Where Locals Eat
Lake Minnetonka Restaurants
Our local guide to the best Lake Minnetonka restaurants, from boat-up docks and lakeside patios to new spots on Water Street.
Eating out is half the fun of a day on the lake. These are the Lake Minnetonka restaurants we keep going back to, from places you can pull right up to by boat to cozy supper clubs, busy taprooms and classic summer drive-ins. Some are right on the water, some are a short walk from a public dock, and a few are worth the drive. Pick what you’re in the mood for below.
⚓ Dock and Dine🌅 Lakeside Patios and Lake Views✨ New on the Lake🍷 Date Night🍕 Casual Eats and Family Favorites🎶 Breweries, Live Music and a Night Out🍦 Ice Cream and Summer Classics📍 By Town
⚓ Dock and Dine
The most Lake Minnetonka way to eat: tie up the boat and walk right in. These Lake Minnetonka restaurants have their own docks or public slips steps away.
Spring Park
Lord Fletcher’s
A lakeside landmark on Coffee Cove with a big guest dock, several bars and dining rooms, and live music on summer weekends.
Boat-upPatioLive music
Excelsior
Maynard’s
A huge multi-level patio right on Excelsior Bay. The guest dock fills fast on summer weekends, and snowmobilers pull up in winter.
Boat-upPatio
Mound
Al and Alma’s
The lake’s longest-running restaurant, family owned since 1956. A supper club with lake views, a guest dock and dinner cruises.
Boat-upDate night
Wayzata
6Smith
In the old Boatworks building on Wayzata Bay, with a big patio, public docks next door and the lake’s only rooftop dining.
Boat-upPatio
Wayzata
Macanda
Latin American and Japanese flavors right on Wayzata Bay, with a covered lakeside patio and a vinyl listening bar.
Boat-upPatioDate night
Spring Park
Cabana Anna’s
The all-day restaurant at the Shoreline Hotel, the lake’s first new hotel in a century. Florida-meets-Minnesota food and a 32-slip marina.
Boat-upBreakfast
Spring Park
Back Channel Brewing
Small-batch lagers, IPAs and stouts on the quiet channel between Harrison Bay and Seton Lake, with a big patio.
Boat-upPatioBrewery
Mound
Surfside Bar and Grill
A family-run bar and grill with a covered patio over Cooks Bay, a dock and public slips nearby. Dogs welcome on the patio.
Boat-upPatio
Wayzata
Gianni’s Steakhouse
A classic white-tablecloth steakhouse with a heated patio. Boaters can order dockside takeout.
Boat-upPatioDate night
🌅 Lakeside Patios and Lake Views
Our favorite Lake Minnetonka restaurants for sitting outside and watching the lake.
Wayzata
COV
Steak, seafood and sushi with nautical décor and a big Lake Street patio, a short walk from the Broadway docks.
PatioLive music
Wayzata
McCormick’s Pub
A family-owned Irish pub with a covered, heated patio that looks out over the lake.
PatioLake view
Long Lake
Birch’s on the Lake
A Wisconsin-style supper club upstairs and a brewhouse below, overlooking Long Lake just north of Lake Minnetonka. Breakfast daily.
PatioBreweryLive music
Wayzata
Wayzata Bar and Grill (the Muni)
The locals’ pub, with outdoor seating, draft beer and plenty of TVs, a short walk from the Broadway docks.
Patio
Wayzata
Belle and Grey
The Hotel Landing’s restaurant (formerly ninetwentyfive) reopened in 2026 as a lake house-style spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
BrunchDate night
Tonka Bay
Hazelwood Food and Drink
Breakfast, weekend brunch and American grill fare from a wood-fired oven, plus daily happy hour.
BrunchKid-friendly
✨ New on the Lake
Excelsior’s Water Street has become a real restaurant row. Here’s what’s opened lately.
Excelsior
Mirabelle
A supper club-style American spot on Water Street with popovers, prime rib, a sidewalk patio and weekend brunch.
PatioBrunchDate night
Excelsior
Vagabondo
Chef David Fhima’s Sicilian restaurant in the historic Bacon Drug Store building, with wood-fired pizza and pasta.
Date night
Excelsior
Parlour
The famous Parlour burger, now on Water Street, with cocktails and rotating burger specials.
Casual
Excelsior
Shiki
A tiny noodle bar for ramen and dumplings with an open kitchen and a late-night vibe.
Casual
Excelsior
Layline
Coastal seafood and fresh oysters in a converted auto shop on Water Street. Don’t skip the cornmeal Johnnycake.
