Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. From special events, delicious food spots, museum exhibits and more, Minneapolis has many different ways to celebrate and learn about Asian culture all month long.
Places to Visit
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Mia's diverse collection displays plenty of art created by the AAPI community as well as Asian artists from around the world. Their curators work hard to find works that are reflective of all communities. Check out their Collection of Asian Art, which include works from China, South and Southeast Asia, Japan and Korean. They currently have a few exhibits exploring Asian culture including:
- Transcendent Clay: The Kondō Family’s Path of Porcelain Innovations
On view until September 7, 2025
- Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room: The Alice S. Kandell Collection
On view until September 14, 2025
- Hokusai | Monet
On view until August 10, 2025
Midtown Global Market
As a hub for showcasing food and shopping from Minneapolis' diverse communities, Midtown Global Market not only offers a wide variety of Asian cuisine including, Intown Sushi, Pham’s Rice Bowl, Momo Dosa, and Sabbai Cuisine, but it also is home to a unique Tibetan shop, Tibet Arts & Gifts, filled with rare clothing, accessories and home decor from the Himalayas.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
At Como Park Zoo & Conservatory's Ordway Gardens you will find Minnesota's only top-curated Japanese plant collection. Within the garden is a Bonsai tree collection that honors Japanese art. The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden was created by renowned landscape designer, Masami Matsuda from Nagasaki. His creation serves to honor Japanese design principals using Minnesota plants and trees.
Weisman Art Museum
A permanent collection at the Weisman, Traditional Korean Furniture, includes about 200 examples of Choson dynasty furniture, 80 Silla dynasty stoneware pieces, close to 150 folk paintings and wooden bowls and utensils, in addition to other folk arts and crafts. The collection represents many types of wood, decorative material, and joinery techniques. On view until May 25, 2025 is Ebb/Flow: Pritika Chowdhry, Chotsani Elaine Dean and Courtney M. Leonard, tells the story of the invasive effects of colonialism through large scale, ceramic-based installation works.
Hmongtown Marketplace
An indoor and outdoor marketplace with over 125 stalls and shops, including 11 restaurants. Here you can browse all types of products from food and fresh produce, to clothing, home items, and accessories. The marketplace has grown to become a commonplace for Hmong Americans and given them a familiar sense of home with the community.
United Noodles
United Noodles is a pan-Asian grocery store located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Here you can pick up and discover new ingredients and products from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Hawaii and more.
University of Minnesota Campus: Dinkytown, Stadium Village, and West Bank
The University of Minnesota campus is surrounded by pockets of Asian culture powered by food, the people who prepare it, and those who enjoy it. Within walking distance from campus, you’ll find restaurants, food halls, boba shops, bakeries, and cafés representing Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Hmong, Thai, Japanese, and Polynesian cuisines. These places represent a piece of home for the more than 4,000 Asian students, many of which are international. The array of authentic flavors offers the opportunity to learn more about generations and traditions of the AAPI community in Minneapolis.
Asia Mall
In the southwest suburb of Eden Prairie, you'll find Asia Mall. Here, you can shop for fresh Asian groceries, pick up live seafood, and dine at the top local Asian restaurants, all in one place. The crowd favorites here are boba, mochi donuts, and hot pot. It's a bit of a drive, but so worth it!
Events
Check back soon for more events celebrating AAPI Month in Minneapolis!
May 10, 2025
1:30pm - 4:30pm
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The presentation concludes with a reception and book signing by Tenzin Namdul and Miriam Cameron for their new publication, Tibetan Medicine and You: A Path to Wellbeing, Joy, and Happiness.
May 10, 2025
1:00pm
Arbeiter Brewing
We're celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with our annual Asian Phoenix Festival. Join us for this free event and enjoy the festivities and flavors of Asian cultures!
May 14, 2025
Marcus Cinema West End
Twin Cities Film Fest is proud to celebrate diversity of our local cultural heritage through a series of MNmicro Film Festivals! We are continuing our celebration with the fourth and final micro festival in the series by showcasing 5 feature presentations by local filmmakers on May 14, 2025, at the Marcus West End Cinema in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. All screenings will be FREE to our community and audiences. In true festival fashion, we'll have red carpet filmmaker interviews, post film discussions and an event in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month!
