New York Times lists Minneapolis restaurants Vinai and Oro by Nixta among best in U.S.

The New York Times released its list of the top 50 restaurants in the U.S., and Minneapolis restaurants Vinai and Oro by Nixta made the list. The restaurants are across the street from each other.

Chef Yia Vang opened Vinai this summer, but it’s a concept that was years in the making for Vang. It’s named after the refugee camp in Thailand where Vang was born and features dishes inspired by Hmong culture, traditions and stories.

“Hmong cuisine shares characteristics with the food of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. The chef’s personal take on it is arresting, packed with chile and citrus, often streaked with wood smoke, and always suffused with back story,” the review from the New York Times said.

Oro by Nixta was one of 10 finalists for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant. Oro’s chefs and co-owners Kate and Gustavo Romero highlight Mexican heirloom corn in their dishes.

“This restaurant grew out of the takeout place that itself was the offshoot of a tortilleria instrumental in elevating the quality of tacos across the Twin Cities,” the review said. “Imagine a taqueria with a tasting-menu restaurant’s ambitions and none of its pretensions.”

Both restaurants are in northeast Minneapolis.

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