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Oct 28, 2021

Rochester, Minnesota, is packed with restaurants serving a world-class variety of ethnic foods. The wide range of dishes here will keep your taste buds happy and your stomach full. Take a look at some of the best ethnic restaurants in the area below.

Chinese Food Plate Rochester, MN
Image via Flickr by ginnerobot | Licensed by CC BY 2.0

Hunan Chinese Restaurant

Get your fill of savory and sweet dishes from across China at Hunan Chinese Restaurant. It’s near the Soldiers Field Golf Course and the Rochester Art Center. Start your meal with a delicious bowl of egg drop, hot and sour, or wonton soup. Pho noodle lovers can enjoy beef and meatball pho, seafood pho, shrimp and meatball pho, or chicken and meatball pho. Other options include garlic lamb, Mongolian lamb, black pepper lamb, General Tso’s chicken, orange beef, peanut butter chicken, braised chicken, crispy shrimp, honey chicken, and more. 

The kids’ menu offers boneless fried chicken, fried wontons, and fried jumbo shrimp. Those who want a lighter meal will be delighted with the flavors of Hunan’s chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, and house vermicelli salads. The large lunch and dinner combos are ideal for families. They include large portions of select entrees with egg rolls, crab rangoons, fried rice, and an appetizer platter. This restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

El Carambas

El Carambas is a family-owned restaurant that’s been in Rochester for more than 20 years. Its dishes are made in the traditional Mexican style with fresh, flavorful ingredients. Start with Fiesta Nachos with guacamole, ground beef, beans, cheese, and sour cream.

The Carnitas tacos are packed with pulled pork, light greens, and diced tomatoes, and the Barbacoa plate is mass of shredded, spiced beef on a leafy green bed. There’s a unique cactus salad called a Nopalitos. It comes with diced cactus, crumbly white queso, and diced tomatoes. The chorizo or spicy Mexican sausage is extremely popular and easy to eat on the go. You can get three tacos or two enchiladas with shrimp, steak, or chicken. 

The Cuban Sandwich Plate comes with roasted pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles. The kid’s menu includes quesadillas, burritos, tacos, and enchiladas with the same meats as the adult menu. A variety of vegetarian options are available as well. For dessert, you can enjoy flan, churros, or fried ice cream. This place is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Victoria’s Restaurante & Wine Bar

If Italian food is your passion, Victoria’s Restaurante & Wine Bar will suit you. The menu has an impressive range of gluten-free options, including sauteed shrimp, mushroom plate, calamari with marinara sauce, steamed mussels, cheese ravioli, and spaghetti carbonara with cream sauce, prosciutto, ham, and cheese. 

The Gnocchi al Pomodoro is a plate of Italian potato dumplings with garlic, virgin olive oil, tomato sauce, and basil. You can also try a Caesar salad, a spinach salad, a Greek salad, a grilled chicken salad with honey mustard, or a BLT salad. The Carpaccio di Manzo salad comes with a filet of cured beef, fresh parmesan cheese, lemon, capers, toasted crostini, and arugula. The grilled Norwegian salmon is tender and flavorful, and it comes with a delicious orange cream sauce, vegetables, and rice or pasta.

On Wine Up Wednesday, Victoria’s offers a bottomless glass of wine: one purchase with free refills for selected wines. Pick any two or three pasta types from fettuccini Alfredo, chicken Alfredo, baby shrimp Alfredo, Sicilian penne, classic spaghetti, and more. Trays with fruit, bread, and other sides are also available. For dessert, try Gluten-Free Belgian Chocolate Cake, Sea Salt Caramel Gelato, Homemade Tiramisu, or Cannoli with ricotta cheese, chocolate pieces, and orange zest. This restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Prescott’s Grill

For food made by certified chefs with years of experience, head to Prescott’s Grill in Rochester. This place has been open for more than two decades, and they offer new takes on traditional dishes from around the world. Prescott’s seasonal wines pair perfectly with their plates, so ask for their wine menu when you come in.

If you’re craving for Mexican fare, try the chipotle chicken with rosemary cream sauce. Meanwhile, its most popular Italian offering is butternut squash ravioli. For a lighter meal, try out the pear and walnut salad with Ama blue cheese or a classic Caesar salad. And if you want to try something more unique, you can also get a crab-stuffed chicken breast topped with a rich cream sauce, vegetables, and rice. Finish off your meal with death by chocolate cake, homemade ice cream, or classic crème brulée. Prescott’s is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m.

The Hyderabad Indian Grill

To get your hands on flavorful dishes from the heart of the Indian subcontinent, try out The Hyderabad Indian Grill. This grill is famous for its chicken and vegetable curries. The chicken curry menu items include chicken vindaloo, coconut chicken curry, chicken biryani chicken saag, chicken and mushroom, butter chicken, and many more. Vegetable curries include paneer butter masala, spinach paneer, mixed vegetable curry, vegetable coconut curry, and chole batura, with spiced chickpeas, onions, cilantro, and two slices of fried bread.

Customers also love their clay oven Tandoori menu items. Tandoori meats include chicken breast, shrimp, chicken leg and thigh, paneer tikka, and lamb. Most of the specials on the menu are appetizers, like Hyderabad spicy chicken, chilly shrimp, Manchurian paneer, and the Apollo fish. There are also a variety of vegetarian dishes. In addition, the restaurant also serves naan bread, which comes in flavors like onion, garlic, and plain. They can also be stuffed with lamb. 

Meanwhile, kids can get chicken nuggets or potato fries. For dessert, try the gulab jamun, deep-fried milk balls in sweet syrup. You can visit from noon to 8:45 p.m.

This range of ethnic food joints is part of what makes Rochester a great place to date, socialize, or have a nice meal on your own. You’ll love how much delicious food you can get for your money. Did we miss any of your favorite ethnic restaurants in the area? Contact us and let us know which place you like best.