Whether you are looking to escape negative temperatures at all costs or simply grab a quick, affordable lunch between meetings, there’s no better place to refuel in Downtown Minneapolis than at one of the Skyway’s many (many) eateries. You could enjoy a whole day getting lost in the miles of twisting, turning second-floor labyrinth to find which dishes are worth savoring and which are worth skipping, or you could simply hit one of our favorite spots for sure-bet satisfaction.

Note: Most Skyway restaurants are open weekdays only, so you may need to actually venture outside on Saturdays and Sundays.

Enter from the corner of South 9th Street and Marquette and take the escalator up to the skyway. For the Deluxe building you can enter through the doors on Marquette (just passed Manny's and The W Hotel) or through the doors on 8th street. To reach the skyway you can find stairs next to the Gray Fox or take elevators nearby the coffee shop as well. Both buildings have seating on the first floor. This area is relatively close to the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Options here include:

• Gray Fox Coffee (bottom level, 2 locations)
• Valentino Cafe (bottom level)
• Green & the Grain (bottom level)
• Ginellis Pizza

Favorite spot: Dave's Downtown

For people who work downtown Minneapolis, Dave's is a go-to for delicious breakfasts. You've got to try their breakfast sandwich or their breakfast burrito. Don't need breakfast? They also have classically-good sandwiches, wraps, and salads for lunch.

Entrance is on the corner of South 6th Street and South 2nd Avenue. There are elevators that lead up to the skyway level and seating all along .. as well as within most restaurants in the building.

Options here include:

• Wave Sushi
• Broadway Pizza
• Jimmy John's
• Woullet Bakery
• Caribou Coffee
• Naf Naf (bottom level)
• Chipotle (bottom level)
• JR Thai Food
• The Burger Place
  

Favorite spot: Green + The Grain

For a healthy indulgence, head to one of the four locations of this minimalist, monochromatic clean eater’s haven that serves up way more than simple green salads. Case in point? The Thai Beef Tenderloin salad piled high with rice noodles, romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, pickled carrots, fresh herbs, peanuts, local beef, and other bright veggies in a spicy peanut sauce. Feeling creative? Build your own salad from an extensive list of fresh toppings and premium additions, from saffron couscous to wild-caught buffalo shrimp.

Other Locations: LaSalle Plaza, Baker Center, At&T Tower

There are few entrances on 5th Street.

Options here include:

• Bep Eatery
• Blackwater Coffee & Cafe
  

Favorite Spot: Sphere

Located on the Skyway level of the Fifth Street Towers, the Mediteranean-leaning Sphere offers convenient escape from the bustling city. Named after a massive spherical skylight over the restaurant, the atmosphere here is what draws crowds. Sphere serves up a full array of salads, burgers, and anytime cocktails in one of the few full bars at Skyway level.

Enter on the corner of South 8th Street and South Marquette Ave. and take the stairs up to skyway level. There is also an entrance further down South Marquette toward South 7th Street where you can take and escalator up to the skyway. There is a seating area near Sushi Takatsu.

Options here include:

• Green & the Grain
  

Favorite Spots: Vellee Deli

Your appetite will be vanquished at this Asian-Mexican fusion hotspot where pineapple salsa and baja sauce rub elbows with spicy Thai curry and kimchi. Enjoy a Korean BBQ burrito or Duck Confit Banh Mi, and customize your level of spice by adding a few “kicks” of sundried and powdered Minnesota grown Thai chili peppers.

Sushi Takatsu

This Osaka-style sushi spot in the Baker Center draw remarkable lines, but one visit and you’ll know why. Serving up sushi bowl specials, oshizushi (pressed sushi), creative sushi rolls, beef curry bowls, and slurpable fried chicken udon at reasonable prices, Takatsu will have you planning your next lunch order before you’ve finished your first.

Afro Deli & Grill

Fusing African, Mediterranean, and American flavors with halal meats and a community-minded ethos, Afro Deli’s new Skyway location in the Baker Building is a one-way ticket to a one-of-a-kind flavor vacation. Where else can you find Somali Steak Sandwiches, chicken quesadillas, veggie sambusas, freshly made falafel, and the Afro Asian Chicken Suqaar blending Korean flavors and African spices? Nowhere but Afro Deli’s three other locations, that’s where.

Entrance is on South Marquette Ave, near the My Burger sign. There is some type of seating within most of the restaurants in the building.

Options here include:

• Vitality Roasting Coffee
• Egg Flip
• My Burger
• Savoure
• Bambo Garden
• Crepe Avenue
  

Favorite Spot: Kadai Indian Kitchen

You don’t need to be a local office worker to indulge in Kadai’s “Business Lunch” buffet, and there’s no better way to get your fill of a variety of North and South Indian specialties—from Andhra Spicy Chicken Curry to Malai Kofta. Avoid the lunch lines and stop in for an Indian breakfast treat, the Mysore Masala Dosa. This rice crepe rolled and filled with potato curry and spicy chutney is available daily before 11am.

You can enter Gaviidea from Nicollett near the Walgreens and take the stairs or escalator up to the skyway. Another entrance off Nicollet is next to the D'Amico & Sons restaurant.

