I’m not from Minneapolis, but to me, East Lake Street has always felt like home. When I moved to the Twin Cities in the fall of 2010, I had a brief three-month stint living in Northeast, but I was never more than a mile from Lake Street on purpose for the following decade. I moved here from Wisconsin because I fell in love with the bike paths, the quick access to lush green parks, and the ability to escape the city within the city. Regardless of how I traveled, moving by bike, bus (the 21 that ran along Lake changed to the B line with heated bus shelters and rapid transit in 2025), car, or on foot, East Lake Street is a prime example of just how easy it is to explore so much in very little square footage.

I’m a queer person of color of Mexican descent. Living so close to the East Lake Street corridor offered me a sense of familiarity and comfort during a period of adjustment when I was getting my bearings in a new city. The paleterias, carnicerias, and panaderias peppered along East Lake remind me of the scenes I left back in Milwaukee. There are puppets, museums, karaoke, great food, and opportunities to engage with cultures different from my own. East Lake Street has seen so much over time, especially in the last several years in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, but as a community, it continues to flourish as a place that makes room for immigrants to not only land but thrive. The district is currently very Latinx and East African, but it wasn’t always that way.

East Lake Street’s History

At the turn of the 20th century, Minneapolis was rapidly developing. Scandinavian immigrants looking for work and opportunity settled in the neighborhood as Minneapolis began to grow and prosper. Initially for bikes and then buggies, Lake Street was the main thoroughfare for those seeking to explore the area’s natural beauty, with one notable destination being Minnehaha Falls to the southeast. In the 1880s, a streetcar system brought in workers from Excelsior and beyond. By 1928, shoppers flooded the shiny new Sears-Roebuck store at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Lake Street, today known as the Midtown Exchange building. By the 1950s, the streetcars were torn out, the paved road widened, and Lake Street became car-centric, favoring the adults and teenagers alike who cruised the strip.

Small businesses were abundant until the late 1960s when Highway 35W failed to include a Lake Street exit. This lack of access led many businesses to leave the area, and storefronts along portions of East Lake Street became vacant. The Sears-Roebuck store closed, crime rose, and along with it came white flight. Lake Street’s demographics began to change.

An influx of Latinx immigrants seeking cost-effective housing and spaces established small businesses. Neighborhood mainstays like Latinx marketplace Mercado Central, today featuring 35 Latinx-run businesses, like a butcher shop, a tortilleria, a bakery, a beauty salon, realty, and more, were established by industrious immigrants—just like in the 1880s. By the early 2000s, the old Sears building was undergoing a renaissance. By then, the neighborhood had not only amassed a fair number of Latinx immigrants but East African immigrants, too. Local Latinx and African development centers worked with neighborhood cultural development organizations, the city, and developers to reestablish the old Sears building as a global marketplace, now known as the Midtown Global Market, with office buildings and apartments above. This addressed the community’s concerns that “big box” businesses would replace the abundance of local businesses along Lake Street, and, according to Midtown’s website, to this day 18 of the original businesses are still inside of the market, and it is “home to over 45 businesses spanning over 22 cultures.” After its development, and opening in 2006, the neighborhood, too, started to see positive changes, with crime rates dropping, employment rates rising, and more development resulting in small businesses along East Lake by Black and Brown entrepreneurs. This was the East Lake Street I was fortunate to encounter when I moved here in 2010.

A Perfect Day Along East Lake Street

Although one day is not nearly enough time to spend along this bustling corridor, let me help you map out, in my opinion, a perfect day along East Lake Street.

Morning movement and pastries galore

Kick the day off with movement and go for a bike ride or run first thing in the morning along the Midtown Greenway Regional Trail. The 5.5-mile haven for cyclists that stays plowed throughout the winter runs along a former railroad corridor with convenient exits that drop cyclists near Lake Street shopping, dining, and entertainment. I feel it’s one of my safest options day or night when traveling by bike. The Greenway connects to the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and 50 miles of Grand Rounds Scenic Byway for those seeking a longer ride. Afterward, lock up your bike, as so much of East Lake Street is best visited on foot lest you miss a tiny bakery, taco stand, or Somali cafe.

After you’ve worked up an appetite, pick one of the many bakeries along Lake Street to stave off your hunger. Stop at Panaderia el Mexicano in Mercado Central, for a big, fluffy concha and the first cup of coffee of the day, or visit Panaderia Charito where you can find piles of meringues, crunchy, chocolate-dipped cookies, or my favorite pig-shaped soft molasses cookies, marranitos. There are several bakeries, coffee shops, and spots to grab a smoothie within the Karmel Mall, the first and most expansive Somali shopping center in the country. Try a glistening sweet roll with spiced tea or grab a few savory sambusas, crisp, fried triangular pastries filled with meat or lentils. If you’re craving a heartier breakfast, head over to the Midtown Global Market to Andy’s Garage for freshly made omelets, chilaquiles, or biscuits and gravy.

