160+ New Restaurants Open in Twin Cities This Year

A Year of Culinary Innovation and Growth

If you felt like a new restaurant was opening every time you blinked, you weren’t imagining things. The Taste team counted 163 openings in 2025, a pace that rarely let up, from January’s big splashes to December’s final debuts. Together, they paint a picture of a metro that’s hungry — with chefs pushing boundaries, neighborhoods getting fresh momentum and suburbs staking their own claims.

January: A Strong Start to the Year

One of 2025’s best new restaurants kicked off a year of strong showings from the Twin Cities restaurant community, when Travail relaunched ie, the beloved Italian restaurant in south Minneapolis. Travail sparked a winter warmup at Graze Food Hall in the North Loop, bringing in friends to test new ideas: Alex Roberts with fried chicken at Caja and Gustavo Romero with tacos at Tixtli by Nixta.

At the Market at Malcom Yards, Eggflip and Sushiflip joined the lineup. Speaking of eggs, Egg on a Roll opened a flagship location in southeast Minneapolis. Back in the North Loop, Rabbit Hole hopped into the sports bar scene.

Pasta lovers had more than ie to swoon over: Hendrix & Siena debuted in Hopkins with a two-sheet lasagna that still gets a lot of buzz. St. Anthony Main went tropical with Cabana Club. Eden Prairie Center welcomed Gyu-Mai and Ichiddo Ramen. And Las Delicias de Frida brought Mexican ice cream to Lyn-Lake.

St. Paul’s popular Catzen Coffee also opened this month, while the old Keenan’s became the 620 Club. And Xelas by El Sazon planted roots in Stillwater.

February: A Quiet Month with Notable Changes

February is usually sleepy, but even still, we saw the relocation of Beirut Lebanese into a quick-serve spot in Rosemount, and the reopening of May Day Cafe as an employee-owned business in south Minneapolis.

It was a banner month for cafes and bakeries, with Papa Chuy’s, Momo Cafe and Frgmnt Coffee all opening in Minneapolis.

In the suburbs, Savage fired up the grills at Gogi Korean BBQ.

And a year after a devastating fire, Minneapolis’ 19 Bar reopened — a milestone worth celebrating.

March: Major Openings and New Concepts

Two major March openings made it onto our year-end list: Khue’s Kitchen, the St. Paul brick-and-mortar home for a former ghost kitchen with a legendary chicken sandwich (from Eric Pham); and St. Pierre Steak & Seafood, a North Loop reimagining of Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre’s shuttered Snack Bar and Burch.

The North Loop kept the party going with Cafe Yoto (hand rolls and noodles), Mad Chicken (fried tenders), Five Iron Golf (simulators and snacks), and Vern’s Tiki Bar (tropical vibes at the back of Public Domain).

In the suburbs, Spinning Wylde opened its “Cloud Bar” at Maplewood Mall; Maple Grove landed KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot; Zaffron Kitchen arrived at Southdale Center; and a Minnetonka pickleball court picked up Fork + Pickle.

Meanwhile at Malcolm Yards, World Street Kitchen joined the vendor roster.

April: Spring Rush of Casual Newcomers

Spring brought a rush of casual newcomers. Moona Moono drew lines for boba in Uptown; Phê Coffee caffeinated Lowertown; Food on the Fly fed scratch Korean lunches to downtown Minneapolis; and Bar Harmony turned a daytime cafe into a nighttime wine bar in northeast Minneapolis.

Big names expanded, too. Egg on a Roll and Daniel del Prado’s Rosalia added northeast Minneapolis locations. Pizza Karma came to Dinkytown, and El Sazon opened another taco stand at Eat Street Crossing.

Food halls stayed busy: Malcolm Yards added Kinsley’s Smokehouse Deli, and Rosedale’s Potluck welcomed Legendary Spice and Boba X.

In the suburbs, Edina picked up Hangry Joe’s and the maximalist Carnival Bar; Lakeville got the Farmer’s Cellar speakeasy; and a White Bear Lake car wash transformed into Stone & Oak supper club.

May: Suburban Expansion and Reopenings

The western suburbs did some reshuffling: Macanda relaunched as a sushi restaurant in Wayzata; St. Boni Bistro became Molly’s in St. Bonifacius; and Cabana Anna’s opened in the Shoreline Hotel in Spring Park. Abang Yoli landed in Minnetonka, and Momo Korean Egg Drop cracked into Golden Valley.

North of the metro, the Block opened in Rogers and Hope Breakfast Bar debuted in Blaine; to the south, Eagan (and St. Louis Park) added new Lago Tacos, and Richfield welcomed El Taco Real.

The metro’s first Qahwah House coffeeshop opened in northeast Minneapolis. And in St. Paul, the community focused cafe Golden Thyme returned.

June: Comebacks and New Cravings

June brought comebacks: The state’s oldest Dairy Queen returned in Roseville as Sprinkles; the restaurant neighboring the Palace Theatre in downtown St. Paul was revived as Palace Pub; and after a long dormancy, Tiny Diner sprouted once again in south Minneapolis.

