When I visited Minneapolis last week, I was doing a ton of running around visiting friends. Since I was constantly on the go, I didn't have much time to have sit down or planned meals. However, the two places I mention below are prime locations to visit if you are ever in the Twin Cities.
Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, 2524 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Pimento Jamaican Kitchen was my first stop when I landed in Minneapolis. The restaurant used to have a counter in a shopping center in Minneapolis and less than a year ago, they opened up their vibrant colored store front. On a nice day, Pimento will have their large doors wide open and play the best island hits from Shaggy to the Fugees to Bob Marley and Wayne Wonder.
Originally, I was only going to get the veggie curry, which was extremely flavorful. The curry sauce used at Pimento had a sweet and spicy tang. Since the curry rice bowls are so big, getting the veggie one was a good choice, it kept the dish light. One of the servers also recommended the Kingston Style Jerk Chicken. When I think of jerk chicken, I think of a saucey entree. This chicken was cooked with a jerk seasoned dry rub...much more enjoyable to me. Again, it had a sweet savor with hints of brown sugar making it some of the best jerk chicken I've ever had.
Midtown Global Market, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Another go-to location is Midtown Global Market. This location gives me a Reading Terminal Philadelphia vibe or a Union Fare in Grand Central NYC. It is an indoor eatery with several different options. Everything from pizza, Mexican, Italian, Halal, and it even had a small grocery section. I chose the Halal stand, Holy Land. This panned out to be the best bang for my buck. The amount of meat and french fries you get with the lunch special alone is crazy. I couldn't finish it all in one sitting. I ordered a Gyro. The protein of choice was lamb and I'm not the type to pick just one sauce, so I got the cucumber tzatziki and the hot sauce. It was so good. In a market full of delicious options, I definitely picked the best one. I know of ordering gyros from food trucks on the streets of Philly and New York. I rarely EVER get lamb when ordering that way, but the lamb from Holy Land comes highly recommended and I was not disappointed.
Have you been to Minneapolis or St. Paul? Share your favorite go-to spots when you're in the Twin Cities in the comments below.
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