If you are among the thousands of people who move to Minnesota each year: Welcome! Now, it’s time to learn to eat like a Minnesotan.
We made a starter pack of food and drink places and experiences for Twin Cities newcomers to check out, picked with the help of Axios readers.
Why it matters: These recommendations can help spark deeper explorations of our region’s vibrant — and award-winning — food scene.
Things you’ve gotta try (at least) once
If you’re a newbie in town , here’s a checklist of Twin Cities food and drink experiences to earn your bona fides as a Minnesotan.
1. 🍔 Smash a Jucy Lucy . A burger with molten cheese inside the patty is Minnesota’s signature food innovation .
- Matt’s Bar and 5-8 Club — the latter of which prefers the ” Juicy Lucy” spelling — both stake a claim to creating the burger.
- Don’t sleep on St. Paul’s take, the Nookie , or the variants at Blue Door Pub or Groveland Tap .
2. 🥩 Dine at a supper club . These Upper Midwest staples are hard to define — laid-back, but still fancy; sometimes with lounge music; often serving dishes like steak, prime rib, popovers and walleye.