2 MN Restaurants Among 50 Best In U.S., The New York Times Says In New Ranking

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Two of America’s best restaurants are located in Minneapolis, according to a new list from The New York Times.

To develop The Restaurant List, 14 New York Times and editors took 76 flights to 33 states, where they ate more than 200 meals, the publication said. The sleuths showed up unannounced and made reservations through a smartphone app.

“We pay for all of our food, and we don’t accept freebies. We eat like you do, with the same hope for a meal to remember, to be welcomed and delighted,” The Times wrote.

More than half of the restaurants have opened since the 2024 list was published, The Times said.

In Minneapolis, Bûcheron and Diane’s Place stood out as remarkable.

Bûcheron

Bûcheron is a French-American bistro that opened in January 2024 in the Kingfield neighborhood in the old Revival building.

It is run by chef Adam Ritter and his wife, Jeanie Janas Ritter.

The Times described it as "almost certainly the country’s first French bistro to count lumberjacks as a source of inspiration, noting its smoked whitefish dip, pommes dauphine (likened to “really amazing Tater Tots”), and fall dishes made with rutabaga, squash, and pumpkin.

Diane’s Place

Diane’s Place, which opened in April 2024 in northeast Minneapolis, is the creation of chef Diane Moua, a celebrated former pastry chef.

The Times praised Moua for blending her pastry skills with Hmong home cooking, from coconut-pandan croissants and scallion Danishes to pan-fried bean thread noodles, pork rolls, and a restorative chicken noodle soup.

The Times called it "the kind of restaurant that turns you into a regular."