13 Essential Korean Restaurants in the Twin Cities

"Just off Snelling Avenue in Saint Paul, in a neighborhood affectionately called “mini Koreatown,” Sole Cafe is a true neighborhood institution. Here, chef and owner often run food out to tables themselves, stopping to share the farmer’s market stall where they purchased onions for bulgogi that morning, mixing dolsot bibimbap for kids wary of the sizzling stone bowl, staying open past closing on Friday and Saturday nights for anyone interested in making an appointment to use their karaoke machine. This is also the place to explore lesser-known Korean classics: both chef Kimberly Firnstahl’s sollongtang, a beef soup made creamy by long-boiled bones, and the al jjigae, a spicy tofu stew with clusters of briny roe, are favorites among regulars." - Julie Zhou