Punch Pizza in St. Paul serves some of the best pizza I've had. Authentic Neapolitan.

chino latino
birchwood cafe
gandhi mahal
brassa
plenty of tai places
blue nile for ethiopian
peninsula


i'll get you more later - Nick Cave and Grinderman are calling.

Step one:
Locate Nicollet Ave S easily accessible by bus or foot or car if you're staying downtown
Step Two:
ride/walk south
Step Three: Select from german, thai, chinese, mexican, caribbean(OHMYGODHarry Singh's Original Caribbean Restaurant yelp it now), etc
Step Four: Eat till you can't move
If you want a fully enclosed experience check out Midtown Global Market there's a TON of food vendors inside from a Scandinavian bakery to North African food.

But seriously - if you want hole in the wall non-american head down Nicollet ave south of downtown (most places are south of franklin ave) and you'll find what you're looking for. If you get lost just ask someone where "eat street" is and they'll direct you because minnesotans are nice like that.

ditto Blue Nile, Holy Land Deli in Northeast

also in the event you do want awesome american casual fare/lunch/bfast/brunch I highly recommend the Bad Waitress on Nicollet. it's a creative modern diner decorated in comic books that has really good local/organic food. good coffee, wifi and happy hour too!

also coastal cities (I am now in the Bay Area) don't have ANY thing like it-it's a real Minnesotan treat and I miss the hell out it.

there is also good vietnamese/Hmong food along 'eat street' aka nicollet ave.

don't forget the lutefisk...

enjoy your stay in the minneapple.

thanks for the suggestions! went to Punch and it was fantastic. really wanted to go to blue nile and bad waitress but never made it there. ended the trip with a jucy lucy from matt's bar - awesome. GREAT city, can't wait to go back.

Eh... not that great or I never would have moved. Wait until after winter to go back. I second Chino Latino in Uptown. There's a greek spot south of downtown... blanking on the name.