Newer cravings were satisfied by breakfast experts Scramblin’ Egg in Bloomington; BirdEz Halal fried chicken on W. Lake Street; and Korean fried chicken at K-ChiMac in Richfield.

The Donut Trap opened in St. Paul, while Hometowne Pizza fired up slices in downtown Minneapolis; and North Star Deli delivered New Orleans sandwiches with a hockey twist to Kingfield.

Down in Shakopee, Boardwalk Kitchen & Bar fed spectators at the sprawling Canterbury-adjacent eatery. And in Excelsior, Jester Concepts’ Shiki set up shop for noodles and dumplings just down the street from the new Old Southern BBQ Smokehouse.

July: Summer Heat and New Restaurants

Summer heated up especially in Woodbury, where one of the year’s best restaurants, Liliana, started strong with fresh pastas and creative Italian. Another top restaurant, Dark Horse, came back to Lowertown St. Paul with new ownership and ambition.

On the other side of the metro, Jester Concepts launched the supper-clubby Mirabelle in Excelsior. Apple Valley got Spice Village and the Wanderer (under chef Thomas Boemer). Robbinsdale’s Pig Ate My Pizza came back — with pasta this time. Hopkins’ Pub 819 reopened after a long fire-induced closure. And Inver Grove Heights got some Angry Donkey doughnuts.

One of downtown Minneapolis’ grandest spaces got a new tenant in the steakhouse Stock & Bond. And the Ivy hotel added Bar Edera. The beloved Malt Shop returned in south Minneapolis, and Hippo Pockets opened its first brick-and-mortar.

August: New Favorites and Expansions

Among the restaurants that made our top list, Meet Up Noodle opened on Eat Street with hand-pulled noodles, and Saturday Dumpling Co. began its big 2025 expansion with a stand at Malcolm Yards.

Minneapolis saw D’s Bánh Mì reopen after a car-crash fire, Arya Cafe brew Ethiopian beans, and Kinzo Udon ladle out hearty bowls.

Excelsior gained David Fhima’s Sicilian Vagabondo. Minnetrista expanded its orchard-to-winery operations with the Table at Everly Farms. Chaska welcomed Southern Social; Apple Valley said bonjour to Cafe de Paris; Eden Prairie scored with Football Pizza; and Prior Lake got Hop House inside Mystic Lake Casino.

September: Cozy Coffee Season Begins

Fall ushered in cozy coffee season with the openings of the Lobby (Edina), Flour and Friends Bakery (Crystal), new downtown Minneapolis outposts of Mother Dough and Rustica, and Angel Food Bakery (Hopkins). Weekend brunch at the new Kizzo in Northeast delivered gooey cinnamon roll surprises.

Woodbury lined up early for Feast Buffet. Mall of America added Swiss chocolatier Läderach. St. Paul’s Smorgie’s opened a Warehouse District sibling. And south Minneapolis welcomed Shepherd’s Way, a tiny cheese-centric sandwich shop.

October: Big Revivals and More

The month’s headline: the Chi-Chi’s revival in St. Louis Park’s West End — fried ice cream and all. But October had plenty more frying power. Cardigan Donuts expanded with a third downtown skyway location, while Chingu Korean Fried Chicken (and Kyo Matcha) came to Burnsville Center.

Two longtime Twin Cities restaurants opened new locations across the metro: Brim leapt from Bde Maka Ska to the Southdale area, and Wild Hare jumped from Stillwater to Blaine. As for Stillwater, it saw the revival of a beloved space when Rio 1854 opened in the former Dock.

Minneapolis saw Olive & Lamb open in the southeast and Esther’s Table arrive at the downtown Sheraton. And one of our top restaurants, Animales Barbeque and Burger Co., finally opened its long-awaited smoked-meat and music hub in the Harrison neighborhood.

November: Continued Growth and Excitement

Lito’s Burritos sprinted into its second location in Lyn-Lake. After a pop-up start, GIỌT Cream Coffee found a home in Richfield. Silverbird Roasting Co. set up its own shop in Kingfield.

Just up the street in Kingfield, Little Bird Delicatessen found a perch for sandwiches and gelato. Herbivorous Butcher returned in northeast Minneapolis after a fire had halted its vegan meat operation. Nokko brought temaki to south Minneapolis, and Saturday Dumpling Co. (one of our 2025 favorites) brought the neighborhood its dumplings and one-of-a-kind congee hash browns. Midtown Global Market added Rollin Nolen’s BBQ. And downtown Minneapolis flipped 801 Fish to 801 on Nicollet.

At 50th & France, Daniel del Prado opened the French restaurant Thérèse, and across the street, Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour bakery returned. Blaine got Baba Saj, Maple Grove got Apa Sushi, and Wayzata welcomed a savory-focused Rustica.

In St. Paul, the farmers market found a winter indoor home; X2 Pastries went all in on Labubu-themed cuteness; and CrowBar opened inside the historic Hamm’s Brewery.

December: A Strong Closing to the Year

Minneapolis kicked off December with Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour in the North Loop, toasted sub shop Cheba Hut in Uptown, and the vegan Dreamstate Cafe.

If 2025 has taught us anything, 2026 will have plenty more to talk about.