The Mall of America may be a retail wonderland, but it is also packed with food finds just waiting to be discovered. As much as it's dotted with nationally known mall favorites — like the almost-impossible-to-resist perfume of Cinnabon — there also are homegrown gems that can only be found inside this 30-year-old tourist destination, like Macarons by Maddie Lu.
You'll also find snowball-sized puffs of whipped cream housed in airy dough, secret happy hours tucked in behind the couture, 1950s diner-style vanilla Cokes, four-star fine dining and a locally fueled coffee bar that only insiders know about.
We spent hours circling the megamall, which has been constantly evolving since it opened in 1992, and go beyond the stereotypical food court to make the case that the newest reason to visit the Mall of America might just be to eat.
EAST
The east side of the mall is home to the rotunda, where many of the big events, including most celebrity appearances, take place. The busy corner also is the entry point for Sea Life aquarium and the multilevel M&M experience.
Uni Uni: An unbelievable number of flavors of all kinds of tea inside a poppy-fun shop adorned with happy, chubby unicorns. Choose from bubble teas, milk teas, green teas, black teas, smoothies and more. 114 E. Broadway, uniuni.us
La Michoacana Purepecha: This growing Minnesota chain specializes in sweet frozen treats and Dorilocos (walking tacos, but with Doritos). The paletas are a fresh, sweet treat that tastes like never-ending summer. All of the items available in this adorable shop are easily handheld snacks perfect for indulging while moving through the mall. 284 E. Broadway, lamichoacanapurepecha.com
Cinnabon: The cinnamon smell hits long before this sweet stand can be seen. Company officials say that this location is consistently the highest-performing Cinnabon in the cinnamon roll chain, and it's understandable why. That sugary perfume is hard to resist. 180 E. Broadway, cinnabon.com
The Fair on 4: The Fair on 4 is a shockingly large gaming outpost with a go-kart track and space for ax-throwing. There's a full bar that highlights craft cocktails and local beer and a menu stacked with fair-style food like corn dogs and cheese curds, as well as house-made bakery treats. The pizza menu was created with input from the owner of Minneapolis' popular pizzeria Red Wagon. 402 E. Broadway, thefairon4.com
NORTH
The third floor boasts the mall's more upscale food court. There are a few fast-food standbys like Burger King and A&W, but you'll also find locally owned stands and a few storefronts.
Juicebox: This local company was founded by two moms with a passion for fresh juices. This is the only brick-and-mortar location, and the juice is exactly the kind of refresher you need after a few laps around the mall or time at Nickelodeon Universe. Choose from flavors like blueberry mojito, cucumber lime or coconut. Located at the entrance to Culinary North. 310 Central Pkwy., juiceboxmn.com
Shake Shack: The state's first outpost of this wildly popular national burger chain, Shake Shack offers a few seats in the restaurant, situated on the edge of the mall's Culinary North collective of eateries. People love the burgers, chicken sandwiches and frozen custard. There also are a few beer and wine offerings. 332 N. Garden, shakeshack.com
Beard Papas Cream Puffs: The Japanese company specializes in a whole spread of different flavors of cream puffs. The crispy-yet-airy puffs seem large, but also disappear with an alarming quickness. 375 N. Garden, beardpapas.com
Carlo's Bakery: Fans of "Cake Boss" know the name of this business well. Founded in Hoboken, N.J., Carlo's Bakery is run by Buddy Valastro and his family. In addition to a pastry case filled with cupcakes, cookies and other sweet treats, the bakery also takes special orders, like personalized birthday cakes. 335 N. Garden, carlosbakery.com
Cedar + Stone Urban Table: On the ground floor of the attached Marriott hotel, it's a fine-dining getaway from the hustle and bustle of the mall. The menu spans from breakfast to dinner and drinks — all with a focus on local ingredients. This is the best spot to stop if you're craving some fresh vegetables or higher-end plates like Skuna Bay salmon or wild rice and quinoa entrees. 2141 Lindau Lane; level 1, JW Marriott, cedarandstoneurbantable.com
Twin City Grill: One of the few of the mall's original restaurants, this full-service eatery is blessedly dark and calm, and an excellent place to take a break from the action. Dip in for a steakhouse-style burger, walleye dinner or an icy martini at the full bar. The menu also has a couple of dishes that were wildly popular in the '90s that now taste like nostalgia: fried calamari and spinach artichoke dip. 130 N. Garden, twincitygrillrestaurant.com
Nordstrom Grill: The retailer runs a small restaurant on the third floor toward the back of the store. The menu is filled with lighter lunch fare, plus there's a full bar and a few seats with a rare outside view. (You can even make reservations.) Insiders know the spot for its weekday happy hour specials from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The wine pours pair beautifully with new Chanel. 1000 NW Court, nordstrom.com
WEST
The west side of the mall has the second parking ramp and lots of open, airy views of interior shops. Bites over here vary widely, from full-service dining to eat-while-walking snacks.