Date night
Wayzata
Bar Eloise
Eloise reopened in September 2026 as a more casual bar with TVs, a bigger menu and a sidewalk patio on Broadway.
PatioCasual
🍷 Date Night
Good food, good drinks and a little extra atmosphere.
Wayzata
Josefina
An intimate Italian spot on Lake Street with homemade pasta and wood-fired pizza.
Date night
Excelsior
Coalition
American plates, specialty cocktails and weekend brunch in a stylish Water Street spot.
BrunchDate night
Excelsior
Yumi
Sushi, teriyaki and noodles from an Excelsior favorite that opened in 1999.
Date night
Minnetonka
Spasso
Italian classics, wood-fired pizza and a big wine list, just off the lake in Minnetonka.
Date night
Wayzata
Sushi Fix
Fresh sushi and sashimi on Lake Street from a spot that started as the area’s first sushi food truck.
Date night
Wayzata
Baja Haus
A lively California-Mexican spot with a big bar, mezcal and a beachy vibe.
Casual
🍕 Casual Eats and Family Favorites
Burgers, pizza, tacos and bakeries for an easy meal.
Wayzata
Red Cow
Handcrafted burgers and more on Lake Street, with a first-come patio.
PatioCasual
Wayzata
Tono Pizzeria and Cheesesteaks
New in 2026 in the former D’Amico space, with pizza, cheesesteaks and sandwiches.
CasualKid-friendly
Excelsior
Olive’s Fresh
Wood-fired pizzas next to Excelsior Brewing, with gluten-free and cauliflower crusts. Great for takeout on the boat.
CasualTakeout
Excelsior
Lago Tacos
More than 20 kinds of tacos, plus burritos and bowls, a block from the lake.
CasualKid-friendly
Wayzata
The Grocer’s Table
A market, café and wine bar with flatbreads, salads and excellent baked goods.
Casual
Wayzata
Rustica
The Minneapolis bakery opened on Lake Street in 2025, known for its bread, pastries and coffee.
Breakfast
Mound
Carbone’s
Pizza, pasta, hoagies and burgers, with a dog-friendly patio.
CasualKid-friendly
🎶 Breweries, Live Music and a Night Out
Taprooms and music spots for when the sun goes down.
Excelsior
Excelsior Brewing
A downtown taproom with lots of taps and regular live music, brewing since 2012.
BreweryLive music
Excelsior
318 Cafe
A cozy listening room in an old mill building on Water Street, with dinner and live music Thursday to Saturday and weekend brunch.
Live musicBrunch
Navarre (Orono)
The Narrows Saloon
A Navarre favorite known for live country and blues, weekly specials and a solid patio.
Live music
Victoria
OMNI Brewing
OMNI took over the former ENKI Brewing taproom near Stieger Lake in 2025, pouring house beers with pizza and coffee.
BreweryKid-friendly
🍦 Ice Cream and Summer Classics
No summer day on the lake is complete without a stop at one of these.
Excelsior
Adele’s Frozen Custard
Frozen custard with all the toppings, plus holiday pies, an easy walk from the Excelsior docks.
SeasonalKid-friendly
Excelsior
Licks Unlimited
Over 40 flavors on Water Street since 1990. Open spring through fall.
SeasonalKid-friendly
Spring Park
Minnetonka Drive-In
A carhop classic since 1961, with burgers, onion rings, root beer and summer car shows.
SeasonalKid-friendly
Deephaven
Cottagewood General Store
Ice cream, baked goods and coffee at a neighborhood landmark that opened in 1895.
SeasonalKid-friendly
Excelsior
Cheesecake Funk
Scratch-made cheesecakes in more than 15 flavors, by the slice or whole, from a new shop on Highway 7. Don’t miss the Turtle, which they bill as Prince’s favorite.
DessertTakeout
📍 Lake Minnetonka Restaurants by Town
Every one of our Lake Minnetonka restaurants, sorted by town.
Excelsior →
Maynard’s · Mirabelle · Vagabondo · Parlour · Shiki · Layline · Coalition · Yumi · Olive’s Fresh · Lago Tacos · Excelsior Brewing · 318 Cafe · Adele’s Frozen Custard · Licks Unlimited · Cheesecake Funk
Long Lake
Good to know: Haskell’s Port of Excelsior is closed after a fire in May 2026, and we’ll add it back when it reopens. Many lakeside spots cut their hours in the off-season, so check before you go. For trivia, live music and specials this week, see our events calendar.
Know a Spot We Missed?
Tell us about your favorite Lake Minnetonka restaurant, a new opening or a great patio, and we may add it to the list.