HAI HAI Chef Christina Nguyen took home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2024, and it’s easy to see why with Hai Hai’s Vietnamese street foods and inventive cocktails. The menu features some more common dishes like spring rolls, beef larb and khao soi (all done to perfection), while dishes like the Vietnamese crepe with pork belly and shrimp taste like they’re right from the streets of Hanoi. For best results, grab a spot on the patio and a Mekong Manhattan before placing your order. PORZANA Twice a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest, chef Daniel Del Prado's Porzana shakes up the tried-and-true steakhouse tradition with primal cuts and unique sides. Think grilled broccoli with jalapeño and thick slices of bread slathered with bright tomatoes, anchovies, oregano and a spicy Bolivian chili sauce. For dessert, try the grilled pineapple with olive oil cake, lime curd and gelato – or order another exceptional cocktail. Hai Hai OWAMNI BY THE SIOUX CHEF Led by chef Sean Sherman, Owamni won the James Beard Award for best new restaurant in 2022. Owamni partners with Indigenous food producers and employs staff from various Tribal Nations, including Anishinaabe/Ojibwe, Mdewakanton Dakota, Navajo, Northern Cheyenne, Oglala Lakota and Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota. Their “decolonized” menu (free from wheat, beef, dairy and cane sugar) features Indigenous ingredients like bison, wild rice, duck, corn and foraged plants and berries. In the spring of 2026, Owamni is slated to move just down the Mississippi River to the space inside the Guthrie Theater and will continue to have amazing river views. SPOON AND STABLE Located inside a former horse stable, this fine dining restaurant is run by James Beard Award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen. The restaurant expertly combines Midwestern ingredients with French techniques to produce meals that are familiar yet unique. Also consider making a reservation at its sister restaurant nearby, Demi, which offers an elevated tasting menu experience. Bûcheron ICOnIC EXPERIEnCEs | 65
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2026 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 65
