Courtesy of Asia Village
When Asia Village officially opened its doors last month, hundreds of visitors lined up outside, eager to be some of the first people inside. Fans of pho, mochi doughnuts, Korean barbecue, poke, and other culinary traditions from all parts of Asia have new reasons to celebrate at the Blaine shopping destination, which is home to both a large grocery store and a food hall-style collection of 12 restaurants.
Courtesy of Asia Village
Co-owner Michael Bui says he’s most looking forward to the way Asia Village can meet the needs of large groups—big families, kids’ sports teams, etc.—who can stop by for lunch or dinner and find something for everyone.
Many of the folks behind Asia Village also own Asia Mall, the Eden Prairie “sister” of Asia Village, which opened four years ago and has been a runaway success. “The main difference is that Asia Village offers mostly restaurants, set up around a common food dining area,” Bui says, while Asia Mall features mall-style storefronts with separate seating areas for each establishment. “In addition, Asia Village has a lot more parking and is connected to Northtown Mall.”
Courtesy of Asia Village
One of Asia Village’s anchors is Pho Mai, a Vietnamese restaurant (also owned by Bui) that serves banh mi, noodles, and sweet Vietnamese coffee and has long been a favorite stop at Asia Mall in Eden Prairie.
Other non-restaurant vendors at Asia Village include a beauty shop, clothing and gift stores, and an 11,000-square-foot indoor playground with slides, a ball pit, and other kid-friendly attractions.
Courtesy of Asia Village
And in addition to the 25,000-square-foot Asian grocery store—featuring fresh produce, seafood, snacks, and other imports from Asian countries—these eateries welcome guests to try old favorites or discover something new:
- 85°C Bakery Cafe: The first Minnesota location of a Taiwanese chain that serves coffee, tea, bread, cakes, and pastries.
- Chingu Fried Chicken: Crispy, Korean-style fried chicken, fries, and signature sauces.
- Dagu Rice Noodle: Rice noodle bowls with various soups, beef rolls, veggies, and toppings.
- Hokkaido Ramen House: Ramen, of course, but also donburi, Japanese-style marinated chicken, traditional Wakame seaweed salad, dumplings, and more.
- Oday Creamery: Asian-inspired ice cream, freshly scooped, in flavors like ube caramel crunch and black sesame.
- OneZo Boba: Handcrafted boba—yes, tapioca pearls made from scratch every morning—and a variety of teas and other Taiwanese-inspired drinks.
- Poke Bowl: Poke and other traditional Hawaiian fare.
- Ramyeon Bar: A self-serve ramen experience that’s fully customizable.
- Sidewalk Steak: Sizzling, “night market-style” steak made on a hot cast iron plate with Taiwanese sauces, plus noodles, eggs, and other sides.
- Sot House: Fast-casual Korean pot rice, with brisket and other proteins plus various toppings, kimbap, and tonkatsu.
- Spice & Smoke BBQ & Hot Pot: Korean barbecue meets hot pot, two interactive dining experiences—grill your own meat or cook your own flavorful pot of broth—perfect for sharing.
Asia Village, 301 Northtown Drive, Blaine; asiavillagemn.com
