · +16122278463
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O'Donovan's Irish Pub pairs colcannon and fish and chips with a patio built for pre-game gatherings near the Lynx home games, and the kitchen also runs ticketed brunch events like its Mystic Brunch. Service reads as attentive even when the room fills with large groups. Soda bread rounds out a menu built for groups more than solo meals.
What to ordercolcannon, fish and chips, soda bread
№ 09
Luna & The Bear - Kitchen & Libation House
18 W 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404 · +16128863081
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Luna & The Bear, Kitchen & Libation House serves its burrata and jam in a generous portion that anchors the small-plates side of the menu, with roasted chicken and seasonal vegetables carrying the larger courses. The building itself is old with detailed interior work, and the patio runs relaxed enough for a casual dinner. Restaurant Week service has held up under crowds.
What to orderburrata and jam, roasted chicken, seasonal vegetables
№ 10
The Lowry Cafe
$$
2207 Lowry Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 · +16126772233
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The Lowry Cafe traded on classic diner comfort, pancakes and eggs with hash browns in a room full of natural light and old-school charm. Service and food quality drew steady praise for years, though cleanliness had become an inconsistent note toward the end. The cafe has since closed, ending a run regulars had counted on.
What to orderpancakes, eggs, hash browns
№ 11
Marino's Deli
$
1946 Johnson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418 · +16127810970
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Marino's Deli sends out spaghetti and meatball with two slices of its own fresh baked bread, a combination regulars work through before moving on to the sandwiches and cannoli. The counter service setup favors a quick neighborhood lunch or early dinner over a lingering meal. New arrivals to the area tend to become regulars fast once they finally stop in.
What to orderspaghetti and meatball, sandwich, cannoli
№ 12
Egg on a Roll
201 N 5th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · +1612-223-5529
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Egg on a Roll turns out breakfast sandwiches loaded with flavor, and the goat cheese version in particular draws comparisons to the kind of soft breakfast sandwich the North Loop lost when the Bachelor Farmer closed. Counter service moves fast, though seating is not part of the deal here. The bread is plain; the fillings are not.
What to orderbreakfast sandwich, goat cheese sandwich, egg sandwich
Frequently asked
What is the best deli near me in Minneapolis?
It depends on the neighborhood. Emily's Lebanese Deli and Marino's Deli both hold long-running reputations in South Minneapolis, while Marty's Deli draws lines for breakfast sandwiches. Each entry here is ranked by its Insider Score, a measure built from the review record, and no restaurant pays to appear on this list.
Which sandwich shop in Minneapolis has the longest history?
Emily's Lebanese Deli has served the same South Minneapolis corner for more than thirty years, and Mayslack's has held its Northeast bar and sandwich reputation for generations. Both are ranked here on Insider Score, not sponsorship.
Are any of these restaurants currently closed?
The Lowry Cafe has closed, based on the most recent record available. The others on this list are operating as described. No restaurant on Top of Minneapolis pays for placement; ranking comes from the Insider Score.
Is Caffrey's Deli & Subs worth the trip from outside Minneapolis?
Reports from as far as Eagan describe regularly returning for the meatball sub, which suggests it holds up as a destination order rather than a convenience stop. The Insider Score reflects that consistency, and placement on this guide is never paid.
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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 →
Marit Solheim
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Marit Solheim is the Food Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born and raised in the Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis, she spent six years on the line in downtown kitchens before she started writing. She covers the institutions and the chef tier in both downtowns and holds the desk to one standard: know which city you are standing in.