Culture is a vital component to Minneapolis and its residents, and with non-white residents in Minneapolis accounting for 40% of the population (according to census data from MN Compass), having businesses that cater to everyone in the city is equally important. The variety of international grocers and markets that can be found throughout the seven Minneapolis Cultural Districts provide an essential service to the populations they serve, they allow for curiosity to arise among residents who may not share the same identity. These markets serve as a bridge to find prepared food, ingredients, and cookware that allows shoppers to recreate a dish they’ve experienced at one of the many restaurants and markets available within the Cultural Districts.

In a piece I wrote for Racket about international grocers in the Twin Cities, “shopping at international markets and grocers doesn’t just help support a small business; according to a recent study by the American Independent Business Alliance, independent retailers return three times as much money to the local economy than chain retailers.” The dollars spent at international markets and grocers in the Minneapolis Cultural Districts translates to more jobs in the community and goes to support local farmers and artisans who supply these grocers and markets with produce, meats, textiles, and more. Here are just a few to check out in the Minneapolis Cultural Districts.

Midtown Global Market

Since opening in 2006, Midtown Global Market has been a thriving hub for a rotating cast of delectable eats, produce, crafts, textiles, and clothing. On the cuisine side, visitors can find a dozen food stalls serving up food from all around the globe. Some favorites are the tagines offered at Moroccan Flavors, and the fast-casual twist of Tibetan and Nepalese momos from MomoDosa. Be sure to check out Tibet Arts & Gifts, Dar Medina, The Art Shoppe, and Simba Craftware for different crafts and textiles. Additionally for fashion, Zahra Fashion and Sanchez Jewelry are a couple of retailers in the Midtown Global Market that can snazzy up any wardrobe.

Still not ready to go? Midtown Global Market offers free events like Live Music Thursdays and Saturday Sounds, plus special celebrations—everything from Juneteenth reenactments to Latinx mixers and art‑and‑book fairs. Check their event calendar before your visit.

New to the scene, Game Time Sports Bar & Arcade, offers high‑def screens, interactive arcade games, stadium‑style eats and drinks—making it a go‑to spot for watching games and hanging with friends.

Mercado Central

At Mercado Central visitors can enjoy an array of tasty pupusas at El Rincon Salvadoreno, sweet and savory tamales at La Loma, or traditional tacos with all the fixings at Tacos Del Sol. For fresh baked goods, Panaderia El Mexicano offers fresh-baked conchas, a Mexican sweet bread, and Maria’s Restaurante offers some of the best and filling tortas in the Twin Cities.

Elsewhere in Mercado Central shoppers can browse an array of vendors for clothing, jewelry, and more. For sweet and spicy candies, head to Dulceria La Pinata, or for jewelry, search the necklaces available at Joyeria Ashley, or watches at Ocatimes Relojeria. For fascinating religious figurines and statues, there’s a wide selection of them available at Libreria La Paz.

Mercado Central is home to over 35 businesses that continue to be a beacon of economic development for aspiring Latino business owners. Mercado Central was founded through the lens of community organization, to address and overcome barriers for Latino entrepreneurs.

Karmel Mall

Serving as both a city and national landmark as the first Somali mall, the two stories of Karmel Mall are home to a plethora of food, cafes, clothing, tailors, and jewelry shops that have the feel of visiting an East African bazaar. Stop by Hamdi Coffee for fantastic Somali chai, or enjoy fast food spinoffs of Somali cuisine at places such as Deg Deg Grill, Safari Restaurant, or Alla Ma’aan. For more traditional East African cuisine, try the goat kidney with laxoox, a Somali sourdough crepe, at Kaatun Restaurant, or on the second floor at Willo Restaurant & Bakery.

If you feel like shopping, Karmel Mall has multiple clothing stores for modest fashion, such as Bilan Bello Boutique, Naalo Fashion, and Xatimi Shop. Jewelry retailers such as Dhamastriyan Jewelry and Yusra Jewelers are also accessible, alongside multiple henna designers, salons, and barbershops.

Karmel Mall offers a wide array of retailers supporting not only Somali entrepreneurs, but serves a vital need for Minnesota’s 86,000 Somali residents.

