Minneapolis-St. Paul's Best Budget-Friendly Food

With locations in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, Afro Deli is a counter-service restaurant serving a distinctive fusion of African, Mediterranean and American flavors. Start with a sambusa and a cup of Somali sweet-spiced tea, then move on to the African-spiced steak dinner or a plate of chicken curry served over Somali rice. 

Vegetarians can feast on a platter loaded with falafel, hummus, a veggie sambusa, pita, salad, and rice. There’s an American-style kids menu with chicken fingers and grilled cheese, and soft drinks include free refills.

Al’s Breakfast has been a staple of Minneapolis’s Dinkytown neighborhood since 1950, and they claim to be the narrowest eatery in the state — built into an alley, the restaurant is only 10 feet wide. Wait for a spot to open at the 14-seat counter and sit down to a plate of scrambled eggs enriched with cream and butter, or a stack of blueberry walnut pancakes with Minnesota maple syrup. 

The menu also includes eggs Benedict with homemade hollandaise, omelets, Belgian waffles, and corned beef hash. Note that Al’s Breakfast only accepts cash and personal checks, but there are plenty of ATMs nearby.

Baba’s Hummus House merges Palestinian and American influences at a hip counter-service cafe in Minneapolis’s Lowry Hill East neighborhood. Go traditional with a Jerusalem-style hummus bowl, or try the Beauty and the Buffalo, which features ranch-flavored hummus, buffalo chicken, and blue cheese. 

All hummus bowls include an order of freshly baked (and adorable) bite-sized pita puffs. The restaurant also serves mana’eesh, or Arab-style brick oven pizzas, topped with everything from za’atar and labaneh to beef pepperoni. Don’t overlook the coffee menu, which features Middle Eastern-inspired drinks like a sesame orange blossom latte and a Palestinian nitro with turmeric honey foam.

Located in St. Paul’s Como Park neighborhood, Bolé Ethiopian Cuisine is a cozy full-service spot serving richly spiced stews atop injera flatbread. Try the kitfo, a beef tartare seasoned with spiced butter and herbs, or the doro wat, a slow-cooked chicken dish with a spicy sauce. 

For vegans, there are legume and vegetable-based dishes, including ater kik, tiqel gomen, and potato and carrot alicha. The best bet is to order the meat combo or a veggie sampler and try a little bit of everything. If the weather allows, grab a table on the leafy patio.

The cafeteria-style Cafe Latte has served soups, salads, and made-to-order sandwiches on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue since 1984. The spread sampler is perfect for lunch; choose from options like smoked salmon, egg salad, and chicken spinach, plus a mini baguette or focaccia loaf. 

Other menu items include a classic tuna salad sandwich, farro broccoli salad, and chicken paprikash stew. Cafe Latte is especially known for their cakes, cheesecakes, and tarts, which are freshly baked throughout the day. Chocolate lovers should try a slice of the gluten-free fudge cake, or the turtle cake loaded with caramel and pecans.

Founded by immigrant Michael Cossetta as a tiny neighborhood market in 1911, St. Paul’s Cossetta is now under the fourth generation of family ownership and has expanded to three floors devoted to Italian food. 

Swing by the cafeteria-style eatery on the first floor for a hearty plate of pasta with ricotta cheese sauce, a slice of pizza topped with Cossetta’s famous Italian sausage, or a meatball hero sandwich. Other options include a Caesar salad with homemade dressing, chicken Parmesan, and the signature porchetta sandwich at the bar (Frank's Levee Tavern, which also serves the city's coldest pints) that's hidden in plain sight near the second floor seating area. 

Save room for dessert at Cossetta’s Pasticceria, an elegant cafe that serves gelato, cannoli, biscotti, and individually-sized cakes from a marble bar imported from Italy.

With vendors selling everything from grilled meats to rainbow-hued dessert drinks, St. Paul’s Hmongtown Marketplace provides an impressive sampling of Hmong cuisine within its food court. Popular items include chicken wings stuffed with ground pork and glass noodles, papaya salad, sausages flavored with lemongrass and chili pepper, and purple sticky rice. 

It’s also a great spot to dig into a steaming bowl of pho or boat noodles, served with a plate of fresh herbs and a carousel of hot sauces and seasonings to layer on even more flavor. Portions are generous, so plan on taking home leftovers. Be sure to also grab some lotus cookies or sesame balls for later.

A staple on St. Paul’s University Avenue since 1997, iPho by Saigon is famous for its jumbo-sized bowls of pho, weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds. Regular and kid-sized portions are also available, and the rich beef broth is loaded with a choice of proteins including shrimp, beef meatballs, steak, or tofu. 

iPho is also known for their banh mi. Try the “Regular Sandwich” filled with red roast pork, pork loaf, and pate. The menu is rounded out with bun (rice vermicelli noodle salads), stir fries, and vegetarian entrees, plus bubble tea and Vietnamese iced coffee.

Established by Ukrainian immigrants Wasyl and Anna Kramarczuk in 1954, this cafeteria-style eatery and Northeast Minneapolis landmark serves up comforting Eastern European fare. Although the towering pastrami brisket sandwiches and house-made sausages get most of the attention, several items are vegetarian-friendly, including buckwheat-stuffed cabbage rolls and potato cheese pierogies. 

Pair a bowl of borsch with a pampushky (garlic roll); like all of the breads, they’re made in-house. For dessert, get the Kramarczuk torte, a towering slice of chocolate cake spiked with raspberry liqueur and layered with chocolate hazelnut cream. 

Don’t be daunted if there’s a line; it will move quickly.

The Juicy Lucy — a burger with a molten, cheesy center — is a Minneapolis specialty. Matt’s Bar claims to have invented the “Jucy Lucy” (they leave out the “i”) in 1954, and although that may be up for debate, their version is beloved by locals and visitors alike. The menu also features hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, and grilled cheeses. 

Between the prices and the decades’ worth of memorabilia on the walls, Matt’s feels like a peek into a bygone era. Another retro touch: payment is by cash and local check only, although there is an ATM on-site.

With a picturesque dining room that evokes a Mexican courtyard, Maya Cuisine has been a go-to in Northeast Minneapolis since 2012. There’s a cafeteria line for quick eats like burritos, tacos, and quesadillas that can be customized with a choice of meat and toppings. Don’t forget to swing by the salsa bar to add some extra zip. 

In the evenings, table service is available in the bar area, with an expanded menu featuring fajitas, enchiladas, meat and seafood entrees, and margaritas. The Sunday brunch buffet includes Mexican specialties like chilaquiles, churros, and pozole, plus American favorites like French toast and pancakes.

Ramen Kazama’s fast casual menu spans a variety of Japanese regional ramen styles. Choose from creamy tonkotsu topped with pork belly, chicken-broth based shoyu, and veggie ramen with curry broth and fried tofu. 

Beyond ramen, there’s Japanese-style fried chicken and vegetable curry. The onigiri (rice balls) with fillings like tuna mayo, pickled plum, or beef make for a satisfying snack. Finish with a Japanese soda and a takyaki, a fish-shaped cake filled with red bean paste and served with ice cream.