Quick answer
Minneapolis brunch offers a diverse range of experiences, from classic American to Argentinian feasts, with prices varying across the board. This Editor-curated guide highlights the city's best brunch spots, with options ranging from gothic basement icons to cozy 14-seat diners.
- Best overall
- Hell's Kitchen
- Top pick
- Hell's Kitchen
Top verdicts
- Hell's Kitchen: Walk-in only — arrive before 9 AM weekends to dodge the 45-minute wait.
- Spoon and Stable: Reserve 2–3 weeks ahead for weekend brunch — walk-ins almost never get a table.
- Martina: Book the bar counter rather than a dining-room table for faster service and a view of the open kitchen.
Minneapolis's brunch scene punches well above its weight, blending Midwestern heartiness with global flavors you wouldn't expect from a cold-weather city. From Cuban classics at Victor's 1959 Cafe to French beignets at Saint Genevieve, the diversity rivals cities twice its size.
Budget $12–$20 per person at most spots. Upscale brunch at Spoon and Stable or Martina runs $30–$50. Weekend waits are common at the top spots — reservations recommended where accepted.
Area map
1. Hell's Kitchen
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hell's Kitchen | american-brunch | mid | Minneapolis |
| 2 | Spoon and Stable | new-american | budget | Minneapolis |
| 3 | Martina | argentinian | budget | Minneapolis |
| 4 | Hen House Eatery | american-brunch | mid | Minneapolis |
| 5 | Victor's 1959 Cafe | cuban | mid | Minneapolis |
| 6 | Saint Genevieve | french-bistro | budget | Minneapolis |
| 7 | Barbette | french-bistro | upscale | Minneapolis |
| 8 | The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen | farmhouse-brunch | mid | Minneapolis |
| 9 | Al's Breakfast | classic-diner | mid | Minneapolis |
| 10 | Hola Arepa | latin-american | mid | Minneapolis |
| 11 | Hope Breakfast Bar | creative-brunch | mid | Minneapolis |
| 12 | Modern Times | eclectic-/-vegan-friendly | mid | Minneapolis |
1Hell's Kitchen
American Brunch
Verdict: Walk-in only — arrive before 9 AM weekends to dodge the 45-minute wait.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- First-time visitors wanting the iconic Minneapolis brunch
- Strengths
- Known for American Brunch · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $15–$25
- Why it made the list
- Chef Mitch Omer's gothic basement landmark on 9th Street has been the city's defining brunch institution since 2002 — 4.4 stars across over 7,000 reviews and a consistent appearance in every Twin Cities best-of list. The mahnomin porridge and signature lemon ricotta hotcakes are local rites of passage.
- What to order
- Mahnomin porridge with hazelnuts and dried fruit, or the Hell's Kitchen sausage bread.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun07:30 – 20:30
2Spoon and Stable
New American
Verdict: Reserve 2–3 weeks ahead for weekend brunch — walk-ins almost never get a table.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Special-occasion upscale brunch
- Strengths
- Known for New American · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $30–$50
- Why it made the list
- James Beard winner Gavin Kaysen's North Loop flagship is one of the Midwest's most decorated restaurants — 4.7 stars, ~3,000 reviews, and the kind of brunch that justifies the $30–$50 ticket.
- What to order
- Whatever Kaysen's team is running on the seasonal Sunday brunch tasting.
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3Martina
Argentinian
Verdict: Book the bar counter rather than a dining-room table for faster service and a view of the open kitchen.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Argentinian brunch with strong wine list
- Strengths
- Known for Argentinian · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $25–$45
- Why it made the list
- Daniel del Prado's Linden Hills Argentinian — a 4.7-star sister to Colita and Cardamom — turns out one of the most distinctive weekend brunches in town, with empanadas, choripán, and dulce de leche pastry that has no equivalent in Minneapolis.
- What to order
- Empanadas to start, then a milanesa or chorizo plate.
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🕐 Opening hours
Fri17:00 – 22:00
4Hen House Eatery
American Brunch
Verdict: First-come, first-served; weekday lunch is the secret — almost no wait, same kitchen.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Downtown work-week or large-group brunch
- Strengths
- Known for American Brunch · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $12–$20
- Why it made the list
- Downtown's reliable mid-priced brunch — 4.6 stars across 6,000+ reviews, a sprawling skyway-friendly room, and the kind of menu that handles a 12-person work group as easily as a couple. Strong American-brunch fundamentals without the wait at Hell's Kitchen across the street.
- What to order
- Their Bloody Mary bar plus a benedict — the hollandaise is consistently good.
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5Victor's 1959 Cafe
Cuban
Verdict: Cash-only and notoriously cramped — go early on a weekday or expect a 30+ minute wait Saturdays.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Cuban brunch with serious neighborhood character
- Strengths
- Known for Cuban · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $14–$22
- Why it made the list
- South Minneapolis's Cuban institution, plastered floor-to-ceiling with sharpie messages from regulars over two decades. 4.7 stars on 2,200+ reviews despite being a no-frills neighborhood spot — the Cuban omelets and ropa vieja brunch plates have earned a cult following.
- What to order
- Cuban omelet with a side of black beans, or the Madame Wing French toast.
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6Saint Genevieve
French Bistro
Verdict: Reserve for Saturday brunch; Sunday is shorter (10–2) and walk-ins occasionally get a counter spot.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- French bistro brunch and beignets
- Strengths
- Known for French Bistro · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $22–$38
- Why it made the list
- Linden Hills' French bistro from Steven Brown turns out beignets, croque madame, and proper viennoiserie that hold up against the Twin Cities' best French rooms — small space, bright Parisian feel, and a tight weekend brunch that fills on reservations.
