Northeast Minneapolis runs on old counters and new ones: a fish fry that has held its corner for decades, a coal-fired pizza room that draws lines past the block, and Diane Moua's Hmong brunch that made this neighborhood a national name. This list moves from the fryer to the tasting menu without pretending one outranks the other.
№ 01
The Anchor Fish & Chips
$$
302 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16126761300
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Fish and chips arrive crisp under a light batter with homemade tartar sauce and fries on the side, the kind of plate this Minneapolis counter has built its name on for decades. Order at the register, not the table; the line moves fast but there is a line, especially on Fridays. A neighborhood staple in the plainest sense: no theatrics, just a fryer that knows its business.
What to orderfish and chips, homemade tartar sauce, fries
800 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN, 55401 · +16123333837
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The pasta is the reason to come and the reason to wait: gnocchi turns up again and again as the dish regulars order on repeat, alongside risotto and a rotating pasta list from Isaac Becker's kitchen. This North Loop room in Minneapolis does not take reservations, so a Friday walk-in means a short stand at the bar. Service can lag when the room fills, but the pasta covers for it.
What to ordergnocchi, pasta, risotto
№ 03
Ideal Diner
$
1314 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16127897630
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Meatloaf and pancakes anchor a menu built for people who want breakfast or comfort food without ceremony, served at a counter in a Minneapolis room that still has a rotary phone on the wall. The pace is quick, the prices are low, and the crowd skews toward neighbors who have been coming for years alongside newcomers who wonder why they waited so long to walk in.
What to ordermeatloaf, pancakes, burger
№ 04
Centro
$$
1414 Quincy St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16123455527
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Soft serve margaritas are the draw that gets photographed, but the taco lineup and the patio on Quincy Street are what keep this Minneapolis spot busy for birthdays and weekend afternoons. The vibe leans toward group gatherings rather than quiet dinners, with music and a crowd that treats the patio as the main event. Order a few tacos to split and let the margarita machine do its job.
What to ordersoft serve margaritas, tacos, margaritas
№ 05
Uncle Franky's
$
728 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 · +16124552181
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A Chicago dog piled with the full complement of toppings sits alongside brats and burgers at this no-frills Minneapolis counter, the kind of place built for a fast, greasy meal rather than a lingering one. The menu runs deep for a hot dog stand, and regulars work through the options one visit at a time. Casual to the point of divey, and proud of it.
What to orderChicago dog, brat, burger
№ 06
Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza
$$
600 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · +16123422625
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Pizza Number 12 gets named more than any other pie on the menu, but the Margherita and pepperoni hold their own at this coal-fired room in Minneapolis built for sharing. Groups order across several pizzas rather than committing to one, and the char from the coal oven is the throughline. It has drawn outside attention, including a visiting food-media following, but the pizza carries the weight on its own.
What to orderPizza number 12, Margherita, Pepperoni
№ 07
Spitz Mediterranean Street Food
$$
518 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414 · +16125844922
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The gyro comes loaded with meat, sauce, and enough drippy toppings to require fries alongside it, and the rice bowl builds on roasted chickpeas and a full Mediterranean spread rather than a single flavor note. This Minneapolis counter runs fast and casual, suited to a lunch break rather than a sit-down meal, with occasional specials like a Monday gyro discount that regulars track.
What to ordergyro, rice bowl, fries
117 14th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413 · +16124898012
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Hmong sausage with sticky rice anchors a brunch menu that also runs to Thai tea croissant French toast and a mango passionfruit dish, from chef Diane Moua's Northeast Minneapolis room. The cooking draws on Hmong technique built into a brunch format, and reservations are genuinely hard to get, booked out well in advance. Plan ahead; this is not a walk-in room, and the wait list reflects it.
What to orderHmong Sausage with Sticky Rice, Thai Tea Croissant French Toast, Mango Passionfruit
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant near me in Northeast Minneapolis?
It depends on what's near you and what you want. This guide ranks by the Insider Score, which weighs the full review record rather than any single visit, and no restaurant pays to be listed or to rank higher. For pasta, Bar La Grassa; for a fast, cheap meal, The Anchor or Uncle Franky's; for a reservation worth planning around, Diane's Place.
Do any of these restaurants take reservations?
Diane's Place books out and is genuinely hard to get into; plan well ahead. Bar La Grassa does not take reservations, so weeknight walk-ins are the norm and waits are usually short. The Anchor, Ideal Diner, Uncle Franky's, and Spitz are counter-service rooms where you order and sit down without a wait for a table.
Which of these spots are good for groups?
Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza and Centro are both built for groups, with pizza sized for sharing at Black Sheep and a patio suited to birthdays and afternoon gatherings at Centro. Bar La Grassa also works well for a group dinner if the party is flexible on wait time.
Is there a Michelin star restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis?
No. Minnesota has never had a Michelin star. Michelin announced Minneapolis-only coverage in 2026, with the first selections arriving in 2027, and St. Paul is excluded from that coverage entirely. Until then, the Insider Score and local outlets like the Star Tribune and Racket are the working measures of quality here.
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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.
