Recent content from Jon Cheng
The 5 best things our food writers ate in 2024
A stunning cup of affogato, unforgettable barbecue and evenings soaking in delicious surroundings: here's what stood out this year.
The Star Tribune's 2024 Restaurants of the Year reflect an incredible year of dining
This year's winners — Bûcheron, Diane's Place and Vinai — have one thing in common: They are distinctly Minnesotan.
Cheng: The hearth is the heart of northeast Minneapolis' Black Duck
Chef Jason Sawicki melds culture, comfort and fire to put his own stamp on northeast Minneapolis dining.
Cheng: 7 reasons why I'm thankful for Minnesota's food scene
My third year as the Minnesota Star Tribune's restaurant critic brought surprises, friendships and, of course, good food.
Cheng: At Vinai, chef Yia Vang rewrites the Hmong American playbook
The Minneapolis restaurant is a window to the chef's past as it charts the cuisine's future.
![A bucket of piping hot cheese curds. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/ME7GIN3CFLWSQ7LT6JG7LECLGU.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Cheng: Your questions about restaurants and the restaurant critic answered
Inquiring audience minds want to know about quiet restaurants, cuisine preferences, the one food he can't live without — and the one he can't stand.
Cheng: 4 Twin Cities area hidden gem restaurants that should be on your radar
Our restaurant critic is back with another installment of Twin Cities area restaurant gems.
Review: Gia celebrates the simplicity of Italian cooking
The menu at the Minneapolis restaurant changes weekly, but the talent and hospitality are constants.
Review: Chilango is chef Jorge Guzmán's Mex-Tex playground
The Minneapolis restaurant pushes the boundaries of south-of-the-border cuisine — with some caveats.
5 dishes from Twin Cities restaurants that will get you hooked on fish
Call him a fish out of water. Our island-born restaurant critic can't stop thinking about these fish dishes.
If these 3 restaurants aren't on your radar, they should be
Our restaurant critic is back with another installment of Twin Cities restaurant gems.
Our restaurant critic's 8 favorite Twin Cities area bakeries and restaurants for take-out dessert
When restaurant critic Jon Cheng doesn't want to show up empty-handed, he turns to these Twin Cities restaurants and bakeries.
Review: New North Loop spot Dario a spectacle for talent, pasta and Instagram
Review: The restaurant has room for opportunity to grow into a premier destination in the North Loop.
Review: Bûcheron is a landmark restaurant disguised as your friendly neighborhood bistro
Review: Find precise cooking, nuanced gastronomy and nearly a four-star experience at Bucheron in Minneapolis.
4 hidden restaurant gems you need to know about
Our restaurant critic shares the Twin Cities eateries he can't stop thinking about.
Restaurant review: Kim's is bold, flavorful and personal
The Sooki & Mimi reboot finally gives Ann Kim's Korean American heritage its due.
Yes, Minnesota should have a Michelin Guide, and these 4 restaurants would likely get stars
Restaurant critic Jon Cheng has dined at hundreds of Michelin-starred eateries in dozens of cities around the world. Now, he's weighing in on our local dining scene.
Our restaurant critic answers your questions
Jon Cheng sifted through dozens of reader questions, from how many times he visits a restaurant to solo dining and his surprising guilty pleasure food.
The best meals our food writers ate in 2023
The Star Tribune's Taste team eats out — a lot. While we've had many memorable meals, these are among those that stood out.
Mexican powerhouse Oro is Star Tribune's Restaurant of the Year
What started out as a sliver of a taco shop outside a tortilleria has evolved into Oro by Nixta, and it has set the gold standard for Mexican food in Minneapolis.
Restaurant review: Is Daniel del Prado's Porzana worth the buzz?
The Argentine steakhouse in Minneapolis' North Loop is the chef's most ambitious project yet. Cue the anticipation.
Review: Crasqui in St. Paul an island escape for diners and the chef behind it
Chef Soleil Ramirez's fine-dining restaurant gives Twin Cities diners a taste of the bold flavors of Venezuela.
Where our restaurant critic takes a first-time visitor to eat over a weekend in Minneapolis
Jon Cheng gave a whirlwind culinary tour of his Minneapolis neighborhood. Here's where they stopped and what they ordered, and it's a list that's not for the faint of heart.
Review: St. Paul's Herbst veers from New American classics, and it pays off
Chef Eric Simpson is inspired by the farm stands that supply the St. Paul restaurant.
Review: Minneapolis' Gai Noi defies expectations and redefines casual dining
The Minneapolis restaurant is the latest from chef Ann Ahmed, and an intimate tribute to her homeland.
Review: David Fhima's Maison Margaux reinventing French classics in North Loop
The Minneapolis restaurant serves brasserie fare with a side of indulgent hospitality.
