Sota Food Tour

Sota Food Tour UffDa. Spillin the tea on Twin Cities + Minnesota eats and hidden gems.

Mrs.Taco in Andover, you fed us well! Birria tacos, pupusas, Guatemalan enchiladas, garnachas, tamales... we tried a lit...
10/12/2026

Mrs.Taco in Andover, you fed us well!

Birria tacos, pupusas, Guatemalan enchiladas, garnachas, tamales... we tried a little bit of everything. 🌮

But here’s the part we care about just as much as the food: that our visit is paid in full, out of our own pocket, and we tip to show our appreciation for their hard work. On a $78 check, Colby our server got $100.

Local restaurants run on the people working the floor and the line. They’re the lifeblood of any restaurant. When we show up to review, we want them to walk away better off than before we sat down, and that has nothing to do with providing them exposure with a video.

Thank you to Vanessa, Colby and the whole crew at Mrs.Taco for the hospitality! 🙌

Eat local. Tip like you mean it. Give back, and support local eats.

PS - We’ll again be doing a giveaway for one local deserving server, so watch for that fundraiser launching soon!

10/11/2026

🚨 HIDDEN GEM ALERT 🚨 Mrs. Taco in Andover, MN.

We found one of the best spots we’ve tried in Minnesota. Mrs. Taco was started by Vanessa cooking out of her home kitchen in 2020, and has now blossomed into one of the best restaurants we’ve experienced. And Vanessa is the heart and soul.

— What we tried —

The Guatemalan enchilada: Not your typical enchilada as it’s prepared differently in Guatemala. It had a crisp tostada piled high with seasoned ground beef, curtido, beets and a hard-booked egg. Fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor in every bite. This blew us away. STRONGLY recommend!

Guatemalan tamale: Soft, tender masa wrapped in a banana leaf with a flavorful sauce tucked inside. It's comfort food at its finest, and you can taste the tradition and care they put into it.

Garnachas: Little fried tortillas topped with savory seasoned pork, salsa roja, and cheese. They're perfectly snackable, and we definitely fought over the last one. It’s like the world’s best “nacho” with the perfect bite. Ex*****on on these were stellar.

Pupusas: Thick, golden masa, and stuffed with gooey goodness, served with tangy curtido and salsa. Pure perfection. I haven’t had pupusas since living in Denver, and these beat those by a mile. Perfectly traditional and executed beautifully.

From the Birria tacos to the Guatemalan specialties, or the fresh salsa and queso dip — everything tasted homemade and made with love. You can truly taste the love and care they’re putting in at Mrs. Taco. You have to branch out and try some of their more traditional Latin items — that’s where the real magic happens.

If you're in Andover, MN and haven't been to Mrs. Taco yet, what are you waiting for?

Update: VIDEO NOW POSTED!! HIDDEN GEM ALERT! We found a place in the north exurbs that should have a line around the BLO...
10/11/2026

Update: VIDEO NOW POSTED!! HIDDEN GEM ALERT! We found a place in the north exurbs that should have a line around the BLOCK! Review is dropping soon — you’re not going to want to miss this.

10/10/2026

We stopped in at Grackle, a family-owned scratch kitchen and craft cocktail bar in Maple Grove, MN. It’s the same ownership behind Margie’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Andover, MN. Everything is made in-house, and you can taste it the care they put into the food.

Here’s what hit our table:

âś… The Elote Dip with salsa macha
âś… Chimichurri steak with potatoes and asparagus
âś… The NEW strawberry bacon jam burger (yes, you read that right)
✅ Crème brûlée

We really enjoyed our visit. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy, they did such a great job remodeling this old Wahlburgers location. Between the cozy and warm atmosphere and the food feeling slightly elevated, it’s a great spot for date night in Maple Grove.

Have you been here yet?

10/09/2026

Thank you so much for 25,000 here on Facebook — we’re honored to have you on this food tour with us. ♥️

We finally made it out to Grackle in Maple Grove, and we have a lot to say about it. The full review is coming soon, but...
10/08/2026

We finally made it out to Grackle in Maple Grove, and we have a lot to say about it. The full review is coming soon, but we couldn't wait to share a little sneak peek of what we ate.

If you haven't heard of it, Grackle is owned by Justin and Becky Ahlstrom, the same couple behind Margie's Kitchen & Cocktails in Andover. It's a family-owned scratch kitchen, which means they make everything in-house.

We started with the elote dip with macha. Then came the chimichurri steak with potatoes, followed by their new strawberry bacon jam burger. We were curious about that one going in, and we've got some thoughts. And of course we couldn't leave without sharing the crème brûlée for dessert.

Which one do you think was our favorite? Keep an eye out for the full review this weekend to find out!

It's long. It's twisted. It's covered in cinnamon sugar. And honestly? It was... fine. A little dry, not as crispy as I'...
10/05/2026

It's long. It's twisted. It's covered in cinnamon sugar. And honestly? It was... fine.

A little dry, not as crispy as I'd hoped, and I kept waiting for the "wow" that never came. The hot dog combo is still the real MVP.

Are you Team Churro or Team Skip It? And what's the ONE Costco food court item you'd defend to the death?

Ever wonder what it looks like when we're hard at work? Yep, this is it. Light up, phone out, food getting cold while we...
10/04/2026

Ever wonder what it looks like when we're hard at work? Yep, this is it. Light up, phone out, food getting cold while we chase the perfect shot.

Look closely… there are a few clues hiding in this photo. Those ivy-draped lanterns overhead are pretty hard to forget. Can you guess where we were?

Drop your guess in the comments! 👇 We'll reveal the answer (and the full review) soon.

10/03/2026

Petey’s BBQ – South St. Paul, MN

If you’re coming to Petey’s, come for the brisket. It’s the real deal, with the kind of tender, smoky, well-barked slices that taste like they were pulled straight out of a Texas pit. It’s easily the highlight of the menu and the reason we’d come back.

The rest of the plate didn’t quite keep up. The pulled pork leaned dry for my wife and was stringy — it needed a heavy hand with the sauce to come alive, and the sides were a letdown across the board. None of them stood out enough to order again. Would have really liked a deeper, smokier and more complex flavor on the beans.

The surprise of the meal was dessert. The banana pudding was rich, creamy and layered with vanilla wafers inside — a genuinely great way to finish, so save room for it if you’re going!

Our total came to $117 before tip. That’s a fair price for brisket this good, especially given how expensive beef is these days, but it’s tougher to justify for everything else. We’d want everything I shine if we’re dropping $150 all-in on dinner for two.

Verdict: A solid 7.1 uffdas really driven by the brisket and banana pudding. Petey’s is a brisket destination, not an all-around BBQ spot in our opinion. Order the brisket, skip the sides, and grab the banana pudding on your way out.

No more sneaking Takis into Chipotle Mexican Grill. But are these better?Look at the coverage on this thing. That's not ...
10/01/2026

No more sneaking Takis into Chipotle Mexican Grill. But are these better?

Look at the coverage on this thing. That's not a dusting, that's a full jacket of chili lime. Chipotle made these after people kept sneaking packaged seasoned chips into their orders, so they built their own version.

We thought they had a nice tangy flavor, but not much heat. If you want high spice level, you won't get it here. These are more about tang than burn.

I actually prefer the original with just salt and lime. Simple. Delicious. Don’t mess with it.

But if you’re going to try them, crush them over a bowl for an added crunch. That's what the hack people were doing was always about anyway.

Tell us what you think if you’ve tried them!

Address

Maple Grove, MN
55311

Website

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