Options here include:

• Planet Smoothie (bottom level)
• Bruegger's Bagels (bottom level)
• Freshii
• Five Guys
• Subway
• D'Amico & Sons (bottom level)
  

Favorite Spot: Salad Slayer

Pick-up a fresh, vibrant salad from Salad Slayer. They use local greens from sustainable urban farms to create a diverse selection of healthy options that suit all tastes and dietary needs. Choose from pre-composed menu of salads. like the Thai Stick: crispy chicken, mango, red pepper, carrot, cucumber, scallion, napa cabbage, spinach, roasted cashew, sesame seeds, and sesame ginger dressing or "toss" your own. You can even make it a wrap or a grain bowl.

Enter the 50 South Six building at 651 Nicollet Ave. In City Center, there is seating along the upper skyway level and in each restaurant. Just blocks away from Target Center, these are good options for a quick bite before a game or event.

Options here include:

• The Salad Bar (seating)
• Cardigan Donuts
• Leeann Chin
• Starbucks
• Los Ocampos Express
• Chipotle
• SK Coffee
  

Favorite Spots: The Brothers Deli

A little bit of the Big Apple in Minneapolis, this New York-style deli has been serving up Reubens on rye, slow-roasted brisket sandwiches, and matzo ball soup along with a dizzying array of other sandwiches, salads, burgers, wraps, and more on South Sixth Street for nearly two decades.

Naf Naf Grill

Naf Naf serves flavors true to Middle Eastern cuisine. You can build your own bowl, stuffed pita, or salad with many fillings, like falafel, steak, purple cabbage, basmati rice, couscous, and more. Plus, add as many sauces as you'd like.

Naf Naf and Brothers Deli both have ample seating inside.

Enter the Rand Tower or Canadian Pacific Plaza from the double doors on South 6th Street. Take the escalator to the skyway level and find these restaurants below with seating.

Options here include:

• Starbucks
• Asian Max
• Potbelly
  

Favorite Spot: D. Brian's

D. Brian’s breakfasts and lunches are made with nutritious and natural ingredients. They have convenient breakfast options, like breakfast sandwiches and breakfast bowls (which are served all day), but also lunch staples like salads, tasty sandwiches, and even taco bowls.

Enter LaSalle Plaza through the revolving doors on La Salle Avenue and find the escalator to the left to get to skyway level. 811 LaSalle can be accessed through the skyway connections. Check out these restaurants (all with seating), which are close to Hennepin Avenue and the Theatre District.

Options here include:

• Green & The Grain
• Gray Fox Coffee
• Andrea Pizza
• Northern Lights Tea Company
  

Favorite Spot: Bep Eatery

Vietnamese street food reduced to its freshest, tastiest essentials: pho, vermicelli noodle salads, spring rolls, and banh mi sandwiches with a host of customizable additions—swap garlic-orange tofu for lemongrass steak or ginger pork, then load up on fresh herbs, zingy pineapple, and sliced jalapeños, and a tight assortment of delicious sauces to make each meal your own. In a rush? Order online from the Lasalle Plaza location to pick up and dash.

Other Locations: Fifth Street Towers

On South 9th Street, find the revolving doors labeled "Medical Arts Building." Alternatively, you can head into Hell's Kitchen and take the elevator up to the skyway level to find Come Pho Soup.

Options here include:

• Hell's Kitchen (street level)
• Zelo (street level)

Favorite Spot: Come Pho Soup

Looking for something warm, cozy, and hearty? Come Pho Soup is your spot. This French Vietnamese fusion restaurant offers a selection of steaming bowls of pho and banh mi sandwiches. Choose from unique bowl options like Breakfast, Vegan, or Seafood, or make your own!

Enter on South 8th Street (by the FedEx store) or on Marquette Avenue. Get to the skyway from the escalator or nearby elevators. You'll find most of these restaurants on the skyway level and ample seating on the bottom level in Crystal Court.

Options here include:

• Potbelly
• 123 Sushi
• Starbucks
• People's Organic Café (bottom level)
• Roti Mediterranean (bottom level)
  

Favorite Spot: Cardigan Donuts

Craving a sweet pick-me-up? Cardigan Donuts has got to go on your list. Their old fashioned donut is one of the best in Minneapolis, and they're always baking new and inventive donut flavors. Most of these specialty flavors (like a blueberry and lemon old fashioned or a red velvet donut) are only available for short amounts of time, so keep an eye on their Instagram page to stay in the know.

Step through the glass façade of Capella Tower on the corner of South 6th Street and 2nd Avenue South to grab a slice of pizza or a coffee. Each restaurant option below has seating.

Options here include:

• Andrea Pizza

Favorite Spot: Mother Dough Bakery

Find coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and wine all at Mother Dough Bakery. Chef Fhima's 130-year-old starter dough from his great, great grandmother makes up the base of their breads, and this bakery is guaranteed to transport you to Paris. Stop in for your morning coffee and sweet treat, enjoy a savory sandwich for lunch here, or come for happy hour and sip a glass of wine.