The 5 best surprises for our restaurant critic so far this year
Minnesota's restaurant scene remains anything but predictable.
Review: Oro by Nixta sets gold standard for Mexican food in Minneapolis
The restaurant redefines counter culture as it steps out on its own.
Review: Does Minneapolis need Butcher & the Boar 2.0?
At the revived North Loop chophouse, some things are better left to rest.
Our critic picks his 4 favorite delis in the Twin Cities area
They are all very different from one another, and all redefine what modern delis can be.
Review: Blondette in downtown Minneapolis is rowdy, fun and wildly delicious
Chef Daniel del Prado strays from the classic French playbook with extraordinary results.
Review: Chelas in Minneapolis serves up fusion with flair
Latin and Southeast Asian flavors creatively coexist at this Tangletown newcomer.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
A restaurant critic's guide to navigating the Eden Prairie Asia Mall
Jon Cheng says the best way to enjoy the food hall is to try mostly everything.
There's nothing fancy but the food at the best Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities
Thai Café on St. Paul's University Avenue looks understated, but is brimming with flavor and personality.
Our chain salad power rankings: Who dishes the best salad in the Twin Cities?
Restaurant critic Jon Cheng ate his share of leafy greens to find out.
The best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area in 2022
Our food writers scrolled through a year's worth of photos and notes, and these are the meals and places we're still thinking about.
Mara is the Star Tribune's 2022 Restaurant of the Year
Gavin Kaysen strikes gold with his new restaurant, offering inspired takes on Mediterranean cuisine in a stunning dining room inside the Four Seasons.
7 restaurant openings in the Twin Cities area you should know about
From new entries by marquee chefs to a supper club takeover of a suburban mainstay, it's been a busy few months on the restaurant scene.
Review: With Macanda in Wayzata, an empire has finally met its match
One of the latest Daniel del Prado restaurants fails to rekindle the magic that made him king.
5 Twin Cities restaurant desserts our critic can't stop thinking about
Restaurant critic Jon Cheng (and his sweet tooth) make a case for why you should save room for dessert.
Review: Guacaya Bistreaux pushes Minneapolis' North Loop to cuisines near and far
Chef Pedro Wolcott's food takes sometimes delicious twists and turns as he embraces his Panamanian roots by way of Louisiana.
Critic's diary: A day of eating and drinking in Minneapolis' North Loop
Restaurant critic Jon Cheng takes us to some of his favorite places in the food-centric neighborhood.
Review: Mara at the Four Seasons in Minneapolis reaches for the stars
Behind all the opulence and grandeur of the Four Seasons is a Gavin Kaysen restaurant with really good food.
Restaurant critic Jon Cheng finally tried a Juicy Lucy and he has a favorite
After months of resisting, he tries four of them in one day — and has choice words.
Review: Fine dining finds a home in former hardware store in northern suburbs
Resident Carly Gatzlaff's work to raise the profile of Shoreview dining has paid off in several delicious ways.
A restaurant critic's quest to find the Twin Cities area's perfect taco
After a couple of weeks — and a couple of dozen taquerias — the search led him to a Minneapolis tortilleria.
Review: Sooki & Mimi in Minneapolis a showcase for chef Ann Kim's worldly vision
The menu at the transportive restaurant reflects the chef's Korean heritage and love of Mexican cuisine.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
Who serves the best steak in the Twin Cities? Our steakhouse power rankings
Here's the beef: Restaurant critic Jon Cheng tried eight major steakhouses in the metro area so you don't have to.
Review: Searching for the New American ideal at All Saints in Minneapolis
Twin Cities restaurant veterans Kim Tong and Dennis Leaf-Smith foray into a celebrated space.
Review: Minneapolis' Petite León redefines the local neighborhood eatery
Chef Jorge Guzmán's cozy restaurant proves that local hangouts can be fine dining, too.
The 5 best things we ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares the highlights of recent dining experiences.
Review: At Minneapolis' Creekside Supper Club, charm greets you like an old friend
With its wood paneling, relish trays and creamy dessert drinks, the Minneapolis restaurant is supper-club chic.
The best Chinese restaurant in the Twin Cities is on University Avenue in Minneapolis
Tea House embraces the soul of China's regional cuisines — and nails it.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares highlights from weekly dining experiences.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
The Taste team shares the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
Our food writers share the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week
Our food writers share the highlights of their weekly dining experiences.
Restaurant review: Creole and club classics served with fanfare at Mr. Paul's Supper Club in Edina
Led by powerhouses Tommy Begnaud and Nick Kosevich, there's no shortage of good food or good times. ⋆⋆ ½
