Owamni by The Sioux Chef opened in Minneapolis in 2021, and the following year, it was awarded the 2022 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Chef Sean Sherman’s "decolonized" cuisine, inspired by his Oglala Lakota roots, is, itself, inspired, and you need to try it - like, right now.
Owamni by The Sioux Chef is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis.
Established by Chef Sean Sherman, the restaurant highlights seasonal ingredients that would have been available in the region prior to European contact. The menu is available in the Dakota language, as well as English.
From the art on the walls to information in the menu, the restaurant makes sure diners are aware that there was a pre-colonial presence where the restaurant is now situated.
Relatively speaking, Owamni is small for a restaurant, but its tables are well spaced.
And they all have a view out over the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls.
The restaurant acknowledges that its beers and wines are not "decolonized" - but they're well curated, with plenty of local selections.
It also offers several intriguing non-alcoholic options, ranging from indigenous tea blends to the delicious switchel, made with ginger, honey, and apple cider vinegar.
The cuisine is divided into several categories, such as game and plants.
The wild rice is hand-harvested, and corn is a prevalent ingredient, serving, for example, as a base for the bison tacos.
Game may include items such lake trout, venison, or bison dishes.
The elk poyha, which could be compared to a meatloaf, is delicious and filling, when available.
Another category is "Choginyapi," or corn sandwiches.
These consist of seasonal ingredients, such as mushrooms, piled high on top of a corn patty.
For such a unique and renowned restaurant, you may be surprised that its prices are quite reasonable relative to the experience, and the food is both outstanding and filling. To see its menu and hours, or to make a reservation, visit Owamni by The Sioux Chef’s website. Reservations can be hard to come by, but keep trying - or put your name on the wait list - you’ll get one.
Before or after your meal, take some time to explore fascinating Mill Ruins Park, which is just down West River Parkway from Owamni. You’ll be able to stretch your legs after your meal, learn a bit about the history of Minneapolis, and when you look out across the Mississippi, perhaps you can picture what the river looked before it was settled and developed.
Have you had a chance to visit Owamni and sample its unique food? What other restaurants in Minnesota should be considered for an award like the James Beard?
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