Best Restaurants in Downtown Excelsior (2026)

The burger, wings, and fish and chips anchor a menu built for a lake town patio. Maynards sits on Lake Minnetonka with a dock, so boats pull up alongside the tables, and the outdoor space is sized for groups rather than couples. It runs as a summer staple for the west metro, busy by day and by night, with service that keeps checking back rather than disappearing.

Fried avocado tacos are the order for anyone skipping meat, and the chop salad, romaine with roasted corn, black bean salsa, and queso fresco, covers the rest of the table on nights that are not technically taco night. Lago Tacos in Excelsior is a counter-casual room built for a quick weeknight dinner, and the kitchen's consistency has reportedly improved over repeat visits.

The Hawaiian pizza gets singled out among a specialty pizza list built wide enough that a mixed group can order six different pies and stay happy. Olive's Fresh Pizza Bar in Excelsior pairs that range with a house wine list worth ordering by the glass, not an afterthought. Prices stay reasonable, the dining room and bar staff run professional, and groups get seated without much of a wait.

The frittata and avocado toast lead a brunch menu built for a slow weekday, and the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, served with chips, makes this one of the few Excelsior rooms that plans for kids at the table. 318 Cafe has held its spot in town for years, running quiet on weekday mornings with a coffee drink list and a staff that offers real recommendations instead of a script.

Arancini and pasta alla norma set the Sicilian menu apart from Excelsior's more casual rooms, with caponata rounding out a plate built for sharing. Vagabondo handles reservations for larger groups well, with attentive service that checks in through a full dinner. It sits a bit outside the main strip, which makes it more of a destination than a walk-in stop, but the kitchen holds up its end.

Nigiri, maki, and sashimi come with some unusual flavor combinations rather than a standard rotation, which is the room's main selling point and occasional risk. Yumi Japanese Restaurant & Bar in Excelsior runs small and intimate, with service that leans personal enough that regulars get recommendations from other diners. It works for a full dinner or a quick bite before heading out of town.