12 Best Restaurants in Stillwater (2026)

The Detroit style pizza is the order here, a squared, crisp edged pie that regulars keep coming back for on repeat visits. The OG and the Dream Team cover the rest of the menu well, and the kitchen turns tables fast enough that a walk in after a bike ride along the St. Croix rarely means a long wait.

Wings this good are rare on a small plates menu, and the brisket holds its own next to them. Matchstick works as the special occasion room downtown, with a compact dining room and a dessert case worth saving room for: the eclairs and homemade peanut butter cups travel well if the meal runs long.

Walleye and chips is the dish to order, a well battered fillet with steak fries and coleslaw that reads as a genuine Friday fish fry rather than an afterthought. Service swings between quick and slow depending on the night, so this is a sit down and relax kind of tavern, not a fast lunch stop.

The southwest rice bowl is the reason to sit at the bar, especially when the kitchen will adjust it on request. The burger and seasonal vegetable plate round out a menu built for a fast lunch, though the pace at the bar can lag well behind the food's actual quality on a busy day.

Breakfast is the whole point at this Stillwater diner, and the hash browns come out crisp every time. The gringo breakfast and broccoli omelette anchor a menu of generous, affordable plates, with eggs cooked properly and service that stays attentive even as the small room fills up on weekend mornings.

Ziggy's earns its keep as the live music bar on Main Street, with burgers and fries built for a night of drinking rather than a quiet dinner. The wings hold up too. Service quality swings hard depending on who is behind the bar and which night of the week it is.

Carne asada and chile relleno are the dishes worth ordering at this longstanding Stillwater Mexican spot on Highway 36, where parking is never a problem and the margaritas draw as much loyalty as the food. The booths have seen better days, but the room stays loud, busy, and reliably good.

P D Pappy's is a Stillwater bar institution with a biker crowd reputation that undersells the food. The nachos come out in a genuinely large plate, the beer list has grown to include a real non-alcoholic selection, and the patio view over the water makes it worth the stop beyond just a quick drink.

The twist cone is the reason people line up along the riverfront, and the line moves fast even when it is long. Leo's runs a genuine 1950s diner counter with soft serve and malts done right. Service on the food side can be inconsistent, but the ice cream never is.

The hanger steak Korean tacos are the standout order, flavorful enough to justify a special trip on their own, and the burgers have built a following that brings people back multiple times in a month. LoLo works best for a group outing or a weekend celebration, with a lively room that runs warm when it is full.

Jaegerschnitzel and sauerbraten anchor a proper German menu, rare in this metro outside of heritage events, and the schnitzel draws loyalty from regulars. An accordion player works the room for large parties, making this the pick for a birthday or anniversary group of eight or more rather than a quiet dinner for two.

Nacho Mamas serves tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas built for a suburban patio crowd rather than a street food purist, and it delivers exactly that on a nice outdoor patio with street parking nearby. Service and wait times vary night to night, so this works better for a relaxed sit down than a fast bite.