Ancient Trader's Market

Franklin Avenue has long served as an economic hub and home to Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses, such as Pow Wow Grounds. At Ancient Trader’s Market, an anchor of Franklin Avenue since the 1970s, Ancient Trader’s Market serves as home to spots such as Maria’s Café, which serves fantastic American and Colombian fare for breakfast and lunch. Try the fan favorite - cachapas venezolanas, huge corn pancakes served with a side of cotija cheese, or Emilia’s Empanadas, three savory pastries stuffed with beef and potatoes. It’s a great way to start off your visit.

Afterwards, venture over to Northland Visions, which has called Ancient Trader’s Market home since the 1990s during its humble beginnings as a mail-order business for a bevy of Indigenous products. At Northland Visions, visitors will find a rich collection of Native American art, beadwork, crafts, and books, along with handmade goods from local Indigenous artists. Northland Visions also sells blankets and other products such as bear oil blends, which work like a dual-action lotion for cracked skin and lips, from different artisans and craft makers.

Little India

Located next door to Momo Sushi, Little India has been a mainstay in the Central Avenue Cultural District since 2009. Start out with ready made chicken or veggie samosas, available near the register all day on Saturdays and Sunday - a perfect snack while checking out the remainder of what Little India has to offer.

Little India’s aisles carry a wide array of Southwest Asian staples such as heat and eat samosas, parathas, naan and microwavable dinners from butter chicken to spicy vindaloo. You’ll also find different brands of basmati rice, produce like bitter melon and okra to make kerala, spices such as the staple garam masala, and simmer sauces, all available to recreate those same dishes at home. In addition, Little India has a butcher on site for any meat needs for protein-forward meals such as lamb, chicken, beef, and goat.

Holy Land Bakery and Deli

Originally opened in 1986, Holy Land Bakery and Deli has expanded from a restaurant with humble beginnings, to a bakery, deli, and expansive grocery store that serves as the anchor of the Central Avenue Cultural District in Northeast Minneapolis. In addition to its wonderful hummus and tabouli available for dine-in, takeout, or delivery, Holy Land has a wide array of kebabs, shawarma, and sandwiches and delicious desserts such as baklava, knafeh, and more.

Holy Land also has a grocery store complete with cookware, spices, halal meats, and ready made foods. The pita bread and hummus are favorites and can be found here and in many grocery stores throughout the city. Aside from hummus and condiment offerings, Holy Land has a produce section that features fresh herbs, a wide array of olives, pickles, and cheeses, and an on-site butcher that provides halal cuts of meat, for small dinners and huge family gatherings.

El Nuevo Cinco De Mayo / La Casa Market

El Nuevo Cinco De Mayo is a fantastic Mexican market to grab some groceries to try out a new recipe, or to get a quick lunch to go at the restaurant portion, La Casa Market. Be sure to try their guisado platter, which consists of a choice of meat such as chicken in rich mole, or bistec a la Mexicana, a flavorful Mexican-style beef stew slow cooked with tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and Mexican herbs and spices. In addition to their guisado platter, their menu also contains tacos, tortas, burritos, and quesadillas, served with your protein of choice. All of their selections are served with rice, beans, and tortillas.

In addition, El Nuevo Cinco De Mayo has fresh tomatillos, tomatoes, and peppers to make your own pico de gallo, a meats section that carries chorizo and seasoned ground pork along with different cuts of beef and chicken, and a freezer section that has wraps for empanadas.

Riverside Mall

Located in the heart of the Cedar Avenue Cultural District, think of Riverside Mall as a smaller version of Karmel Mall. Start off the day at Gargaar Restaurant, to enjoy some beef or chicken suqqar, a dish that is seasoned with tamarind, garam masala, and more, mixed with veggies and served with a side of injera, malawahi, or chapati to scoop up all that goodness with. Served alongside Somali chai, it's a comfort meal worth having.

Afterwards, visit Darassalaam Grocery next door to Gargaar Restaurant, to find spices and frozen meat to recreate those suqqar flavors. Riverside Mall also features a variety of modest fashion for women at Rihana Clothing or Luqman Fashion, and has an array of stalls like Leedo Henna Design that provide henna design, or Baran Store that sells jewelry and perfumes that serve the East African residents that live in the District.

