New York Times Ranks 2 Minnesota Restaurants Among America’s Best
Every year, the New York Times publishes its highly anticipated list of 'America's Best Restaurants', a who's who of the best and often most unique places to eat across the country.
It's a true badge of honor to be named to the list and this year, two restaurants in Minnesota have made the list.
What's great is that both restaurants just recently opened and they're located across the street from one another. They both also have great backstories to go along with their wonderful cuisine.
Two Minnesota Restaurants Named Among The 50 Best In America
The New York Times list of 'America's Best Restaurants 2024' includes two Minnesota restaurants, which sit across the street from one another in Minneapolis.
One restaurant to make the list is Oro by Nixta, located at 1222 NE 2nd Street in Minneapolis.
According to its website, Oro by Nixta is a full-service "masa kitchen dedicated to promoting corn from overlooked side dish to star of the show, one bite at a time." The foundation for its Mexican cuisine is amazing corn tortillas and the menu is creative and delicious from there.
The StarTribune notes the restaurant started as a tortilleria and takeout business during the pandemic, before opening as a full-service restaurant in the spring of 2023.
In his review, Brett Anderson of the New York Times says the supple tortillas and tamales, which are made from a multihued array of heirloom corn varieties, are the base of a menu that chef Gustavo Romero fills with "braised and roasted meats, in-season produce and an impressive repertoire of moles, salsas and other sauces."
The other restaurant to make the list is Vinai, located at 1300 NE 2nd Street in Minneapolis.
According to its website, Vinai (pronounced VEE-nye) is named after the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand. That is where chef-owner Yia Vang's parents met and the place where he was born.
Ban Vinai, the refugee camp, "served as a place of safety, reunification, and restoration." Vinai, the restaurant, "serves as a love letter from Yia to his parents. It serves as an homage to Hmong culture and history."
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In his review, Brett Anderson of the New York Times notes the cuisine shares characteristics with the food of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. He adds that Chef Vang's take on the cuisine is "arresting", and "packed with chile and citrus, streaked with wood smoke, and always suffused with back story."
They both sound amazing to me and they will both be places I will try in the months ahead! If you've experienced the cuisine at either restaurant, let me know about your experience and what you'd recommend.
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