I wrote this article while eating a vegetable quesadilla from Good Bites Mexican Bar and Grill, one of Woodbury’s newest restaurants. When I arrived to pick up my take-out order, the restaurant door was locked because federal agents had been in the parking lot several times that day.
As advocates say, “If you ate today, thank an immigrant.” Immigrants grow, cook and serve most of the food in America. Estimates suggest that more than one-third of restaurant owners are immigrants. Counting restaurant workers is more difficult because many are undocumented and the share of immigrant employees varies by state. Still, the lowest estimate puts immigrants at about 22% of the workforce, with most working in kitchens.
The surge in immigration enforcement has disrupted Minnesota’s restaurants with many establishments closing because they don’t have adequate staffing to operate or because owners and staff are afraid of agents making arrests in and near food establishments.
Woodbury and the East Metro have multiple immigrant-owned and run restaurants that can give you a taste of the special dishes and warm hospitality found in your travels, or even introduce you to places you’ve yet to visit.
(Note: it will be worth your while to call ahead for the time being to make sure the restaurant is open or if it has changed its business model to take-out only before heading out to enjoy one of these immigrant-owned dining options.)
Acapulco Restaurant 1795 Radio Drive, The extended Leon family originally from Jalisco, Mexico owns a chain of local restaurants with a huge menu offering every Mexican-style dish a Minnesotan could want. All menu items including the Combinaciones Creativo are available for take out.
Afro Deli 400 Wabasha Street N, St. Paul. You know how wonderful this fusion restaurant is just by the wonderful scents that greet you. Immigrant owners have crafted a menu introducing Somali favorites (don’t leave without sambusas with bright green sauce on the side), great vegetable presentations and pairing them with cheeseburgers. All locations offer catering and a commitment to community service.
Azul Tequila 2421 Hanley Road, Hudson, WI. Brothers from Jalisco, Mexico share Tex-Mex specialties including seafood, alambre,and homemade chicken soup.
Babani’s 32 Fillmore Avenue E, St Paul. It’s a bit of a drive to dine at Babani’s, the country’s first Kurdish restaurant, according to its owners; but it’s a lot closer than a visit to the owner’s homeland in southern Iran. You can enjoy grilled kabobs, stuffed meat turnovers and multiple approaches to rice and vegetables.
Chimborazo 508 Lexington Avenue South. Chef Pinguil offers counter service featuring the specialties of his native Ecuador with their blend of Spanish, Indigenous (Inca), and Amazonian flavors and styles, featuring staples like potatoes, corn, plantains, rice, avocado and seafood. Try their Llapingachos (cheese-filled potato pancakes).
Duc’s Restaurant 783 Radio Drive. Duke Kim, his single mother and the three orphaned children she adopted were originally Vietnamese boat people who, after time in a refugee camp, were resettled by people from Guardian Angels Church. Duc’s restaurant reflects the flavor of the food they left behind and his grandparents’ noodle cart, street-food-like rice noodle salad and deep fried potatoes with beef.
El Cubano Restaurant 870 Dodd Road, West St. Paul. A summer treat with an outdoor patio just like in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Generous Cuban sandwiches, stuffed empanadas, snapper and grilled meats.
Feast Buffet 1690 Woodlane Drive. Although temporarily closed, this giant Asian buffet promises to return in early February with its high-end Asian buffet overflowing with sushi and seafood.
Fresh India 441 Commerce Drive. The grocery side of Fresh India allows you to shop for the ingredients you’d need to recreate the dishes you enjoy in the restaurant. Or you can return for the nearly infinite offerings from many parts of India including chicken lollipops, tandoori pizzas, kulchas and special lunch combos
Garibaldi Mexican Restaurant 360 Bernard Street. How about Mexican breakfast? Chilaquiles or a chicken fajita omelet should hold you til lunch when you can come back for mole, enchiladas , and hot soup.
Hilltop International Cuisine 417 Marie Avenue, South St. Paul. Owner Nessib Negusse offers special stews, bean dishes and other treats from his native Ethiopia along with salmon, burritos and options for less adventurous eaters.
Honduras Kitchen1519 Fifth Ave South, South St. Paul. The owners say their food is made with love and flavor. Tropical specialties include the national dish: baleada, a stuffed tortilla, and the much loved Honduran hot dog loaded with toppings and served with chips.
