Martina: Southern Italian Warmth in Southwest Minneapolis

Martina sits quietly on a leafy corner in the Linden Hills neighborhood, and stepping inside feels like arriving at a friend's dinner party in the Italian countryside. Chef Daniel del Prado brings his Argentinian heritage and deep love of Southern Italian cooking to a menu that is rustic, soulful, and deeply satisfying.

The handmade pastas are the heart of the menu. The rigatoni with braised lamb sugo is rich and comforting, while the squid ink spaghetti with shrimp, chili, and breadcrumbs is both dramatic and delicious. The wood-fired rotisserie produces succulent meats — the whole roasted chicken for two, served with crispy potatoes and salsa verde, is legendary among regulars.

The wine list leans heavily Italian, with affordable bottles that pair perfectly with the food. The Negroni is textbook perfect. The space is warm and intimate, with terracotta tiles, open shelving stacked with cookbooks, and a kitchen that fills the room with incredible aromas.

Martina doesn't chase trends or Instagram moments. Instead, it offers something rarer: consistently excellent food served with genuine hospitality in a neighborhood setting. It's the kind of restaurant every city wishes it had, and Minneapolis is lucky to call it its own.