- What to order
- Beignets first, then a croque or a quiche of the day.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sat10:00 – 21:00
Sun10:00 – 14:00
7Barbette
French Bistro
Verdict: Sunday brunch runs late (until 11 PM officially) — you can show up at 4 PM for a quiet meal when most kitchens are closed.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- All-day French brunch in Uptown
- Strengths
- Known for French Bistro · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $15–$28
- Why it made the list
- Uptown stalwart since 2003 — Kim Bartmann's Lyn-Lake bistro turns out Sunday-into-Monday weekend brunch service with mussels, frites, and one of the longest-running French menus in town. 4.4 stars on nearly 1,800 reviews.
- What to order
- Mussels frites with a Bloody Mary — Barbette's signature combination.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun08:00 – 23:00
8The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen
Farmhouse Brunch
Verdict: Limited weekday brunch hours (Thu–Sun) — check the schedule before driving across town.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Farmhouse brunch with serious bakery
- Strengths
- Known for Farmhouse Brunch · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $14–$24
- Why it made the list
- Eat Street's farm-to-table cafe and bakery — a married duo's tribute to scratch baking and Iowa farm produce. 4.3 stars, 1,100+ reviews, and a brunch menu that leans into seasonal eggs, biscuits, and pastry made in-house.
- What to order
- A breakfast biscuit sandwich and a slice of whatever cake is in the case that morning.
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🕐 Opening hours
Thu09:30 – 14:00
Fri09:30 – 14:30
Sat09:00 – 15:30
Sun09:00 – 20:00
9Al's Breakfast
Classic Diner
Verdict: Cash or card now, but still 14 seats — arrive at 7:30 AM weekdays or 8 AM Sundays to grab the first turn.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Pancake purists chasing a Beard-Classic counter
- Strengths
- Known for Classic Diner · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $6–$12
- Why it made the list
- Dinkytown's 14-seat counter, opened in 1950 and protected by a James Beard America's Classics award. The line stretches down 4th Street; the wally pancakes and walter omelet (egg, hollandaise, scallions) are legendary.
- What to order
- Wally (blueberry buttermilk) pancakes or the walter omelet.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sun09:00 – 13:00
10Hola Arepa
Latin American
Verdict: The patio is first-come, first-served in summer — line up by 9:45 AM for the 10 AM Saturday opening.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Venezuelan brunch with patio season
- Strengths
- Known for Latin American · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $14–$22
- Why it made the list
- Christina Nguyen's Kingfield room turns out Venezuelan-leaning brunch — arepas, plantains, and a tropical-pastel patio that books fast in summer. 4.6 stars across 3,700 reviews and a top pick on every Twin Cities Latin American list.
- What to order
- An arepa de pernil (slow-roasted pork) and a passion fruit margarita.
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🕐 Opening hours
Sat10:00 – 22:00
Sun10:00 – 21:00
11Hope Breakfast Bar
Creative Brunch
Verdict: Lines run long weekends — get on the waitlist via their app on the drive over.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Creative oversized brunch plates
- Strengths
- Known for Creative Brunch · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $14–$22
- Why it made the list
- St. Paul transplant to North Loop — known for outsized creative brunch plates (cinnamon-roll pancakes, candied bacon Bloody Marys) and giving 100% of profits to community causes. The menu is firmly Instagram-bait but the kitchen executes.
- What to order
- Cinnamon roll pancakes or the Hope Breakfast Sandwich.
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12Modern Times
Eclectic / Vegan-Friendly
Verdict: Closed Tue–Wed — Modern Times runs a tight five-day week; check before driving over.
Quick comparison
- Best for
- Vegan and vegetarian brunch with co-op character
- Strengths
- Known for Eclectic / Vegan-Friendly · Minneapolis
- Price / value
- $12–$20
- Why it made the list
- Kingfield's cooperatively run, vegan-friendly punk diner — 4.7 stars across 1,300+ reviews, with tofu scrambles, polenta rancheros, and house doughnuts that have survived two decades on a niche-but-loyal regulars base.
- What to order
- Polenta rancheros or a tofu scramble with a house cake doughnut.
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🕐 Opening hours
Mon09:00 – 15:00
Frequently asked questions
What is the best brunch in Minneapolis?
Hell's Kitchen is the most iconic and frequently recommended brunch in Minneapolis. Spoon and Stable is the top upscale pick. For the best overall food quality, Martina and Victor's 1959 Cafe both hold 4.7-star ratings.
Where do locals eat brunch in Minneapolis?
Locals love Victor's 1959 Cafe for Cuban brunch, Modern Times for its punk-meets-organic vibe, and Barbette for French bistro classics. These are neighborhood spots that rarely appear on tourist lists.
Do I need reservations for Minneapolis brunch?
Yes, for Spoon and Stable, Martina, and Saint Genevieve. Hell's Kitchen and Hen House are first-come, first-served — expect 30-60 minute waits on weekends. Al's Breakfast has only 14 seats with no reservations.
What is the most unique brunch experience in Minneapolis?
Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown — a 14-seat diner operating since 1950 with some of the best pancakes in the state. Hell's Kitchen's gothic basement setting and sausage bread are also one-of-a-kind.
How much does brunch cost in Minneapolis?
Budget $12-18 per person at casual spots like Al's Breakfast and Hen House. Mid-range brunch at Barbette or Hola Arepa runs $18-28. Upscale brunch at Spoon and Stable or Martina costs $30-50 per person.
What is the best brunch near downtown Minneapolis?
Hell's Kitchen (80 S 9th St) and Hen House Eatery (114 S 8th St) are both in the heart of downtown. Spoon and Stable is in the nearby North Loop neighborhood.
What are the best vegan brunch options in Minneapolis?
Modern Times is the top pick for vegan and vegetarian brunch, with tofu scrambles, polenta rancheros, and handmade doughnuts. Hola Arepa also offers strong plant-based options.