University Avenue runs the whole spine of St. Paul's food map, from Little Mekong's pho counters to the Chinese and Cambodian dining rooms that have anchored family celebrations for decades. This stretch rewards regulars who know exactly which broth and which dumpling to order, and every room below earns its place on the corridor.
№ 01
King Cajun
St. Paul $$
712 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16514938575
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Seafood boil customization is the draw at King Cajun, where diners pick their own flavor combinations online or at the table. The soft shell crab appetizer arrives simply seasoned, closer to salt and pepper shrimp than a heavy batter, and splits well among a group. A counter-service pace and a straightforward menu make it an easy lunch or dinner stop in St. Paul.
What to orderseafood boil, soft shell crab, shrimp
№ 02
The Luscious Crab
St. Paul $$
501 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16516003374
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Head-on shrimp and calamari anchor the seafood boil at the Luscious Crab, where diners build their own combination of proteins and seasoning levels. The room runs loud and social, suited to birthday groups and first-timers working through a boil menu together. St. Paul's Cajun-Creole lane doesn't get more hands-on than this.
What to orderhead-on shrimp, calamari, seafood boil
Saint Paul $
704 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55104 · +16512258751
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Bun bo hue with a full portion of meat sets the tone at iPho by Saigon, a St. Paul room where pho tai and egg rolls have kept families coming back for years. Portions run generous relative to price, and the wonton appetizer draws its own following. A dependable, affordable pho stop rather than a special-occasion room.
What to orderPho Tai, Bun Bo Hue, Egg rolls
448 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55103 · +16512225577
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Somlaw Koa Kou, a sour Cambodian soup, headlines a menu that also runs spring rolls at under five dollars and a well-built Lok Lak. Cheng Heng holds its own distinct identity on University Avenue, separate from the Vietnamese and Chinese rooms nearby. Service moves quickly, the dining room seats comfortably, and street parking is easy to find in St. Paul.
What to orderSomlaw Koa Kou, Spring rolls, Lok Lak
№ 05
Master Noodle (Saint Paul)
St. Paul $$
1337 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16513696688
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Garlic chicken fried noodles built on wide ribbon noodles anchor the menu at Master Noodle, alongside Sichuan wonton in chili oil for diners who want heat. Scallion pancakes come with good texture, if occasionally heavy on oil. The St. Paul dining room is clean and well kept, with easy parking and a menu built for family orders.
What to ordergarlic chicken fried noodles, Sichuan wonton in chili oil, scallion pancakes
№ 06
Trieu Chau Restaurant
St. Paul $
500 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16512226148
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Pho at Trieu Chau draws a clear broth built on warm spices, one of dozens of pho options along University Avenue but frequently singled out as the corridor's best by regulars who have tried the rest. Banh mi and spring rolls round out a compact menu. The St. Paul room stays plain and functional, built around the broth rather than the decor.
What to orderpho, banh mi, spring rolls
№ 07
Peking Garden
St. Paul $$
394 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16516440888
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Sesame chicken and mapo tofu lead a menu long enough to study in advance at Peking Garden, a St. Paul room built for family celebrations and repeat generations of the same families. The space seats large groups easily, service handles reservations promptly, and kung pao chicken rounds out a menu built for sharing across a big table.
What to ordersesame chicken, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken
№ 08
Basil Cafe
St. Paul $$
585 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103 · +16514932893
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Spring rolls and a green curry built with real depth keep Basil Cafe busy through weeknight dinner service in St. Paul. The room runs warm on wood tones and plants, and the crowd holds steady even on slower afternoons. Waits build on weekends, a sign the pad thai and curry lineup keeps drawing repeat visits.
What to orderspring rolls, pad thai, green curry
№ 09
Thai Garden
St. Paul $$
432 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16513689431
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Pad see ew stands out as a dish worth ordering deliberately at Thai Garden, where the kitchen steers away from standard renditions toward its own recipes. Chicken egg rolls and a yum nuah salad round out the menu, and a small patio opens in summer. The St. Paul room stays clean and comfortable, built for return visits rather than one-time stops.
What to orderpad Thai, pad see ew, chicken egg rolls
№ 10
Ishita Ramen
St. Paul $$
712 University Ave W, Ste 103, Saint Paul, MN 55104 · +16513486380
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Niku soba ramen built on a light broth and well-cooked pork belly is the order to know at Ishita Ramen, alongside crisp takoyaki and gyoza. The University Avenue room in St. Paul fills up fast after seven, so an early weeknight seating beats the rush. Service moves quickly even as the dining room fills.
What to orderniku soba ramen, takoyaki, gyoza
№ 11
Los Ocampo Restaurant & Bar
St. Paul $$
615 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16513405311
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Beef fajitas and chile relleno lead the menu at Los Ocampo, a family-run Mexican room in St. Paul built for group lunches and dinners. The atmosphere draws repeat family visits, though consistency on dishes like the nachos can vary by visit. A separate Lake Street location gives regulars a second option within the same restaurant family.
What to orderbeef fajitas, beef nachos, chile relleno
Frequently asked
What is the best Vietnamese pho on University Avenue?
Trieu Chau Restaurant and iPho by Saigon both draw strong followings for pho along this stretch of St. Paul. Trieu Chau gets singled out often for its clear, warmly spiced broth, while iPho by Saigon is known for generous portions at a low price. Neither restaurant paid to be listed here; placement reflects the Insider Score built from the public review record.
Are there Cambodian restaurants near me on University Avenue?
Cheng Heng Restaurant in St. Paul serves Cambodian dishes including Somlaw Koa Kou and Lok Lak, and it holds a distinct identity from the Vietnamese and Chinese kitchens nearby on the same corridor. It ranks here based on its Insider Score, not on any paid placement.
Which restaurants on this list are good for large groups or family celebrations?
Peking Garden and Los Ocampo Restaurant & Bar both handle big tables comfortably, and King Cajun and the Luscious Crab work well for group seafood boils where everyone customizes their own order. All four appear here on the strength of their Insider Score, with no paid placement involved.
What is the difference between the seafood boil spots, King Cajun and the Luscious Crab?
Both are St. Paul Cajun-Creole rooms built around customizable seafood boils with head-on shrimp and shellfish, but King Cajun leans toward an easier online-order, counter-style pace while the Luscious Crab runs a louder, more social dining room suited to celebrations. Neither restaurant paid for inclusion; both earned their place through their Insider Score.
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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 →
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.
