Where to Eat & Drink

Morning

Here’s a curveball for you, start your day with a morning meal at Sabores de Mexico, a newly opened grocery store in south Minneapolis right at the edge of the city’s border with Richfield. A grocery store might not be where you expect to get mind-blowingly good cuisine, but trust us on this one. Sabores de Mexico, not only has a plethora of Latinx products, produce and a full service meat counter, but it also hosts a hot food counter where at 6 a.m. they start serving up Mexican breakfast staples like chilaquiles and atole.

Maybe you’re not feeling breakfast, no problem. No matter what you’re craving, Sabores de Mexico has it. There’s soups, tacos, Mexican sandwiches, guisado plates and don’t be surprised if you see other customers having tamales bright and early — it’s a breakfast food after all! If you just want a light breakfast, the store also has a bakery serving up freshly baked conchas and other sweet pastries to enjoy alongside a hot cup of champurrado.

For another unique way to start your day in Minneapolis, try out Cafecito House, a cozy pop-up cafe run out of the owners garage once a month! Located in south Minneapolis, just two blocks from George Floyd Square, the welcoming little garage draws lines down the block when it opens so make sure to get there early. The menu is ever changing guaranteeing no two visits will be the same. The owners, Psawpaw “PK” Kasuh and Natalya Arevalo, are two friends blending their Asian and Latinx identities and experiences working at other coffeehouses into a business venture. They wanted to create a space reminiscent of early 2000’s cozy coffeehouses. Originally the idea was for friends to meet up once a month but has since exploded into a popular business with hopes for a more permanent location in the coming years. To get updates on Cafecito’s future events and menus check out its website or Instagram, @cafecitohouse_.

Afternoon

For lunch, you’ll travel up to East Lake Street, what can be considered the hub of the Latinx community in the city. You can’t really go wrong eating at any of the areas numerous restaurants, but here’s a strategy for you. Grab lunch at Gorditas El Gordo, a place serving up quick, made-to-order street foods like tacos, tortas, quesadillas and of course gorditas. Don’t know what a gordita is? Think of it as a thicker corn tortilla that’s been partially sliced open to create a pocket for meat fillings and other toppings. It’s a nice step away from a taco but still close to home. If you want it how the locals have it, try it with the chicharron en salsa verde.

The reason you start at Gorditas El Gordo, is because it’s at the edge of the center for Latinx businesses. From there you can continue walking east on Lake Street for additional quick bites. In fact, the walk between Gorditas El Gordo and one of the last stops Mercado Central (more on that later) is exactly one mile.

Of course walking Lake Street is optional, but what’s not optional is taking an additional snack break. The must stop location to grab a milkshake, paleta or ice cream has to be at the brightly colored pink La Michoacana on the corner of East Lake Street and Park Avenue.

For an alternative to walking down East Lake Street and a chance to sip on an adult beverage, stop by at Los Sanchez Restaurant on Nicollet Avenue or Iconos Gastro Cantina on Lyndale Avenue, both sit down restaurants are known for their lively atmosphere and unique drinks.

Evening

A more formal dinner can be had when you take a seat at El Sazon Cocina & Tragos on Lyndale Avenue. The restaurant is Chef Cristian de Leon’s first full restaurant which he opened a little over a year after finding huge success cooking Latin cuisine out of a BP gas station!

The milanesa chicken with green spaghetti is a must-try! For dessert you can’t go wrong with warm, freshly fried churros, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served alongside dulce de leche caramel. Yummy horchata water is also on the menu to wash everything down or if you need an extra kick – margaritas are a must!

What to Do

East Lake Street has long been a hub of Latinx culture in Minneapolis, and a perfect place to begin is Mercado Central—Minneapolis’ oldest ethnic market, bustling with more than 35 vendors since 1999. For an even larger shopping experience, Plaza Mexico sits just a short walk away.

Art enthusiasts can also tour East Lake Street’s many public art murals. The murals are so celebrated in this area that there's even an event in late October, called Lake Street Mural Day. Free guided tours will also be offered that day.

If you catch yourself considering a visit in either May or September, be on the look out for festivals and parades on East Lake Street that include live music, dancers and other performances as well as plenty of vendors. There’s a Cinco De Mayo festival usually hosted during mother’s day in May and a Mexican Independence Day festival in mid-September, both draw thousands of attendees.

Other family-friendly activities also include catching Mexican Lucha-libre style wrestling under Rudos Promotion, a local wrestling company specializing in Mexican pro-wrestling.

Good for anytime of the year is Gametime Bar, a bar and arcade located at the equally fun Midtown Global Market off of Lake Street. The bar is Latinx co-owned and features a collection of retro gaming machines like Donkey Kong, arcade classics like basketball hoops and newer claw machines filled with candy or collectible toys. Outside of the bar, Midtown Global Market is excellent spot for shopping and food options, including Salsa A La Salsa, El Taco Torro, and the longtime favorite Manny’s Tortas.

And also nearby for art lovers is Ricardo Levins Morales Art Studio, a few blocks south of East Lake Street. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday. Exact hours can be found at the studio’s website. The art for sale at the shop is made by Levins Morales who uses his art as a form of “political medicine” to support others. The shop features products ranging from fine art prints and posters to books, stickers and buttons.

Where to Eat & Drink

Morning

Bom Dia Treats, a South American inspired wellness brand offering fresh smoothies and acai bowls – plus columbian coffee – is the best way to start a day in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood. If you wake up with a bigger appetite, Sabor Cuencano has you covered! The location at Central Avenue Northeast serves up some Ecuadorian delights. Empanadas, llapingachos and egg dishes can be had alongside Ecuadorian coffee or fruity oatmeal drinks.

Afternoon

By midday head over to the Northeast side of the city and hit up Chimborazo for more traditional Ecuadorian eats. Try their churrasco steak or the lomo saltado if you’re extra hungry. For lighter bites, you can’t go wrong with any of their soups or slow roasted pork sandwich topped with sweet plantains.

Evening

Sticking to Northeast, you have to stop by Conga Latin bistro. This place showcases cuisine from Spain, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic and South America! What’s better is they also serve arguably the best mojito in town. And if you think it can’t get any better, wait until you see the dance floor where you’ll also be burning off the extra calories consumed throughout the day!

Looking for an alternative way to end the night? Maybe you want to open a bottle with locals, watch some 3-on-3 soccer or try your luck at trivia. Then make sure to grab a drink at La Doña Cervecería Brewery located in the Harrison neighborhood.

What to Do

In between bites Minneapolis has several lakes and parks to visit. Bike and walking paths are abundant throughout the city. If you want to feel even closer to the Latinx community and maybe make some new local friends, drop in for a run with a local Latin run club like Los Callejores. Or scope out more connections and a variety of social events through Latinos in Comunidad, another social club that routinely hosts get togethers supporting Latin businesses.

The Main Cinema near the St. Anthony Main neighborhood off the banks of the Mississippi River occasionally features Latinx movies. Specifically their Cine Latino Festival held in October has been running for 13 years now showcasing five days of Spanish- and Portuguese-language films.

In the Powderhorn neighborhood you can also find Powderhorn Park, a top destination for members of Minneapolis’ Ecuadorian and other South American communities that like to meet there and play a version of volleyball.

For nighttime dancing, whether it’s bachata, merengue, salsa or reggaeton the go-to spot is Conga Latin Bistro. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, there’s room for everybody on their dance floor. Other music venues or night clubs in the city include: Rumba in Uptown, Bar Zia in downtown and Eme Antro Bar on Lake Street.