Remember the no-carb phase? What were we thinking? Especially as our weather starts to cool down a bit, there’s a primal desire to put on that warm coat of dough and noodles. Noodles in Minnesota are far beyond farfalle and pho. We’ve put together the ultimate guide to “noods”—from ramen in Minneapolis to pad thai in Rochester. Fork it, slurp it, twirl it—it’s a time of innovation, exploration, and deliciousness.
Photo by Esther Susag
Cheffy Noodles
ESTELLE
Radiatore (jalapeño pesto, smoked almonds, lemon zest, parsley)
1806 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul
OLIO
Spaghetti (charred cauliflower, Castelvetrano olive, vermouth cream, lemon, breadcrumbs)
338 Fifth Ave. N., Bayport
RED RABBIT
Cavatelli (house-made Italian sausage, fennel pollen, lemon, garlic, white wine, Parmesan, crushed red pepper)
Locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul
SANJUSAN
Squid Ink Pappardelle (seafood Bolognese, pecorino)
33 N. First Ave., Minneapolis
SPOON AND STABLE
Orecchiette (duck chorizo, piquillo pepper, Idiazábal cheese, crispy hominy)
211 N. First St., Minneapolis
TOSCA
Beef Tagliatelle (braised beef short rib ragú, soffritto, Parmigiano-Reggiano)
3415 W. 44th St., Minneapolis
Jason’s Pick:
DARIO
323 N. Washington Ave., Suite 100, Minneapolis
Chef Joe Rolle’s Doppio may be the most impactful piece of pasta Minnesota has seen in decades. One side is stuffed with sunchoke puree, the other with hazelnuts and ricotta. The noodle itself is light yet strong. The flavors are complementary yet opposing. Up and down the pasta menu, you’ll find whimsy, innovation, excitement, and energy. And the technique has only become more dialed in since Dario opened in January 2024.
Photo by Jillian Blanc
Asian Noodle Soups and Salads
EM QUE VIET
Soft Shell Crab Pasta in Bún Riêu Sauce (homemade pasta, seafood, pork, cherry tomatoes, shredded green onions)
1332 Grand Ave., St. Paul
JUN SZECHUAN KITCHEN & BAR
Dan Dan Noodles (house-made noodles, minced pork, spicy sesame sauce, scallions)
730 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis
KINZŌ UDON
Beef Bone Soup Udon (broth, udon noodles, choice of protein, green onion, tempura flakes)
802 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis
MASTER NOODLE
Chongqing Spicy Noodle Soup (pickled mustard, scallions, peanuts, Shanghai bok choy, minced pork)
1337 University Ave. W., St. Paul
ZEN HOUSE
Seasoned Tofu Zaru-Soba Noodle Soup (buckwheat noodles, wonton crispies,
green onion)
4203 Woodland Ave., Duluth
Jason’s Pick:
CAFE YOTO
548 N. Washington Ave., Suite 105, Minneapolis
Chef Yo Hasegawa has mastered the udon noodle, from proofing the Japanese flour-made dough for nearly 24 hours to sheeting it in a machine right behind the counter. Years of working with the legendary chef Shigeyuki Furukawa at Kado no Mise has his technique on point. You’ll love the simple noodles and kelp broth. There are many vegetarian options, like the Kinoko Udon with Japanese mushrooms, as well as a fantastic Karaage Udon with Japanese fried chicken.
Photo by Chuck Martens
Pad Thai
NONG’S THAI CUISINE
2520 Hillsboro Ave. N., Golden Valley
PRIME GROCERY & DELI
560 Como Ave., St. Paul
SAWATDEE THAI CUISINE
Multiple locations
WOK IN THE PARK
3005 Utah Ave. S., St. Louis Park
Jason’s Pick:
THAIPOP
4 Third St. SW, Rochester
Chef Annie Balow moved to the United States from Thailand in 2012, and her pop-up restaurant connected so strongly that she and her husband opened a brick-and-mortar. The self-taught chef was inspired by her mother and grandmother, and her mastery of noodles is evident in her pad see ew, a cousin to pad thai with a slightly wider noodle.
Photo by Ryan Balow
Noodle Legends
BRODERS’ PASTA BAR
Linguine Con Salsicce e Rapini (egg pasta, rapini pesto, Broders’ mild sausage, bell peppers, pecorino romano, pine nuts, breadcrumbs)
5000 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis
DEGIDIO’S
Rigatoni and Porchetta Meatballs (rigatoni pasta, spicy arrabiata sauce, porchetta meatballs)
425 Seventh St. W., St. Paul
MUCCI’S ITALIAN
Lasagna (roasted red pepper, kale, summer sauce, mozzarella)
786 Randolph Ave., St. Paul
Jason’s Pick:
BAR LA GRASSA
800 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis
Issac Becker’s gnocchi with cauliflower and orange is as revelatory today as it was when it first appeared in 2009. Pillowy is the only appropriate descriptor—with bright, bold flavor. Just like the rest of the restaurant. There’s a reason Bar La Grassa is still packing in the crowds after all these years.
Photo by Earth Girl Creative
Ramen and Pho
LOTUS MAPLE GROVE
Kim Ly’s Surf N Turf Pho (lobster tail, beef rib, beef meatballs, tendon, tripe, shrimp, crab, cilantro, onions)
13704 83rd Way N., Maple Grove
MOTO-I
Pork Abura Ramen (brothless ramen, smoked pork shoulder, pickled red onion, chili oil, ponzu, scallion, bonito, poached egg)
2940 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
PHO 79
Pho 79 Special (rare lean beef, fat brisket, tendon, tripe, beef meatballs, onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapeños)
Locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul
PHO 400
No. 23, Phở Tái G`âu (rice noodle soup, rare lean beef, brisket)
400 Old Highway 8, New Brighton
QUANG RESTAURANT
Pho Thap Cam (sliced angus beef, tendon, brisket, tripe, meatballs)
2719 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
TORI RAMEN
Com Saw Mi Da (chili crisp, gochujang, chicken, soft egg)
603 Seventh St. W., St. Paul
Jason’s Pick:
ZEN BOX IZAKAYA
602 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis
I’ve tried every ramen I can find in Minnesota, and nothing compares to Zen Box. John Ng is a true student of the art form—his slowly developed, rich broth is fabulous. The classic Tonkotsu Ramen sets the standard with a heritage pork bone broth and noodles imported from Japan.
Photo by Spencer Johnson
