Nankin Cafe

Nankin Cafe was a Chinese restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It was considered "a downtown Minneapolis landmark for 80 years".[1] Founded by Walter James in 1919 at 15 S. 7th Street, now the site of the Dayton-Radisson parking ramp, The restaurant moved across 7th Street to 20 S. 7th Street in 1958. In 1980 it was razed, along with the entire block (1979-1980), to make way for the City Center shopping center, after its owners agreed to a settlement allowing it to relocate in the new center, which it did in 1981 upon completion of the complex.[2] The Nankin was owned by the Wu family for the last 10 years of its existence.[1] It has been recognized for its chow mein and egg foo yung dishes that were offered as a subgum (mixed meat and vegetables) variation.[3]

Several factors that may have contributed to the restaurant's demise include the decline in popularity of traditional Chinese-American food, a five-month shutdown of the restaurant during a strike in late 1988, a drug raid by Minneapolis police in 1997 in which 19 customers were arrested, and the filing for bankruptcy protection by the Wu family.[1]