Rosemount’s House of Curry offers stellar Sri Lankan fare. Start with the “devilled” section of the menu, which features sweet, tangy, aromatic stir fries studded with chiles. From there, branch out to rich fish curries best served with pol roti, a coconut flat bread, or lamb kottu, a Sri Lankan dish mixed with shredded roti. Save room for watalappan, a silky coconut and egg pudding.

Channel the Roaring Twenties at Volstead House. This bar is styled as a Prohibition-era speakeasy and whiskey bar. The menu features classic cocktails from the 1800s and early 1900s, like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan, as well as inventive signature cocktails and an extensive whiskey selection. Food options include a duck wontons, a bacon bourbon burger, and shrimp po’ boy.

Maverick’s serves up comfort on a bun: roasted beef, slow cooked and sliced thin. Pile on the toppings from the seemingly mile-long free condiment bar — take your pick of pickles, onions, peppers, and more.

This stellar self-service cafe is tucked away at the back of a Korean grocery store. Try the stone bowl rice, a generous helping of rice topped with vegetables, beef, and an egg and served in a sizzling hot bowl. Other tasty options (order by the number listed on the menu board) include grilled beef short ribs, a spicy pork stir fry, and seafood pancakes.

For barbecue aficionados, Q Fanatic is worth the drive: smoked ribs, brisket, ham, and pulled chicken and pork are served a la carte in generous portions. The lineup of sauces includes classic Kansas City-style barbecue sauces (heat lovers should try the pepper vodka barbecue), plus other options like vinegar barbecue and mild honey barbecue.

Located in a Brooklyn Park strip mall, MT Noodles serves up some of the best Vietnamese cuisine in the metro. The menu features well-executed favorites like spring rolls, vermicelli noodle salads, and pho, as well as unique specialties. The restaurant’s signature dish is broken rice with grilled marinated pork, shredded pork, steamed egg loaf, grilled pork sausage, and shrimp in a crispy bean curd wrap.

Ambiance Cafe has a soothing atmosphere and comforting fare like cheesesteaks, loaded fries, rice bowls, and sandwiches. Wash it all down with one of the colorful lemonades, which are flavored with fruit purees and muddled with fresh fruit and herbs. Get there early to grab a slice of New York-style cheesecake, with unique flavors that rotate weekly — and keep an eye on the calendar for frequent events at the restaurant, like paint-and-dine nights.

A meal at Travail Kitchen & Amusements may be the metro’s most unique culinary experience, with a 22-course seasonal tasting menu that’s as much entertainment as it is dinner. Thanks to an open kitchen and chefs who double as servers, diners are fully immersed in a molecular gastronomy-inspired culinary spectacle. For something more casual and budget-friendly, check out Nouvelle Kitchen & Brewery across the street, which is owned by the Travail team and serves creative pizzas and burgers with bold global flavors.

Chef Ann Ahmed’s Golden Valley restaurant draws from the cuisines of countries that fall along the 14th parallel north, including Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines. Dishes are boldly flavored and thoughtfully presented, with edible flower garnishes and elegant plating. The basil wings have a devoted following, and entree standouts include bacon pineapple fried rice, braised duck ramen, and a tempura-fried whole snapper, among others.

Samarkand specializes in the Central Asian cuisines of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Russia, with hearty dishes including meat-filled pastries, shawarma, and shish kebabs. Go with a few friends and order the meat paradise, a generous spread of lamb chops, Cornish game hen, and skewers of chicken, beef, and lamb.

This chic space in downtown Wayzata does it all, combining the best aspects of a neighborhood cafe, upscale deli, wine bar, and bakery. Sandwiches are piled high with meats, crisp vegetables, and flavorful spreads,  and the wood-fired pizzas feature toppings like goat’s milk ricotta, pancetta, and pasture-raised eggs. The hefty chocolate chip cookies are a perennial favorite, but don’t overlook the butterscotch coconut cookies’ rich caramelized flavor.

K’kinaco’s menu highlights Peru’s Nikkei cuisine, which combines Peruvian ingredients with Japanese cooking techniques.  Dishes include ceviche, sushi, sashimi, and tempura, as well as grilled skewers that pair Japanese-style meats and Peruvian sauces, like the chicken yakitori with huacatay sauce.  There’s also a lineup of pisco-based cocktails and classic Peruvian desserts — be sure to try the caramel pudding.

Inspired by New York City’s ubiquitous slice shops and made by local pizza maven Ann Kim, Hello Pizza is a casual pizza place with high-quality ingredients like made-on-the-spot fennel sausage, sheep’s milk feta, and hand-crushed tomato sauce. Try the signature Hello Trinity, a pizza topped with red sauce, whole milk mozzarella, fennel sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms.

Muddy Tiger Indian Bistro serves Marathi cuisine from western India, offering a thoughtful balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors in each dish. The counter-service menu is inspired by Indian street food specialties, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options including vada pav, a fried potato patty served on a roll. There are also meat based-dishes, such as the chicken and lamb-stuffed frankies (roti wraps).

Lela’s sleek open kitchen is the first giveaway it’s anything but a typical hotel restaurant. The menu’s crudo section features raw selections from around the globe, including ceviche, ahi tuna poke, and beef carpaccio. The lobster deviled eggs and steaks, ranging from a petite eight-ounce tenderloin to an 16-ounce ribeye, are worthy splurges.

This bright, cheerful counter-service taqueria offers over a dozen different types of tacos, tortas served on house-baked rolls, and giant burritos, plus an all-day breakfast menu. Meats are butchered in-house (owners Fernando Mellado-Barboza and Jorge Rangel Castro also operate the adjacent grocery store), with options ranging from slow-cooked carnitas to crispy fried beef tripe. Considering the amount of food it offers, the molcajete — beef ribs, chorizo, pork chops, chicken, and grilled queso fresco served in a huge stone bowl, plus double sides of rice, beans, and tortillas — is a steal.