Chinese restaurants have always been popular in Minneapolis, dating back to the early twentieth-century, when John’s Place and Nankin opened their doors with exotic fare that Minnesotans literally gobbled up.
It wasn’t long after the skyway opened in downtown Minneapolis in 1962 that Chinese restaurants popped up along the climate-controlled routes through buildings and across streets. Through the decades, many have come and gone.
Ah Sa Wan was one of the restaurants that took advantage of the steady stream of foot traffic and nearby offices filled with workers. The restaurant grew in the 1990s to operate three locations. Co-owner Chester Lee could often be found behind the counter, serving up favorites like beef lo mein, chicken almond ding, mushroom tofu, and black pepper chicken.
At the end of the decade, they were down to two locations, and by the time they permanently closed in 2021, they were operating just one location in the skyway of the Pillsbury Building (now U.S. Bank Plaza)
If you have additional information about the downtown skyway eatery, please feel free to reach out. I’d love to add to its story.
Recipes from Ah Sa Wan
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