17 of Minneapolis-St. Paul's Best Restaurants for Latin American Food

Abi’s Restaurant (formerly located on East Lake Street, now occupying a spot on Lyndale Avenue) combines Mexican and Salvadoran standards to create a cozy, welcoming space. The restaurant serves a quesabirria (super cheesy/crunchy/chewy tacos dipped into beef consommé) that is shockingly elegant, and dessert is a must-do, with buñuelos (cinnamon-dusted fried discs) to die for.

Chef Facundo DeFraia’s small chain of Boludo restaurants has become a real force since its humble start in South Minneapolis, largely thanks to his Buenos Aires-inspired pizzas. Chewy and charred, the diamond-shaped pies feature a salty take on pepperoni, mozzarella, and tomatoes, as well as a well-balanced blend of pears, pine nuts, dill, and Gorgonzola. 

If you’re in an empanada mood, the restaurant does yeoman’s work with a focused menu of favorites that’ll be familiar to fans of DeFraia’s last gig (Martina), including a killer jamon y queso (ham and cheese).

Launched as a more affordable spinoff from Alex Roberts' nationally recognized fine dining spot Alma, Brasa emphasizes Southern and south-of-the-border, Latin-inspired flavors. It’s a prime spot for takeout and catering, and its protein-forward meals are reliably delicious, light and healthy.

Community meals and school lunches anchor the mission side of the uniquely oriented Cafe Racer Kitchen, which puts as much emphasis on social connection as it does on food. But regular diners love the place for its pulled pork, arepas, and criolla omelettes, which are as delicious as anything similar served in the metro.

Ecuadorian brunch at Chimborazo is a tradition that has brought people in Minneapolis and Saint Paul together every weekend since 2009, when Chimborazo’s original location on Central Avenue was founded. Lunch and dinner are available on weekdays, featuring a variety of options, from ceviche to sandwiches and overloaded platos fuertes.

Venezuelan food is hard to come by in Minnesota, upscale Venezuelan even more so. But Chef Soleil Ramirez brings a remarkable amount of thought and polish to her elegant menu at Crasqui, which is resoundingly cosmopolitan without losing sight of its humble origins. Toasted white corn arepas and world-class pulpo (octopus) are two highlights.

El Sazon’s origins as a BP gas station cafe are as well-known as the local restaurant group’s ambition and pride. Cristian de Leon’s food can now be found at a full-service Cocina & Tragos location in Tangletown, a fast-casual outpost at Eat Street Crossing, and the Stillwater spinoff Xelas. 

Guatemalan and Mexican influences define its distinct menu, which describes Xelas as a “journey through Mayan flavors.” (De Leon is from Quetzaltenango, and his wife Karen — a front-of-house phenom who helps run all the couple’s restaurants — is from Mexico City.)

The bright flavors of Cuba shine at Guavas, a casual neighborhood bistro turning out some of the region’s best cubanos, pastelitos, and café con leche. Latin soul food staples — like pounded chicken breast served with plantains, rice, and beans — anchor a menu that’s as comforting as it is delicious.

Sister restaurant to the eternally trendy and cheerful Hai Hai in Northeast Minneapolis, the nationally celebrated Hola Arepa puts a polished modern spin on traditional Venezuelan food in its Nicollet Avenue dining room. Arepas (fresh cornmeal griddle cakes) are the main pillar of the menu, topped with everything from roasted pork to shredded beef to hot honey chicken.

An unabashed sense of pure fun is the guiding principle at Iconos Gastro Cantina, which boasts a robust cocktail program, late-night dancing, and prop-based dishes, such as a watermelon salad served in a miniature wheelbarrow or tacos al pastor that you can carve for yourself from a tiny meat skewer, served tableside.

Visitors seeking a serious cubano sandwich or a slice of pitch-perfect key lime need look no further than the small-but-mighty Key West Bistro, which also offers one of the most thoughtful Latin coffee programs around. Cubano variants and a Cuban bagel round out the brief but thoughtful menu.

The quest for the perfect Pisco Sour ends at Los Andes, an ambitious restaurant that will impress even the most well-traveled diners who’ve eaten their way across South America. If you’re familiar with the continent’s comfort food, you will likely know the awe-inspiring bandeja paisa — a generous platter typically loaded with plantains, rice and beans, pork cracklins, steak, and sausage. Los Andes makes one of the best in town.

Maria’s Cafe has become locally famous for its ambitious menu of Colombian breakfast served all day, anchored by corn pancakes and a serious coffee menu that honors its South American point of origin. Arepas, cheese bread, fajitas, and more make its lunch menu equally inviting.

Porzana caught the Twin Cities' attention when it launched in 2023 as an Argentinian steakhouse, but it quickly became one of the metro area’s fanciest restaurants with no qualifier needed. Founded by the restless local restaurateur Daniel del Prado (Colita, Martina, Rosalia, Minari, Cardamom… the list goes on), Porzana places an emphasis on world-class ingredients and service, delivering one of the most luxurious brunch spreads in the state.

Warm, humble, generously portioned and full-flavored, the fare at Sabor Cuencano is true to its South American roots and loved by its patrons. One of the best-known of a growing cohort of Ecuadorian spots in the metro area, it’s a place that serves breakfast through dinner and will dish up heavy, savory trays (bandejas) of food to serve a crowd.

“Legendary” isn’t a word to be tossed around lightly, but the Cuban breakfasts at Victor’s 1959 Cafe meet the standard. From ropa vieja to plantain omelets to breakfast cubanos, Victor’s makes a strong play for dominating the Latin breakfast sector in this market, albeit with some serious competition from the aforementioned Maria’s Cafe and Guavas.

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