Duck Donuts: This popular chain not only makes the doughnuts fresh to order, but they also come with a dress-your-own style. Pick a flavor, choose a frosting and crumbly toppings and get a personalized breakfast treat at any time of day. Breakfast sandwiches, too. 382 W. Market, duckdonuts.com
Macarons by Maddie Lu: These delicate French cookies are edible works of art. Maddie Lu's bright colors call from the display case and promise a daily rotating variety of flavors, including banana nut, pistachio, birthday cake, red velvet and more. It's an offshoot of the Coon Rapids bakery Something Sweet by Maddie Lu; both are run by mother-daughter partners Laurie and Maddie Carlos. 166 W. Broadway, macaronsbymaddielu.com
Cantina Laredo: Tucked away near the south corner by Macy's, Cantina Laredo has a full restaurant and bar inside and a patio space in the mall corridor perfect for people-watching. The food ranges from tacos and fajitas to ceviche and migas (on weekends.) Hit happy hour for discounted snacks and drinks. 300 W. Market, cantinalaredo.com
Lululemon Fuel Space: There are only two of these mega-Lemons in the country — the other is in Chicago. At the back of the store is a coffee stand that serves locally made snacks in adorable packaging that would make excellent hostess gifts. The coffee bar is fueled by Dogwood Coffee, the locally roasted brand with a stellar reputation. Definitely an upgrade over the bigger chain coffee shops. 116A W. Market, lululemon.com
Wafels & Dinges: This wafel shop started with food trucks roaming the streets of New York, but the second outpost outside of the Big Apple of Thomas DeGeest and Rossanna Figuera's brings the popular street food to Minnesota. Crispy wafels are studded with pear sugar that caramelizes in the iron, making them a sticky delight. There are all kinds of over-the-top toppings available — the Throwdown is the wafel that beat Bobby Flay — but try one au naturel first. 360 W. Market, wafels.com
SOUTH
The South side of the mall is positively packed with restaurants and food stands, including a more traditional mall food court. It's easy to grab a tray and find a seat to watch the activity down at Nickelodeon Universe, but that's not all there is to offer. This is also the side with the movie theater, which is now run by B&B Theatres, a family-owned institution, and boasts a full bar, reclining seats and first-run features.
Burger Burger: This locally owned restaurant makes burgers to order from beef that's locally raised and antibiotic- and hormone-free. (For vegetarians, the Impossible burger patty is available.) Start with that canvas and build the perfect bite with toppings that include different cheeses, bacon, onion rings, sauces and more. There are also salads, hand-cut fries, milkshakes and local beers. 321 South Av., eatburgerburger.com
Masu Sushi & Robata: This local Japanese restaurant is known for its fun rolls, slurpable ramen and fabulous cocktail list. It's as fun to go to with kids who love sushi as it is to catch a happy hour with adult friends. Best of all, the company is dedicated to using sustainable seafood for all of its sushi. 344 South Av., masusushiandrobata.com
Sugar Factory: This glitzy restaurant is dedicated to the sweet arts. The chain courts a certain level of celebrity, so the monitors inside are constantly flashing a parade of Kardashian/Jenners. The neon and gold design makes for Instagrammable moments, and the menu includes ice cream, candies, burgers and a full bar. It's a surreal, novelty dining experience. 339 South Av., sugarfactory.com
Crave: When you want to sit down and have a nice meal that pleases the crowd, this homegrown chain is the answer. There's sushi, there's a full bar with a fancy-enough wine list, there are burgers and pasta, steaks and pizza. Crave has it all covered. 368 South Av., cravemoa.com
Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken: The wildly popular chain double-fries the bird and coats it in a sweet or spicy sauce. There are a few other Asian dishes on the menu like wontons, pork buns, bulgogi and bibimbap; sides include fries, onion rings, rice and kimchi. 372 South Av., bonchon.com
Johnny Rockets: This little burger stand is steeped in 1950s nostalgia with music from the era playing merrily overhead. There are burgers, fries, milkshakes and vanilla Cokes on the menu and a few coveted red-topped diner stools for enjoying them. 370 South Av., johnnyrockets.com
