Twin Cities Food Halls: A Culinary Revolution
The national food hall phenomenon has arrived in Minneapolis-St. Paul with a vengeance, coming in a wide variety of inventive iterations to attract the masses. So what’s a food hall? Think food court, only trendier—and much more Instagram-worthy.
St. Paul
A longtime landmark of St. Paul's West Seventh Street, the former Schmidt Brewery is back in a big way. Vacant since the brewery closed in 2002, the former keg house reopened in 2018 as Keg and Case. The culinary and retail marketplace houses two-dozen local vendors, including all-natural ice cream shop Sweet Science, Clutch Brewing, a cotton candy maker, Five Watt coffeehouse, flower shop and more.
On the other end of West Seventh near the Xcel Energy Center, Seventh Street Truck Park features RVs and other vehicles serving “road foods” and low-brow beverages in paper bags. For a more upscale experience, Market House Collaborative is home to a butcher shop, bakery, coffee roaster, pie shop, mushroom cultivator and Octo Fishbar seafood restaurant, conveniently located across the street from CHS Field in the trendy Lowertown neighborhood.
For a taste of one of St. Paul's most prevalent cultures, the Hmongtown Marketplace features over 100 vendors serving traditional larb, locally grown Asian produce, papaya salad, bubble tea and so much more. In the summer, the food court expands to include outdoor vendors. Hmong Village, on the city's East Side, is a similarly massive Hmong market.
Minneapolis
Opened all the way back in 1997, Mercado Central in south Minneapolis is the granddaddy of Minnesota food halls. The thriving Latino marketplace specializes in tacos, tamales, pupusas and other favorites from Mexico and Latin America, along with a handful of retail storefronts. For a wider variety of international flavors, head to the Midtown Global Market—an incubator for minority business owners selling everything from tamales to camel burgers—less than a mile up the road.
More recent additions to the Minneapolis food hall scene include The Market at Malcolm Yards located inside the historic Harris Machinery Co. building with vendors like Joey Meatballs slinging red sauce pastas and meatballs, incredible cheeseburgers and frozen treats at Bebe Zito, or a fusion of flavors from Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and Japan at Abang Yoli. Other newcombers include The Lynhall, serving baked goods, lunch, dinner, coffee and cocktails in Uptown; and Graze Provisions and Libations, with a rooftop deck, two bars, independent food vendors, and a wall of video games on the second floor. And be sure to keep your food tour going at these 45 must-visit Minneapolis restaurants.
Roseville
Yes it's in a mall, but Potluck is no food court. The suburbs' only food hall, located inside Rosedale Center, features quick-service concepts from local celebs including "Top Chef" Justin Sutherland, morning show host Jason Matheson, and outposts of popular Twin Cities eateries including Smack Shack, Nordic Waffles and Grand Ole Creamery.
