Hopkins Food Scene: Part Three

The Heavy Table Churn newsletter for March 7, 2025

This edition of the Churn was written by Amy Rea.

As the cliche goes, all good things must end, and so we've reached the last stops of all 22 locally owned food and drink establishments on Mainstreet in Hopkins. However, the concept of "good things" didn't apply equally to this last batch; on the last visit, we experienced a range from barely mediocre to sublime. We also visited two vastly different places that each conjured up images of, of all things, lefse.

But first, an update on the canine delinquent who caused the beginning of this series. Remember that Daisy the dog is not a big fan of other dogs. On the top of her hate list is poodles and doodles. Yet recently doggie daycare sent this picture of her with her happiest happy face on:

Amy Rea / Heavy Table

Yes! Happy play time with poodle!

And now back to our regularly scheduled Hopkins food reviews. 

HOPKINS FOOD SCENE, PART THREE

We wrap up our visits to Hopkins with stops at Nachos, Gedi Grill, Star Wok, Brasa Rotisserie, Bear Cave Brewing, and Hendrix and Siena.

By Amy Rea, Brenda Johnson, and Clara Emma

Clara Emma / Heavy Table

NACHO’S | 1016 Mainstreet, Hopkins, Minn. | 952.935.9200 | MON-SAT 11am-8pm SUN CLOSED

We got off to a great start at Nacho's, which is giving the Chipotle down the street a run for its money. The eatery was packed at 1:30 on a weekday, everyone around us had appetizing-looking plates, and the aromas wafting out of the kitchen were promising. The space itself is warm and inviting with miniature Mexican figures adorning the walls. 

Brenda Johnson / Heavy Table

Rather than trying Chipotle-like options, we decided to check out things Nacho's offers that their competitor doesn't. The Chorizo Sope ($5.50) had a crispy tortilla base heaped high with zesty chorizo, refried beans, veggies, and a sizable dollop of housemade guacamole, which was generously seasoned with lime and cilantro. The portion was big enough for someone with a lighter appetite to enjoy as a meal, making it a bargain.

The Chicken Tamale ($4) caught us off-guard with its pale exterior. Frankly, it wasn't much to look at, but its appearance was deceptive. The masa was cooked through if not browned and contained a generous portion of chicken tasting of garlic and chiles. There was only a trace of cheese, and we liked that; the masa and the chicken were rightfully the stars of the dish since it wasn't drowning in cheese.

Brenda Johnson / Heavy Table

As much as we liked the sope and tamale, the hands-down winner of our visit was the Mixed Meat Alambre ($17). This was a platter full of chopped beef, chicken, and shrimp along with pico de gallo and several large wedges of avocado served over tortillas and sized to share. The meat and shrimp were all perfectly cooked, tender and hot, the pico de gallo had some nice snap and zip from jalapeno and cilantro. This dish made it really difficult for us to pace ourselves with five more eateries ahead of us–the temptation to finish this in one go was strong.