Excelsior runs small and close to Lake Minnetonka, and its restaurant strip works because none of these six rooms are trying to be something they are not. This is a lake town roster: burgers and fish and chips on a dock-friendly patio, tacos on a weeknight, pizza for a group with mixed opinions, brunch that has held its corner for years, a Sicilian dinner room, and sushi with some range to it.
№ 01
Maynards
Excelsior $$
685 Excelsior Blvd, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +19524701800
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The burger, wings, and fish and chips anchor a menu built for a lake town patio. Maynards sits on Lake Minnetonka with a dock, so boats pull up alongside the tables, and the outdoor space is sized for groups rather than couples. It runs as a summer staple for the west metro, busy by day and by night, with service that keeps checking back rather than disappearing.
What to orderburger, wings, fish and chips
№ 02
Lago Tacos - Excelsior
Excelsior $$
30 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +19523008495
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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.
What to orderfried avocado tacos, chop salad, carne asada tacos
№ 03
Olive’s Fresh Pizza Bar Excelsior
Excelsior $$
287 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +19524744440
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The Hawaiian pizza gets singled out among a specialty pizza list built wide enough that a mixed group can order six different pies and stay happy. Olive's Fresh Pizza Bar in Excelsior pairs that range with a house wine list worth ordering by the glass, not an afterthought. Prices stay reasonable, the dining room and bar staff run professional, and groups get seated without much of a wait.
What to orderHawaiian pizza, house wine pairings, specialty pizza
№ 04
318 Cafe
Excelsior $$
318 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +19524017902
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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.
What to orderfrittata, avocado toast, peanut butter and jelly sandwich
№ 05
Vagabondo
Excelsior
205 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +17632731760
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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.
What to orderarancini, pasta alla norma, caponata
№ 06
Yumi Japanese Restaurant & Bar - Excelsior
Excelsior $$$
217 Water St, Excelsior, MN 55331 · +19524741720
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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.
What to ordernigiri, maki, sashimi
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant in downtown Excelsior right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Maynards and Lago Tacos in Excelsior lead the pack for casual, lake-town dining, with Vagabondo standing out for a sit-down group dinner. No restaurant on this list paid to be included; the ranking comes from the Insider Score alone.
Where can I find good sushi near me in Excelsior?
Yumi Japanese Restaurant & Bar in Excelsior covers nigiri, maki, and sashimi with some unusual flavor pairings, and it carries the highest Insider Score among sushi rooms on this Excelsior list.
Is there a good spot in Excelsior for a big group?
Maynards, Olive's Fresh Pizza Bar, and Vagabondo all handle groups well, per their Insider Scores and their vibe tags for group-friendly dining. Maynards has the added draw of dock access for anyone arriving by boat.
Which Excelsior restaurant is best for weekday brunch?
318 Cafe holds the strongest Insider Score for brunch in Excelsior, known for its frittata, avocado toast, and a kid-friendly peanut butter and jelly option. It runs quieter on weekday mornings than on weekends.
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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 →
Hodan Abdi
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Hodan Abdi is a Staff Writer at Top of Minneapolis. Raised in Cedar-Riverside two floors above the Somali mall her aunt worked in, she now lives in Eagan and covers the whole metro ring. She writes the guides, sweeps the suburbs, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
