Vinai
Day 1: 5-Course Honoring Hmong Heritage Tasting Series
Fresh off its one-year anniversary (it opened July of last year), Northeast Minneapolis' Vinai has already become a national darling, with spots on New York Times’ “50 Favorite Places in America" List, Esquire’s “America’s Best New Restaurants” List, and Eater’s “14 Best New Restaurants in America” List. and Time Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” List of 2025. (And that's not even to mention their 2025 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” Semi-Finalist nod!) Chef/Owner Yia Vang, building on his work at Union Hmong Kitchen, created Vinai as a deeply personal tribute to his parents, naming the spot after the Ban Vinai refugee camp where his parents met (and he was born). Appropriately then, at Vinai he's channeling modern Hmong family traditions through dishes like the Braised Beef Rib with sour bamboo and mushrooms, sizzling Catfish with market vegetables, rice noodles, and nam prik, and Roasted Eggplant with garlic, cilantro, chili, and purple sticky rice. "After enough time, I really felt like my culinary understanding of food expanded," MSPMag wrote after their visit there. We can't wait to feel the same!
About the Host:
Yia Vang
Chef/Owner
Chef Yia Vang first gained national acclaim in 2016 at Union Hmong Kitchen. In July 2024, he opened Vinai as a love letter to his parents, and in a continuation of his mission to elevate classic Hmong dishes. He has been featured in the New York Times, National Geographic, and Bon Appétit, as well as showcased on PBS and CNN.
The Lineup
Courses #1, #4 & #5 will be individually plated; courses #2 & #3 will be served family-style. This menu will be Gluten, Peanut, Mushroom & Soy Free. For a list of restrictions/allergies Chef is accommodating, click here.
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Scallop Crudo
mango chili vinaigrette
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Roasted Carrots
coconut curry sauce
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Steamed Barramundi
fish steamed in banana leaves, lime, herbs
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Hmong Sausage Meatloaf
sausage & glass noodle, rice, black garlic ketchup
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Viet Coffee Pot de Creme
pot de creme, hint of vietnamese coffee
Vinai
1300 NE 2nd St
Minneapolis, MN 55413
More Event Info
Dietary Restrictions Accommodation Policy:
Due to the large-format nature of this event, all accommodation requests must be Added To Your Profile, or Emailed To Us no later than 72 hours before the event. Requests submitted after this date will not be accommodated. Additionally, Vinai will only be accommodating certain dietary restrictions/food allergies, and they are unable to make menu adjustments based on distaste for specific ingredients/flavor profiles.
See below for guidance on whether or not they will be accommodating your restriction. Or, if your restriction is not represented below, Contact Us prior to booking tickets for guidance.
- Vegetarians: There is Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) and Scallop (raw) in Course 1, Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) in Course 2, Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) and Barramundi in Course 3 and Beef, Pork and Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) in Course 4. Substitutions will be provided.
- Pescatarians: There is Beef and Pork in Course 4. Substitutions will be provided.
- Gluten: This menu is gluten-free.
- Dairy:
• Milk/Cream: Milk/Cream is in Course 5. Substitutions will be provided
- Shellfish: There is Scallop (raw) in Course 1. Substitutions will be provided.
- Fish: There is Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) in Course 1, Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) in Course 2, Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) and Barramundi in Course 3 and Fish sauce (fish ingredients only) in Course 4. Substitutions will be provided.
- Eggs: There are Eggs in Course 5. Substitutions will be provided.
- Peanuts: This menu is peanut-free.
- Tree Nuts: There is Coconut in Course 2. Substitutions will be provided.
- Alliums:
• Garlic: There is Garlic (raw) and Garlic (cooked) in Course 1, Garlic (raw) and Garlic (cooked) in Course 2, Garlic (raw) and Garlic (cooked) in Course 3 and Garlic (raw) and Garlic (cooked) in Course 4. Substitutions will not be provided.
• Other Alliums: There is Scallion (raw), Scallion (cooked), Chive, Red onion (raw), Red onion (cooked), Shallot (raw) and Shallot (cooked) in Course 1, Scallion (raw), Scallion (cooked), Red onion (raw) and Red onion (cooked) in Course 2, Scallion (raw), Scallion (cooked), Shallot (raw), Shallot (cooked), Onion (raw) and Onion (cooked) in Course 3 and Scallion (raw), Scallion (cooked), Red onion (raw), Red onion (cooked), Shallot (raw), Shallot (cooked), Onion (raw) and Onion (cooked) in Course 4. Substitutions will not be provided.
- Mushrooms: This menu is mushroom-free.
- Soy: This menu is soy-free.
Handicap Accessibility:
Have Additional Questions?
Check out Event FAQs or Contact Us for assistance.
