One of the most in demand restaurant reservations is a table at Diane’s Place in northeast Minneapolis. Recognized as Food & Wine’s Best New Restaurant, James Beard Award finalist and one of the Star Tribune’s Restaurants of the Year, Diane Moua’s eatery has been a dining darling of the food world since she opened its doors in 2024.
Now, permits filed with the city reveal plans for an expansion. Moua’s reps said that the restaurant hasn’t finalized details, but can confirm that “Diane’s Place is expanding to enhance its space and better serve its guests.”
This is especially exciting for anyone who’s tried to land a prime-time dinner reservation — seats are consistently in high demand (though there are usually a few available for walk-ins).
In addition to the breakfast-through-dinner operation, Diane’s Place also runs the special event space inside the Food Building where it’s located.
When Moua opened Diane’s Place in the spring of 2024, she started with breakfast and lunch, eventually expanding to dinner service in the autumn of that year.
Expanding the restaurant hours was made after careful consideration by the chef, who said at the time, “We have to make certain that we’re taking care of ourselves. And we had to make sure that we — the whole team — didn’t burn ourselves out."
Moua is known for her methodical planning. It makes sense for a chef who began her career at the pastry station at top fine dining restaurants such as La Belle Vie and, later, Spoon and Stable, where she created thoughtful programs alongside incredible layers of flavor.
Diane’s Place was Moua’s first venture into ownership and savory foods, cooking what she has described not just as Hmong cuisine, but “this is my food” that encapsulates her whole experience as a cook. From dishes she would prepare with her family to ingredients supplied by her parent’s farm to the blend of advanced pastry technique with homey flavor comforts, it’s a singular cuisine that could only come from Moua.
