Payne Avenue St. Paul Restaurants on the East Side

Payne Avenue St. Paul restaurants run through the East Side's Payne-Phalen neighborhood, and the street is changing: a Latino food hall has just opened, a chef-run chicken sandwich spot has moved into a new space, and a corner pub keeps the old rhythm. Visit Saint Paul calls it the city's Eat Street.

This guide names three places that Visit Saint Paul and a second source both describe, and explains what each is known for.

What are Payne Avenue St. Paul restaurants like today?

Payne Avenue is the East Side's main street, and Visit Saint Paul describes it as a corridor of foodie spots. The mix includes comfort food, Korean and Mexican kitchens and a pub that has served the neighborhood for years. It is a street to explore on foot, a block or two at a time.

Go on a weekday for easy parking and short waits. Weekend evenings fill up around the new places.

What is the Payne Avenue food hall?

Plaza del Sol, at 990 Payne Avenue, is a food hall, commissary kitchen and small business hub from the Latino Economic Development Center. Visit Saint Paul lists five concepts, including a deli and coffee counter and a bar. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine reported that it is now officially open after years of planning.

The magazine recommends one stall for quesabirria, another for tacos de canasta and a third for ice cream and paletas. Hours and which stalls are open can change as the hall settles in, so check before you go.

Where is the best Payne Avenue fried chicken sandwich?

A chef-run restaurant on Payne Avenue is the answer most local writers give. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's list of best new restaurants praised its fried chicken sandwich and an expanded Southern menu in its new space. Visit Saint Paul describes it as a community staple for Cajun and Creole-inspired comfort food.

That is a claim from one magazine, so treat it as a lead and make up your own mind. Order the sandwich first, then rate it.

Where do East Side St. Paul food and a neighborhood pub meet?

A neighborhood pub on Payne Avenue is known for burgers, sandwiches, pub pretzels and a few global dishes such as black-eyed pea hummus and a banh mi. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's list of essential Twin Cities restaurants describes it as honoring the neighborhood's past while reflecting its growth.

It is a good first stop for a group. Ask what the kitchen is known for that week, and share a pretzel while you decide.

Why does Plaza del Sol matter beyond the food?

The Latino Economic Development Center built Plaza del Sol as a place for new food businesses to start. Visit Saint Paul describes a commissary kitchen and a small business hub alongside the five restaurant concepts, so the stalls you eat at may be the first step for a cook with a larger plan. That is a reason to try something you have not had before.

Treat it as a place that is still settling in. Stalls and hours can change in the first months, so a rating written this month tells the next person what is good now.

What else can you do on the East Side while you eat?

Payne Avenue is a main street of small buildings, so the best plan is a loop. Eat a late lunch, walk the avenue to see what else has opened, then return for a coffee or an early dinner. For a different corridor of the city, the Hmong food guide follows University Avenue.

If you want a Saturday morning first, the farmers market and food halls guide covers the downtown market.

How do Payne-Phalen restaurants fit into a day?

Pair a late lunch at the food hall with a walk down the avenue, then a pub dinner. The street is built for slow eating, with small buildings and short blocks. In winter the walk is short and the doors are close together, which suits a cold day.

How do you rate and tag a Payne Avenue meal?

Rate the dish, not the street. A quesabirria taco, a chicken sandwich and a pub burger deserve separate scores, and the dish rating is what the next person can use. Tags such as Great Value, Good Portions, Quick Service and Family Friendly describe the visit, and a short line on the wait is useful.

Tags earn badges and help people find a place. They are a rater's note, never a guarantee, so check hours and menus before you go.

How do you build a Payne Avenue list with friends?

Make a list with a section for the food hall, one for the sandwich and one for the pub. Add a note on why each belongs, invite the people you are meeting and let them add their own. If one stop is closed, the next is already on the list.

Share the list before you go. It saves the argument about where to eat once everyone is hungry. On the other side of the river, the West Side Mexican food guide follows Cesar Chavez Street.

More in the US food guides, and across the state in the Minnesota guides.

Rating by the dish keeps a Payne Avenue walk easy to compare: the fried chicken sandwich at one door, a taco at the food hall next, and a note on each while the meal is fresh.

Open the Mosey app on your next East Side walk, rate the dish you ordered and save the place to a list for the friends who ask where to eat.