Stillwater draws Twin Cities crowds up the St. Croix for a downtown that still runs on river tourism, and the restaurants earn it: Detroit style pizza a few blocks from a German supper club, a diner counter that outlasts every trend, and a malt shop by the water. This list covers the actual town, not a highway exit.
№ 01
Melt Pizza Company
Stillwater
112 Main St N, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513420246
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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.
What to orderOG, Dream Team, Detroit style pizza
№ 02
Matchstick Restaurant & Spirits
Stillwater $$$
232 Main St N, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16515710111
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Wings this good are rare on a small plates menu, and the brisket holds its own next to them. Matchstick works as the special occasion room downtown, with a compact dining room and a dessert case worth saving room for: the eclairs and homemade peanut butter cups travel well if the meal runs long.
What to orderwings, brisket, eclairs
№ 03
Patriots Tavern
Stillwater $$
145 New England Pl, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513421472
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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.
What to orderWalleye and chips, onion rings, steak fries
№ 04
The Wild Hare
Stillwater
218 Main St N, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513420109
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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.
What to ordersouthwest rice bowl, burger, seasonal vegetable plate
№ 05
The Main Cafe
Stillwater $
108 Main St S, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16514302319
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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.
What to ordergringo breakfast, broccoli omelette, hash browns
№ 06
Ziggy's On Main, Live Music, Great Food & Drink
Stillwater $
132 Main St S, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513420011
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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.
What to orderburger, fries, wings
№ 07
Acapulco Mexican Restaurant
Stillwater $$
1240 Frontage Rd W, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513519462
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Carne asada and chile relleno are the dishes worth ordering at this longstanding Stillwater Mexican spot on Highway 36, where parking is never a problem and the margaritas draw as much loyalty as the food. The booths have seen better days, but the room stays loud, busy, and reliably good.
What to ordercarne asada, chile relleno, margarita
№ 08
P D Pappy's
Stillwater $
422 Mulberry St E, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16514301147
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P D Pappy's is a Stillwater bar institution with a biker crowd reputation that undersells the food. The nachos come out in a genuinely large plate, the beer list has grown to include a real non-alcoholic selection, and the patio view over the water makes it worth the stop beyond just a quick drink.
What to ordernachos, beer, wings
№ 09
Leo's Grill & Malt Shop
Stillwater $$
131 Main St S, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513513943
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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.
What to ordertwist cone, soft serve, malt
№ 10
LoLo American Kitchen and Craft Bar
Stillwater $$
233 Main St S, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16513422461
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The hanger steak Korean tacos are the standout order, flavorful enough to justify a special trip on their own, and the burgers have built a following that brings people back multiple times in a month. LoLo works best for a group outing or a weekend celebration, with a lively room that runs warm when it is full.
What to orderhanger steak Korean tacos, burgers, cocktails
№ 11
Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter
Stillwater $$
8390 Lofton Ave N, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16514397128
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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.
What to orderjaegerschnitzel, sauerbraten, schnitzel
№ 12
Nacho Mamas
Stillwater $$
312 Main St S, Stillwater, MN 55082 · +16514399544
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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.
What to ordertacos, enchiladas, quesadillas
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant in Stillwater right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Melt Pizza Company and Matchstick Restaurant & Spirits rank at the top of this list, one for Detroit style pizza and quick turnaround, the other for a compact special occasion menu built around wings, brisket, and house desserts. No restaurant pays to be listed here; the ranking reflects the Insider Score alone.
Where can I find good Mexican restaurants near me in Stillwater?
Stillwater has two distinct options: Acapulco Mexican Restaurant on Highway 36, a longstanding casual spot known for carne asada and margaritas, and Nacho Mamas downtown, which leans into a suburban patio crowd with tacos and enchiladas. Both carry an Insider Score based on the verified review record, not paid placement.
What is the best breakfast spot in Stillwater?
The Main Cafe is the standout for breakfast and lunch, with a gringo breakfast, broccoli omelette, and hash browns that come up consistently as the reasons to go. It is a small diner and gets busy on weekend mornings. Its Insider Score reflects the review record only; no restaurant pays for placement on this list.
Is there a German restaurant in Stillwater?
Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter is the metro's German dining room, serving jaegerschnitzel, sauerbraten, and schnitzel with live accordion music for larger groups. It ranks on this list by Insider Score, calculated from the verified review record, and like every restaurant here, it has not paid for its spot.
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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.