India Palace 8362 Tamarack Village. Diljit Singh has been feeding immigrants from the Indian diaspora for nearly 30 years. Specialties from his grandmother’s recipes include Chicken Tikki Masala and Dosas (crispy lentil and rice crepes with your choice of stuffing).
Legendary Spice 8300 Tamarack Village. Gaoxiang Yang and Yang Chen started the restaurant as part of a franchise when they were still students at the University of Minnesota. After a year, they sought independence and aligned with a restaurant in Chengdu, China. Now this spicy Sichuan restaurant has outposts across the Twin Cities and may be a good Woodbury option for joining billions around the world in celebrating the Year of the Horse with dim sum and hot pot.
Little Chopstix 580 Woodbury Drive. Jackie Chang and Wanyi Tong are a Woodbury couple, but their roots are in China just like their Cantonese food. They offer a feature prevalent in Chinese restaurants in other cities: delivery (but only in a 4 mile radius from their wok).
Machete Cocina Mexicana 803 Bielenberg Drive. The Ocampo family is originally from Cuernavaca, Mexico. Since immigrating, they have opened multiple restaurants in and near Woodbury, serving authentic Mexican food inspired by the family matriarch, Lilia, rather than the ubiquitous Tex-Mex options. Their namesake “machete” dish comes from Mexico City. Woodbury’s version features a 21-inch oval corn masa tortilla stuffed with up to five meats, pumpkin flower or sautéed poblano peppers, then folded and grilled. It’s big enough to share and still bring home leftovers.
Niko Niko Boba 9000 Hudson Road. Owned by husband-and-wife team Jonathan Chong and Yenni Chen, immigrants from Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. This multi-state team offers Taiwanese style boba tea and wide straws.
Panaderia y Cafeteria El Quetzal 1532 White Bear Avenue. Food from Guatemala and neighboring countries plus a bakery. Options include pupusas (tortillas stuffed with meat and beans), soups and tacos.
Phil’s Tara Hideaway 15021 N 60th Street, Stillwater. The ultimate Minnesota melting pot. This restaurant is located in an historic log cabin named after a dog. It still serves the basic roadhouse food it began with, infused with Greek specialties inspired by Phil Barbatsis’ mother and accented with gourmet touches from the chef.
Pho Village 755 Bielenberg Drive. There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of noodle soup on a cold Woodbury day. This newcomer to town offers 10 varieties of the national dish of Vietnam. If warm broth doesn’t appeal, the menu offers pages of other choices.
Thai Woodbury 6445 Lake Road Terrace. Woodbury’s first Thai restaurant is run by a Lao mother and son. With only 10 tables and a brisk take-out business, you may have to wait. But that gives you a chance to peek over the counter and watch as the cook prepares many Asian treats, including pad thai, pho and gorgeous vegetables.
Thanh Truc 2230 Eagle Creek Lane. This restaurant was opened 20 years ago by a Vietnamese immigrant who was also a 3M engineer but is now owned by Sukhwinder Pal, who previously cooked at India Palace. You can taste the fusion cooking as Butter chicken and Singapore noodles sit cheek-to-chopstick with steaming bowls of pho and pretty plates of spring rolls.
VN Food Express 9931 Hudson Boulevard. Just across I-94, there is a sparkling little Vietnamese restaurant with huge egg rolls and several different Bahn mi sandwiches.
Yang’s 1568 Woodlane Drive. Since the Yang family opened this Sichuan lite, Cantonese and Chinese-American restaurant in 1990, the wok has been passed on to others, but the classics remain. Families return often for the sesame chicken, cream cheese wontons and fried rice.
World Famous Momo 1318 Robert Street South, West St. Paul. This Nepalese family serves the steamed-filled dumpling their region is famous for as well as stuffed treats from other cultures for dine-in and take-out.
Ze’s Diner 2190 Eagle Creek Lane. Moody and Zeze Arafat are immigrants from Egypt, not the 1950s era of America reflected in their restaurant’s decor. That background explains why all six of their locations offer baklava and falafel alongside all-day breakfasts and creamy milkshakes 365 days a year.
