Mall of America Restaurants & Food
Gourmet & Kid Friendly Eats at this Minnesota Tourist Destination
May 24, 2007
When you think of mall eats, do you think of fast food and dull food courts? Not at the Mall of America, where gourmet and family-friendly delights await you!
The Mall of America is about much more than just amazing shopping! This sprawling Bloomington, Minnesota travel destination is an entertainment mecca that features an amusement park, an aquarium, and many other fun and exciting attractions that will make you forget that you're in a mall. The other feature that makes the Mall of America the Disneyland of U.S. malls is the fabulous selection of food! The MOA contains two huge food courts, eighteen restaurants, and a variety of unique specialty food stores.
Where's the best place to eat at the Mall of America? Here are some of the highlights of the culinary choices at Minnesota's Megamall.
1) Chic & Gourmet.
- The California Cafe. While sipping wine at this white tablecloth eatery, be sure to stare down at the roller coasters and contemplate the odd blend of your surroundings. The artistic fare draws from international flavors and is complemented by an impressive wine list. Eclectic lunch offerings include the barbecue duck pizza for $12.50, the Guinness stout pork ribs for $13.75., and the tempura fish and chips for $12.75. Dinner creations include shrimp pad Thai for $19.50, almond crusted walleye for $20.50, and Cuban roasted pork loin for $24.00.
- The Twin City Grill. This one-of-a-kind cafe reflects Minnesota Midwestern cuisine. Enjoy this dimly lit, mahogany-paneled oasis at the center of the mall and the photos of Minnesota past. Visitors should try the walleye, Minnesota's signature fish, and the wild rice corn chowder. For lunch or lighter fare, try the beer battered walleye sandwich for $10.25 or the St. Paul chopped salad with flat bread for $10.95. For dinner, specialties include the almond crusted walleye for $18.95, the grilled pork chops in chipotle glaze for $18.95, and the blue cheese crusted filet mignon for $27.95.
- Napa Valley Grille. This romantic, upscale restaurant transforms your mall experience into an evening out in California's wine country. Napa is known for great service, high-quality American cuisine, and, of course, a fabulous wine list. For lunch, try the Napa Valley crab melt for $13.00 or the pepper crusted tuna nicoise for $13.50. Dinner specialties include the wild boar chop and Zinfandel sausage for $32.00, maple roasted ostrich for $29.00, and herb crusted filet mignon for $36.00.
2) Family-Friendly and Fun
- The Rainforest Cafe. Kids and their kid-at-heart parents will love this whimsical theme restaurant and its adjacent gift shop. The dining room features with tropical foliage and huge tanks filled with amazing tropical fish. Every so often, thunderbolts roar and it "rains." The menu offers everything from burgers, salads, pastas, fish, chicken, a large kid's menu, and gourmet fruit drinks. Try the buffalo fried chicken for $12.99, the spicy Rasta Pasta for $14.99, and the macadamia crusted snapper for $21.99. If you have a big group, stick around for the Volcano, a huge sundae served with sparklers for $12.99.
- Kokomo's Island Cafe. This newer restaurant has a fun tropical theme with palm trees, tiki torches, island music, and lots of fresh flowers. Try the Baja fish tacos for $8.99, Key West lime chicken for $15.99, and the jerk blackened grouper for $16.99. The Big Luau Feast for four is available for $45.99. Kokomo's drink menu is great fun, especially the three-layer frozen drinks called Toucans that resemble a toucan's beak.
3) Specialty Food Shops
- P.B. Loco Peanutbutterlicious Cafe. This creative store sells 11 kinds of peanut butter that include ingredients like white chocolate, curry, and sun dried tomatoes. What's more, you can order wacky and surprisingly delicious peanut butter sandwiches like the PBBLT (sun-dried tomato peanut butter, bacon bits, lettuce, and cream cheese) or the Peanut Colada (white chocolate peanut butter and a mixture of pineapple, coconut, and bananas).
- Rybicki Cheese. Don't miss this cool Wisconsin family owned business! Visitors are lured in with samples of the huge varieties of cheese, and by the irresistible "cheesehead" hats and Green Bay Packers gifts.
- Lindt Chocolate. Imagine, a whole store of fabulous Lindt chocolates and enormous bins of those decadent round balls! This is a great place to pick up some gifts and a few treats for yourself.
See also: Mall of America hotels and What the locals think about the Mall of America.
The copyright of the article Mall of America Restaurants & Food in Minnesota Travel is owned by Naomi Rockler-Gladen. Permission to republish Mall of America Restaurants & Food in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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