May 16-17, 2025
Walker Cinema
Bitterroot follows Lue (Twin Cities’ Wa Yang) as he works through the aftermath of a divorce and the life changes that follow. Set in Missoula’s Hmong community and the expansive mountainous landscapes of western Montana, the film’s narrative follows Lue through his janitorial job, helping his aging mother at the local farmer’s market, and to solitary and reflective performances at a local karaoke bar. Bitterroot’s narrative is built with slow and contemplative pacing that touches on themes of migration, climate change, and colonialism to tell a story of transformation and tradition in a Hmong family.
May 22, 2025
Walker Cinema
In making the feature film Bitterroot, filmmaker Vera Brunner-Sung and producers Kazua Melissa Vang and Yeej used an apprenticeship model to bring Hmong community into various aspects of production. Though Bitterroot was shot in Missoula, people from the Twin Cities Hmong community were featured both in front of and behind the camera. Curated by Vang and Yeej, this screening showcase features local Hmong artists, highlighting the different ways they are using film to tell their own stories.
Food & Drink
Union Hmong Kitchen
901 W Lake Street & 520 N. 4th St.
Chef Yia Vang's restaurants serve Hmong comfort food influenced by American flavors. You'll find dishes like Hmong sausage (Two housemade coarse-ground sausage links with Krunchy Chili Oil.), Khao sen rice noodles, Sticky spare ribs with tamarind sauce, and more.
Khâluna
Khâluna transports visitors across the ocean with its colorful array of food and dreamy interior. The soft and beachy atmosphere and Lao dishes for which Khâluna is known provides a vacation right in South Minneapolis.
Hai Hai
Popular Northeast restaurant Hai Hai, serves Vietnamese street food. Inspired by dishes that Chef Christina Nguyen grew up eating at home, at family celebrations, and during several trips to Southeast Asia, you can expect to find more than just the standards like pho and pad thai.
Arbeiter Brewing
Arbeiter Brewing is Minneapolis' only Asian-owned brewery. They produce approachable beers in a wide range of styles and specialize in craft lagers. Try Arbeiter's flagship Korean Rice Lager, which has won multiple awards in the beer community.
Curry in Hurry
At Curry in Hurry grab delicious bowls of Indian staples and street food, including Tikka Masala, Coconut Curry and Biryani.
Lotus Restaurant
A family-run restaurant offering flavorful dishes of traditional Vietnamese food. Find passed down recipes of soups, rice & noodle dishes, and pho.
Gai Noi
Gai Noi brings Laotian cuisine to the neighborhood of Loring Park through Chef Ann Ahmed's creative culinary recipes. Dip your sticky rice into some tomato Jeow, order a refreshing watermelon salad is topped with shrimp flakes and crispy shallots or the papaya salad. It's all meant for sharing, so bring some friends and try out a few menu items.
Sawatdee
Sawatdee is family owned and operated restaurant that go it's start in 1983 and became the first Thai restaurant in the five-state area. They now have four locations throughout the Twin cities and are a local favorite..
More Restaurants:
Japanese
- Kado No Mise
- moto-i
- Zen Box Izakaya
- Hibachi Daruma
- Sanjusan
- Sushi Train
- Wakame Sushi & Asian Bistro (Japanese & Thai)
- Kyatchi
- Sushi Takatsu
- MOMO Sushi
Indian/Nepalese
- Spice & Tonic
- Kadai Indian Kitchen
- Gorkha Palace
- Dancing Ganesha
- Himalayan Restaurant (Nepalese)
- Darbar India Grill & Bar
Vietnamese
- Jasmine Deli
- My Huong Kitchen
- Quang's
- Pho 79
- Pho Tua Bay
- Pham's Rice Bowl
- Bep Eatery
- Lu's Sandwiches
- Que Viet Village House
- Rainbow Chinese (Chinese)
- Tasty Pot (Taiwanese)
- Tea House Chinese Restaurant (Chinese)
- Shuang Cheng (Cantonese)
Hawaiian
