No matter where you are in Minneapolis, you can eat for weeks and never get bored. But this is Eat Street — a stretch of Nicollet Avenue south of Downtown that's known for packing a wildly diverse melange of restaurants into a few short blocks. It's Minneapolis's Grand Tour of international food. The Yellow Brick Road of ethnic flavors. If you get emotional over food, bring a pack of tissues and get ready to be bombarded by flavor.

The food capital of Minneapolis known as Eat Street began with the opening of the Black Forest Inn in 1965. They’re best known for their massive portions of sausages, schnitzels, and spatzels, and, of course, their incredible beer garden.

From there, the neighborhood of restaurants truly spanned the globe. You can get a wedge of moussaka or precision-sliced, tender gyros at Christos, voted “best Greek restaurant” by Mpls. St. Paul magazine in 2017.

Quality Vietnamese cuisine has been accessible throughout the Twin Cities since the 1970s, and Eat Street’s contribution to the scene includes the affordable rice dishes, housemade bubble tea, and banh mi sandwiches at My Huong Kitchen, deep bowls of noodle soup at Pho 79, and the legendary Vietnamese staples at Quang, a family-owned favorite since 1989.

Getting full? Not so fast. We’ve only scratched the surface! Upscale Chinese food is skillfully prepared at Rainbow Chinese Restaurant and Bar. They're takeout-only, so if you want to enjoy a nice meal in your hotel or at home, give them a call and place your order. Courageously spicy Caribbean food, inspired by loving island grandmas, can be had at Harry Singh’s and Pimento Jamaican Kitchen. Dig into a Louisiana-style fresh seafood feast at Cajun Boiling, and enjoy a spread of spring rolls, lettuce wraps, green papaya salad, and oxtail Panange curry at Khun Nai Thai Cuisine. Or, tacos are always a great option. Yeah Yeah Taco is a great choice for unconventional Tex-Mex flavors. For more tacos, go to Centro, a Minneapolis taqueria staple with another location in Northeast and St. Paul. Here, diners can enjoy their classic tacos, enchiladas and crunch wraps, but also order something from their new Everywhere Burger Bar. Don't skip their margs!

Bowls of piping hot Japanese noodle happiness are available at Ichiddo Ramen. The Copper Hen is best known for their brunch and highly Instagrammable farm-to-table fare as well as a variety of cakes and cupcakes from their bakery. For a single slice to fold up and enjoy to go, A Slice of New York is your destination, but if you want to sit down for a whole meal, Black Sheep Pizza has some of the best coal-fired pizza in town. The bacon and golden pineapple has converted many folks who think pineapple doesn't belong on a pie!

Having a hard time settling on just one type of cuisine? Then you have to check the latest food hall in the neighborhood Eat Street Crossing. This is where you can get Ramen, Brazilian pizza or a Sushi "sando" (and more). For something sweet, head to Glam Doll Donuts for insanely decadent treats. Most of their donuts are made vegan, too. While you snack, take in the pink walls and a rotating collection of artwork from area artists. Before you leave, step into the photobooth for some fun shots with your donuts (or your satisfied post-donut faces).

Grab drinks and a live show at Icehouse, a two-story restaurant, bar, and venue featuring a full calendar of music and events, from blues and funk-gospel-hip-hop fusion to bluegrass and local singer-songwriters. In the mood for something more low-key? Grab a comfy chair at nearby Five Watt Coffee or Spyhouse Coffee and enjoy some of the best coffee in town.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has been the city’s art keystone for over 100 years. Explore more than 89,000 objects, including world-famous works, representing about 20,000 years of history across all continents. Insider tip: With the exception of special exhibits, admission to Mia is free. Near the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Mia, you'll find several public art sculptures. Use this map to check them out before you go.

An important component in Minneapolis’s theater legacy is the Children’s Theatre Company, still going strong after 50 years and over 200 productions. This theatre has been named “The #1 children’s theatre in the nation,” by Time magazine. It’s considered to be “North America’s flagship theatre for multigenerational audiences.” The city’s affinity for live theater has spawned numerous mid-sized and smaller neighborhood theaters, several of which are within reasonable walking distance of your Eat Street meal, including the Jungle Theater and Huge Improv Theater in Lyn-Lake and the Music Box Theatre on the south side of downtown.

(Starting point of Meet Minneapolis Visitor Center on Nicollet)

Eat Street is served by the high-frequency Metro Transit Route 18 Bus, which conveniently runs up and down Nicollet starting downtown approximately every eight minutes. That said, this section of Nicollet is prime strolling grounds. If you’re driving, parking can be competitive. You may have to park a few streets back from Nicollet. A few restaurants have limited, free parking.

Public Transit Routes:
Route 18