Tasting cuisines from across the globe is a great way to get kids connected to different cultures. Whether your child is an adventurous eater or they’re a little more hesitant with tastes they’ve never experienced, you’ll find plenty of restaurants around Maple Grove that let you explore a range of flavors without traveling far. Here are five of our favorite ethnic restaurants in Maple Grove. 

Riviera Maya Cantina and Restaurant

Image via Unsplash by rumpflet

Take a trip to Cancun without ever leaving Maple Grove thanks to Riviera Maya Cantina and Restaurant. This Mexican focuses on Yucatan- and Caribbean Mexican cuisine, featuring a range of menu items to make any lunch or dinner out a special event. With a vegetarian and “meat lovers” section of the menu, not to mention an abundance of seafood treats, this menu will have something for every member of your family.

Start with a taco salad or tortilla soup, then order nachos with guacamole for the whole family to sample before moving onto your main entree. Whether you’re in the mood for tacos, burritos, or maybe chimichangas, you’ll find plenty of Mexican dishes to love here. It’s a great way to take a tropical vacation and introduce your kids to a new culture while staying close to home.

Grove Tandoor

Introduce the kiddos to mouthwatering Indian cuisine with a trip to Grove Tandoor. With a wide range of menu items available here, it’s incredibly easy to keep the whole family happy. Start things off with a tasty appetizer like vegetable samosas, a crispy pastry stuffed with potatoes and peas, before navigating over to the entrees. Whether you’re looking for beef, chicken, goat, fish, or vegetarian-friendly dishes, you’ll find all that and more at this Maple Grove restaurant.

You’ll find plenty of menu items that you can order based on spice preference, so whether the kids are feeling adventurous or you want to start things off with more mild tastes, you can’t go wrong. This restaurant even offers kid-friendly favorites like chicken strips or butter chicken with rice on the kids menu, so you can feel confident treating yourself to delicious cuisine knowing the kids will find something to fall back on. 

Grove also offers a lunch buffet with different specials each day. Your child can try a few different dishes, like korma, saag, and masala, to see which one they like best. The buffet goes from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

Ten Sushi

Craving sushi? With two locations in Maple Grove, Ten Sushi makes it easy to indulge. Their menu features a wide variety of sushi and sashimi options that let you feel like you’re jetting off to Japan, even if you just made the short drive over. There’s plenty of other options as well, including a whole “kid’s dinner box” section of the menu that let kids sample a little bit of everything. Each dinner box comes with a California roll, soup, gyoza, and choice of teriyaki beef, shrimp, or chicken or tempura shrimp or chicken. 

Go for the hibachi menu for a dinner experience sure to have the whole family talking for days, or let everyone try out different flavors. To round out the meal, treat the kids to ice cream, but with a twist: This spot serves up mochi ice cream in flavors like green tea, mango, red bean, and strawberry, perfect for expanding the kids’ appreciation for unique flavors while still giving them a sweet treat.

Teresa’s Mexican Restaurant

If you’re searching for a warm, friendly environment to grab a bite to eat, head on over to Teresa’s Maple Grove location. This Minnesota chain serves up delicious eats sure to please the whole group. From chipotle dip to carne asada fries, this menu has what it takes to get the kids eager to taste new flavors. You can also add a platter of nachos or Teresa’s signature cheese dip for the whole family to enjoy before checking out this expansive selection.

Whether you’re looking for classic street tacos or fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, or quesadillas, this local spot has just what you need to satisfy your cravings. You’ll find options that range from pork to chicken to seafood and more, including tasty vegetarian options. You can even make your own combo from options that include enchiladas, tacos, burritos, flautas, and chiles rellenos. The kids menu includes surefire favorites like chicken tenders and fries as well as nachos and a version of the combo menu tailored to younger diners. For dessert, choose from classics like churros or flan, or try the chimicheese cake. 

The Lotus

Since 1983, Lotus Restaurant has served the Minneapolis community, and they recently opened their second location in Maple Grove. The family-based business is dedicated to sharing traditional Vietnamese cuisine and culture with families from the area. The laid-back atmosphere and signature dishes make this restaurant a must-visit place on any Maple Grove resident’s list. They also offer a takeout service, making it even easier to sample their delicious offerings even from the comfort of your home.

The Lotus features a range of meals that will have you coming back for more. If you’re looking for authentic Vietnamese food, try the banh mi sandwiches. You get to choose a protein like traditional barbecue pork, then savor the sandwich filled with mayo, cilantro, jalapeño, and pickled root veggies. You can also opt for a range of noodle dishes, fried rice choices, salads, and stir-fried vegetables. You’ll get to select from vegetables, tofu, pork, and chicken with many of the menu items, making it even easier to find something everyone in the family will enjoy.

Whether you’re in the mood for sushi, nachos, noodles, or anything in between, you’ll find plenty of places close to home that make finding delicious dishes from around the world a breeze. Maybe we missed a favorite place you love visiting along with your kids? Drop us a line at Crème de la Crème of Maple Grove, MN., and let us know so we can try out your recommendation!