Colonial Market

A little north on Penn and Lowry, Colonial Market’s grocery store and restaurant fills a much needed grocery presence for the Lowry Avenue Cultural District. Upon entry inside Colonial Market, head to the back to check out Colonial Market’s restaurant, which offers savory birria tacos, tasty breakfast chilaquiles, and hearty soups like menudo and pozole. Next door to the restaurant you can purchase various cuts of beef, pork, and chicken to make your own version of tacos at home.

The aisles offer canned beans, a wide selection of hot sauces, tortilla baskets, and molcajetes, stoneware perfect for making tableside guacamole for your next dinner gathering. Near the end caps, you can find michelada mixers and any flavor of Jarritos you desire for that future sports gathering, whether it's the Wolves in five, or celebrating the next goal scored for Minnesota United.

Good Deal Oriental Foods

Located on Lowry Avenue North, Good Deal Oriental Foods is a family run neighborhood staple that has ready to order Hmong food. Offerings include papaya salad, beef laab, Hmong sausage, and chicken legs served with rice. Good Deal also offers catering deals with enough advanced notice, fantastic for hosting a huge dinner party.

The market also has a wide array of frozen meats and fish, good for any hotpot gathering, as well as a good selection of ramen and pho bowls where you can add hot water, stir, and eat. Additionally, aisles at Good Deal contain a variety of different rice, pickled bamboo shoots, and sauces that can be used for any Cantonese or Hmong dishes you want to recreate at home.

In addition to the markets listed above, the Minneapolis Cultural Districts are home to farmers markets that feature fresh produce, grab-and-go foods, live food demos, and music to enjoy as you shop. Here are a few farmers markets to check out.

Midtown Farmers Market, East Lake Street
Saturdays, 9am-2pm, May - October

Located on the blue line of Metro Transit’s light rail, the Midtown Farmers Market offers plenty of food ready to eat! Beef skewers, rice bowls and dumplings are available at Mekong Avenue and Hmong Eggrolls & More serves up fried egg rolls and fresh spring rolls. The market hosts a variety of farmers including Foxtail Farm and Mai’s Fresh Produce that sell fresh produce and flowers. In addition, Midtown Farmers Market showcases DJs, musicians, and workshops such as zine and movement workshops.

Four Sisters Farmers Market, Franklin Avenue
Saturdays, 11am-3pm, June - October

At Pow Wow Grounds coffee shop, about a block away from Ancient Trader’s Market, Four Sister’s Farmer’s Market is an Indigenous focused farmers market that provides healthy and culturally appropriate foods along the American Indian Cultural Corridor.

You can find Indigenous treats from Gatherings Café, or coffee and other beverages from Pow Wow Grounds. Browse the various vendors to shop for vegetables and handmade crafts and jewelry. The farmers market also offers live food sovereignty demos and occasional giveaways that include prizes from different Indigenous artisans and vendors.

Feel like cooking?

From rich spices and fresh produce to hand-pressed tortillas and Indigenous wild rice, the city’s Cultural Districts are home to a vibrant mix of international grocers that let you recreate your favorite meals - or try something completely new. Whether you’re inspired by a dish you tried at a local restaurant or just love discovering new ingredients, these neighborhood grocers offer a delicious way to explore global cultures through food.

Inspired by the flavors at Kaatun Restaurant or Gargaar Restaurant in Karmel Mall?

• Dur Dur Bakery & Grocery in the East Lake Street Cultural District provides breads, spices, and sauces.
• Wajadir Grocery & Halal Meat is another great place to find East African ingredients, meats, and produce.
• Amin Halal Grocery is a quick grab-and-go grocer located on the first floor of Karmel Mall that has produce, frozen meats, breads, and baked goods.

Want to enjoy some Indigenous ingredients that you experienced at Indigenous Food Lab Market?

• Northland Visions inside the Ancient Traders Market carries herbal teas, syrup, and wild rice.
• Indigenous Food Lab Market carries chocolate, non-GMO corn, wild rice, teas, and syrups from several Indigenous-owned artisans.

If “hay comida en la casa” is your mantra, and you loved the tacos at El Nuevo Cinco De Mayo, Tacos Del Sol, or Colonial Market & Restaurant.

• La Mexicana, located across the street from Mercado Central, features a well-stocked grocery selection with fresh produce, traditional Mexican ingredients, and pantry staples perfect for cooking authentic meals at home.
• La Perla Tortilleria has fresh tortillas for burritos, tacos, and chips.