I Visited This James Beard Award Nominee’s Minnesota Restaurant and It Was Incredible

Within a few blocks of each other in Northeast Minneapolis, you'll find Young Joni, Chef Ann Kim's flagship restaurant, and Hai Hai, the playful eatery from Chef Christina Nguyen. What do these respected Minnesota restaurateurs have in common? Well, they're both women of Asian-American heritage—and they've both won the James Beard Foundation's award for Best Chef–Midwest, Kim in 2019 and Nguyen in 2024.

"So, what of it?" you may ask. Interestingly, Chef Diane Moua opened a restaurant in the same neighborhood in 2024, Diane's Place, within a few minutes' walking distance of the above establishments. And in 2025, Moua earned a nomination for Best Chef–Midwest from the James Beard Foundation, cementing Minnesota as a crucible for culinary creativity, with women, particularly Asian-American women, leading the charge. For me, it means I get to try even more incredible food, and Diane's Place in Minneapolis did not let me down.

Diane's Place is a melding of two influences that permeate Moua's life: baking and her Hmong heritage. Moua is a renowned pastry chef who has overseen the pastry programs at some of Minnesota's most beloved fine dining establishments, from Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit to Tim McKee's La Belle Vie and, more recently, Gavin Kaysen's powerhouse trio of eateries: Spoon and Stable, Bellecour, and Demi. This is also not her first James Beard rodeo: Moua has been nominated several times, twice a finalist, for Outstanding Pastry Chef.

Diane's Place certainly incorporates Moua's pastry background—stop by for breakfast or lunch and munch on some of the finest, flakiest, most flavorful (passionfruit!) croissants you're going to find. In 2024, in fact, The New York Times counted Diane's Place among its list of the 22 best bakeries in the U.S. Diane's Place is more than just a bakery, though. It's an homage to Moua's Hmong heritage, with a full-service menu featuring Hmong comfort foods alongside Moua's takes on Asian classics, Asian-inspired dishes, and even cocktails. These two elements—Moua's pastry background and Hmong heritage—combine to create a powerful (and delicious) dining experience.

On a recent visit, a friend and I managed to snag a last-minute, late night reservation on a Saturday night at Diane's Place. The lively interior was abuzz with conversation, the space intimate without feeling crowded. I grumbled (just a bit) when we were offered space at the bar but was soon counting my lucky stars as I watched the walk-ins piling up at the host stand.

Whether it was our bar seating or representative of the staff, in general, service was attentive and friendly. We were presented with menus and glasses of water promptly upon sitting, and a server took drink orders just moments later. As a bourbon guy who loves an old fashioned, I was intrigued by the Shady D (bourbon, tamarind, Averna), and I was not disappointed. The zing of the tamarind and smoothness of the Averna combined nicely with the burn of the bourbon. I immediately started to relax, grateful to be at the bar, and realized how hungry I was.

We decided to split the papaya noodle salad to start, and it came up quickly, while we were still exploring the rest of the menu. It was light, refreshing, tangy, crunchy, and a little spicy—perfect to take the edge off as we decided what was for dinner.

We shared the Hmong pulled pork, sour pork short ribs, and a couple sides of pickled mustard greens. The pulled pork was succulent and delicately flavored, and the ribs were tangy and piquant. They put up just enough resistance to avoid falling off the bone but were tender enough to let go when asked. The vinegary mustard greens blended perfectly with both dishes. I thought a little rice, a little pulled pork, a stick or two of sour bamboo, and a dollop of mustard greens made a near perfect bite.

Although I'm Midwestern and live in Minnesota where many think ketchup is "too spicy," I enjoy a bit of a kick to my food, so I ordered a side of the Hmong hot sauce, as well. It pulled off that hard to find balance of being flavorful and fiery at the same time—as opposed to just hot. I'm here to tell you, though, tasty as it is, a little bit of that sauce goes a long way. I'm not timid when it comes to hot sauce, but Diane's Hmong hot sauce packs a wallop—Minnesotans, approach with caution. I didn't finish the hot sauce at the restaurant, but I took it home with me and put it good use on our bountiful leftovers.

As a rule, when I'm in a restaurant owned by a nationally-renowned pastry chef and I'm asked if I want dessert, I say, "Yes!" I'm happy to report that I did not waver from my convictions at Diane's Place. I'm going to warn you now: Most of the pastries that you hear about when you read about Diane's as a bakery are long sold out by the time dinnertime rolls around, so don't show up with your heart set on a mango, passionfruit, and lychee croissant for dessert like I did (rookie mistake), because you'll be disappointed (I was).

What you need to focus on is the dessert menu. It's full of many marvelous selections, but I'd like to draw your attention, in particular, to the Castella Cake. When they ask if you want dessert—and you will, because it's Diane Moua's place—this is the dessert you want. It's like a lighter-weight version of tres leches, except a hemisphere to the left. Coconut and pineapple are the dominant flavors, but the sesame adds a touch of savory, balancing everything perfectly, and sending you home humming with delight.

The price points at Diane's—like those of Hai Hai and Young Joni—are perfectly reasonable and won't hurt your feelings. This is a place that you could easily make an everyday spot (if you can get in). If I lived closer, I'd visit a lot. As far as the James Beard Award goes, I hope Moua wins it and joins the company of her neighbors. If not, it won't change my opinion about Diane's Place—it's one of my new favorite restaurants in Minnesota. To learn more or book a table, visit Diane's Place on the web. Then visit in person: Your taste buds will thank you!