Afternoon exploration and snack time

Learn more about the history and culture of Minneapolis’ Somali community at the Somali Museum of Minnesota, which moved inside of the Midtown Global Market. Here, you’ll get a primer on the United States’ largest immigrant and refugee population living in the Twin Cities. Schedule a traditional finger weaving class or explore the exhibits featuring nomadic vessels and huts, and check out contemporary Somali paintings. To explore the culture of some of East Lake’s first immigrants, visit Ingebretsen’s on 16th and Lake, which celebrated its 100th year on Lake Street in 2021. Here, you’ll find gifts and deli items from Nordic countries. The beef jerky is still among the best I’ve ever had and is perfect for packing along for long bike rides.

I often write about food for my day job, so I’m thinking about my next meal or snack even when I’m off the clock. There is no better place than East Lake for expert eaters like myself. Cool off on a hot day with a refreshing mangonada or paleta from La Michoacana Purepecha on Lake and Park – my favorite is the bubblegum-pink piñon (pine nut) flavor. It’s creamy, rich, and pleasantly sweet without being overwhelmingly sugary. As you walk through the area, browse the murals along East Lake. Local artists have decorated buildings along this stretch for years, showcasing neighborhood pride. After the Uprising, many more artistic expressions of solidarity for the community appeared on building facades. A mural tour on foot is an easy, fun, and free way to spend an immersive afternoon, and you can download a map here. Want some more hands-on and kid-friendly fun? In the Heart of the Beast is Minneapolis’ premier puppet theater and activist space. Cruise their Puppet Library during their open hours (1st and 3rd Saturday of every month from 10 am to 2 pm) and view the theater’s selection of artist made puppets. If you just want to see their work in action, check out their events calendar to see if you’re free for one of their many events and performances.

If you want more of a curated event, throughout the year, East Lake Street is home to annual festivals. Local creativity is on display during the Midtown Arts and Music Festival. Find free music, fun, and delicious food during the Lake Street Bash. On the Greenway around Halloween, Bare Bones puts on their annual puppet show. Or, explore Mexican culture along Lake Street during Cinco de Mayo and Dia de los Muertos.

East Lake nightlife and dinner

There are several options for dinner and entertainment as the daylight dwindles along East Lake. La Carreta has been open since 2023, and features countless seafood options, mole-slathered enchiladas, and thirst-quenching margaritas. Stick around on Thursdays through Sundays from 6pm until they close for live karaoke in Spanish and English. Try a shot of mezcal with a tarantula in the bottom of the bottle, if you dare. Next door, Marsu Pizza uses classic thin-crust pies as a vessel for Mexican flavors. Find birria, carne asada, lengua (beef tongue), and chorizo (Mexican sausage) alongside classic flavors like meat lovers, supreme, veggie, and margarita pizzas. Looking for Halal fare? Check out Sanag Restaurant that opened in 2024. Translated to “camel house,” it’s what you’ll find on the menu packed with helpful photos along with goat, chicken, sandwiches, and more. The sizzling camel dish was tender, fatty, flavorful and because we ordered canjeero, a sweeter, small flatbread, our meal came with warmly spiced greens, lentils, and carrots. Cap the night off with a visit to Game Time, a bar-cade that features wine, beer, booze along with games like pinball, Big Buck Hunter, hoops, and classic arcade cabinets like Donkey Kong and Tetris, along with snacks like wings, tots, and hot dogs, all located inside of the Global Market.

Looking towards the future of East Lake

One of the more exciting things about East Lake is the prospect of Nicollet reopening. Since 1977, when a Kmart and SuperValu went in, the corridor was closed off. It limited access to local businesses and left a lasting impression on the community. In March of 2020, the Minneapolis City Council voted to terminate the Kmart lease. Shortly after, the building was damaged in the uprisings after the murder of George Floyd. In 2023, the building was torn down. Soon, I hope to see the reconnection of Lake Street Nicollet–especially because it will create easier access to some of my favorite spots on Eat Street, like Pho Tau Bay, Lu’s, Quang, and newer spots that showcase several chefs and cuisines at Eat Street Crossing. Re-opening Nicollet at Lake Street feels like a renaissance, as a big box store leaves to reconnect communities to small-scale, local businesses, many of which are owned by BIPOC people.

If there’s one thing I learned during my time living near East Lake Street, it’s that you will leave feeling full in your body, mind, and your heart. This enduring corridor is one that’s paved the road to prosperity for many newcomers. Its legacy continues today in the form of independent, immigrant-owned businesses that are more than deserving of any visitor’s energy and attention and certainly require more than one visit to create their own favorite places and memories with food, culture, and movement like the treasured ones I hold today.

• Las Cuatro Milpa - or “four cornfields” is a taqueria y birrieria that is not to be missed. Hector Hernandez brings birria of Zacatecas to Minneapolis and it does not disappoint.
• Marhaba Grill - Unique mix of Mediterranean foods and sumptuous desserts in a relaxed, casual setting with lunch and dinner buffet options on Nicollet.
• Modern Times - Cafe offering hearty breakfasts, sandwiches & salads, with vegetarian & organic choices, in a colorful, family-friendly setting.
• Taco Taxi - Authentic and traditional Jalisco style Mexican dishes that you can grab at their counter-service eatery open until 2 am, or from their food truck that is often found a little further east on Lake Street by S 19th Ave.