Reuben talk in St. Paul turns out to be delicatessen and cheese-counter talk more than sandwich-shop talk: this list runs from the pastrami case at Cecil's to the melt window at St Paul Cheese Shop, with brunch rooms and a meat counter or two making a case for their own version of pressed rye. None of it is Minneapolis; name the city correctly and the map gets a lot more interesting.
№ 01
Bangkok Thai Deli
St. Paul $$
333 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55103 · +16512244300
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The name still confuses people who remember the Burger King that stood here, but the pad see ew and cream cheese wontons are the actual draw, not a corned beef press. Worth a mention on any St. Paul takeout list for the noodle dishes alone: the pad Thai runs sweet, the pad see ew stays savory, and the kitchen has kept both consistent for years.
What to orderpad see ewe, cream cheese wontons, pad Thai
№ 02
Cecil's
St. Paul $$
651 Cleveland Ave S, Saint Paul, MN 55116 · +16516980334
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Cecil's is the closest thing on this list to an actual deli case, with a pastrami sandwich and a corned beef sandwich built on bread baked on site. The room moves at its own pace, staff included, and the smell of fresh bread on entry is part of the pitch. This is the St. Paul stop for anyone who wants deli done the old way, not a chain's version of it.
What to orderpastrami sandwich, corned beef sandwich, fresh baked bread
№ 03
Nelson Cheese & Deli
St. Paul $
1562 Como Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55108 · +16516471288
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Nelson Cheese & Deli runs a counter-service operation built on hot and cold sandwiches, salads, and specialty hot dogs, no frills attached. Regulars treat it as their default lunch stop in the metro, and the sandwiches read as consistently fresh rather than assembled in bulk. Street parking nearby makes it an easy add to a St. Paul lunch run even without a reuben on the board.
What to ordersandwiches, salads, specialty hot dogs
№ 04
Finnish Bistro Coffee & Cafe
St. Paul $$
2264 Como Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55108 · +16516459181
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The lefse scramble puts Finnish Bistro Coffee & Cafe in Scandinavian heritage territory rather than deli territory, and the patio seating draws people in on slow mornings. Ordering happens inside even for outdoor tables, and the kitchen's pace has drawn complaints on busier days. Coffee and eggs are the safer order here if a scramble heavy on onion isn't the goal.
What to orderlefse scramble, coffee, eggs
№ 05
Day by Day Cafe
St. Paul $$
477 7th St W, Saint Paul, MN 55102 · +16512270654
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Day by Day Cafe serves breakfast all day, a genuine rarity, with pancakes and eggs anchoring a menu built for repeat visits. The interior is large enough to absorb a crowd, and the patio adds summer seating St. Paul brunch regulars have relied on for years. Service reads as patient rather than rushed, which matters on a menu meant to be lingered over.
What to orderpancakes, eggs, coffee
№ 06
Lost Fox
St. Paul $$
213 4th St E, Saint Paul, MN 55101 · +16514934694
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Lost Fox pairs a coffee counter with a kitchen turning out a Breakfast Burger built around garlic aioli, a Brunch Poutine, and a pulled pork sandwich finished with house made coleslaw and a sweet edge to the barbecue sauce. Dogs are welcome inside, which fits the relaxed room. This is a St. Paul stop for brunch with friends, not a formal sit down.
What to orderBreakfast Burger, Brunch Poutine, Pulled Pork Sandwich
№ 07
St. Paul Meat Shop
St. Paul $$
1674 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 · +16516982536
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St. Paul Meat Shop earns its prices with a house grind and meat sticks that regulars call out by name, plus a Shepherd's Pie built on the shop's own cuts. It runs as a counter operation for quality product rather than volume, and repeat customers report finding cuts here they can't find elsewhere in the metro. Worth the detour for anyone assembling a real charcuterie board.
What to ordermeat sticks, house grind, Shepherd's Pie
№ 08
St Paul Cheese Shop
St. Paul $$
1573 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 · +16516983391
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The cheese melt at St Paul Cheese Shop comes with a tomato soup regulars single out as the better half of the pairing, smooth in consistency and built to complement rather than compete. The sandwiches themselves read as solid rather than showy. Easy parking and outdoor seating make it a repeat lunch stop for St. Paul regulars despite the small interior.
What to ordercheese melt, tomato soup, sandwich
№ 09
Hey Bear!
St. Paul
791 Raymond Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55114
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Hey Bear! runs on an egg biscuit sandwich built around a light, fluffy biscuit and good sausage, with the SEC sandwich as a second order worth flagging. The coffee program sources beans locally, and the shop reads as part of a broader rebuilding of small business along its stretch of St. Paul. A quick, friendly stop for a morning bite rather than a sit down meal.
What to orderegg biscuit sandwich, SEC sandwich, coffee
Frequently asked
Where can I find a real reuben near me in St. Paul?
This list leans toward St. Paul's deli and cheese-counter culture more than a strict reuben roundup; Cecil's is the closest to a traditional deli case with pastrami and corned beef, and St Paul Cheese Shop's melt is worth cross-shopping. None of these restaurants paid to be listed; placement follows each restaurant's Insider Score.
What is the Insider Score and how is it calculated?
The Insider Score is a rating built from the volume and content of customer reviews for each restaurant. It reflects consistency and reputation over time rather than a single visit, and no restaurant pays for a better score or a spot on this list.
Are any of these restaurants actually in Minneapolis?
No. Every restaurant on this list is in St. Paul, a separate city from Minneapolis with its own downtown and dining identity. St. Paul rooms are named as St. Paul rooms here, not folded into Minneapolis coverage.
Which spot on this list is best for a quick lunch without a wait?
Nelson Cheese & Deli and St Paul Cheese Shop both run counter service built for speed, with sandwiches ready fast and easy nearby parking. St. Paul Meat Shop and Hey Bear! also move quickly for a counter order, though St. Paul Meat Shop leans more toward prepared meats than a sit down lunch.
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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.
