By Lizbeth Lyx
What began as students craving for authentic Szechuan cuisine has turned into one of Minnesota’s most exciting culinary growth stories. Legendary Spice, the bold and modern Chinese restaurant brand, and its brand-new sister concept, Boba X, are making waves in 2025 with five openings in four new locations—and a vision that blends cultural pride, operational smarts, and futuristic flavor.
From a Franchise Start to a Full-Blown Flavor Revolution
Founders Tony and Grace launched their restaurant journey in 2016 with a Lao Sze Chuan franchise while still students in Minnesota. But one year in, they wanted more creative control and broke away to create their own concept: Legendary Spice, which debuted in 2017.
“Tony didn’t want to compromise,” says Shawn Lin, the company’s marketing director. “They knew what real Szechuan food should taste like, and they wanted to do it their way.”
With a fiery menu built on imported spices and regional techniques, Legendary Spice quickly distinguished itself from standard Chinese-American fare, becoming a favorite among both Asian diners looking for a taste of home and local food lovers ready to explore bolder flavors.
Boba X: Custom Tea Meets Robotic Cool
After previously managing Minnesota’s franchise operations for Uni Uni, Tony saw an opportunity to create a more innovative, independent bubble tea brand. Boba X officially launched in 2025 as a tech-forward reimagining of the bubble tea experience, with students and young professionals in mind.
The brand’s signature robot logo hints at its modern identity and introduces a fully customizable menu, where guests can craft their drinks and dining experience in new, interactive ways.
“We call it the drink of the future,” says Shawn Lin, without revealing too much about the new concept. “It’s about giving customers more choice, more creativity, and a whole new way to engage with bubble tea.”
The good news? We won’t have to wait long. The flagship location, Boba X Ramen, opens this summer in Dinkytown.
2025 Expansion: Five Openings, Four Locations, One Strategic Vision
This year, Legendary is rolling out five openings in four new locations across Minnesota:
- Roseville (two openings: One dining location and one Boba X): A food court–style outlet for quick, convenient service in a high-traffic area.
- Woodbury: A full-service, sit-down restaurant designed to serve both the area’s strong Asian-American community and a growing number of local diners seeking authentic, bold flavors.
- Coon Rapids: A large-format restaurant and central kitchen designed to prep and standardize ingredients across all locations.
- Dinkytown (Boba X Ramen): A student-friendly, high-tech noodle and bubble tea experience with customizable options and interactive service.
“We’ve had this plan in place for years,” Lin says. “COVID delayed a lot, but now the timing and the market are finally right.”
The post-pandemic economy created rare opportunities: commercial spaces opened up, rents became more negotiable, and delivery data revealed underserved areas—like Woodbury, where the brand now launches a full-service restaurant due to high delivery demand during lockdowns.
Small Team, Smart Systems
Despite its fast growth, Legendary’s management team remains small, with just six core members—an impressively young group, averaging just 27 years old—who oversee operations, construction, hiring, and marketing across all locations.
“Each location opens in phases,” Lin explains. “Tony handles construction early on, then the rest of us step in once it’s 80% done. It’s all about team trust and good communication.”
Expansion is mostly self-funded, supported by strong daily cash flow. While some specialized equipment requires financing, most of the buildouts are paid out-of-pocket or supported by Tenant Improvement Allowances (TIAs) from landlords.
Navigating Tariffs, Training, and Taste
Still, challenges remain. The ongoing U.S.–China trade war has driven tariffs on Chinese food and ingredient imports sharply upward, putting pressure on the brand’s supply chain. To adapt, Legendary has invested in a warehouse in Eagan to store bulk shipments and is working with local vendors to replicate key flavors. “We don’t want to pass those costs on to customers,” says Lin. “So instead, we focus on making the experience better—better service, better design, better everything.”
Taste consistency is a priority. The new Coon Rapids central kitchen will standardize preparation, pre-portion ingredients, and supply other locations. With a kitchen twice the size of Wahu’s (the first ever location), the facility will streamline operations and help ensure a consistent dining experience across the expanding network.
Training is likewise centralized. Kitchen staff typically train at the Wahu location for a month or more, while front-of-house employees rotate through similar locations ahead of new store openings.
Sharing Culture, One Spicy Dish at a Time
For Lin, Legendary’s mission is bigger than numbers. It’s about sharing Chinese food and culture in a meaningful, joyful way.
“I remember teaching customers how to eat hotpot, one by one,” she says. “Then they’d come back and teach their friends. That’s the magic of food.”
Her favorite dish? Anything from the green peppercorn series. For new diners, she suggests the dried chili chicken or boiled beef—paired with a classic brown sugar Boba milk tea. And for cocktail lovers? Try First Night, a drink inspired by their popular Rose Lemon Yakult Boba Tea.
Need more recommendations? Here are some of the most popular picks.
Top 10 dishes
Top 5 Boba Tea & Milk Shakes
Top 3 Cocktails
The Future Is Hot (and Customizable)
With over 300 dishes, five new openings in four locations, and a fresh, technology-driven approach to bubble tea, Legendary Spice and Boba X are no longer just restaurants—they’re cultural experiences, innovation hubs, and proof that bold ideas can turn into something big, one spicy, tech-savvy step at a time.
Legendary Spice & Boba X Locations
Minneapolis
Legendary Spice & Boba X at Wahu
Address: 317 Huron Blvd SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
📞 (612) 379-1983
Legendary Spice Hot Pot
Address: 2501 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
📞 (612) 888-7088
Eden Prairie
Legendary Spice & Boba X inside Asia Mall
Address: 12160 Technology Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55344
📞 (952) 378-0442
Bloomington
Boba X inside Mall of America
Address: 80 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425
📞 (612) 741-7806
Roseville
Legendary Spice & Boba X inside Rosedale Mall
Address: 1595 MN-36, Roseville, MN 55113
📞 (651) 295-5934
Woodbury
Legendary Spice & Boba X
Address: 8300 Tamarack Village, Woodbury, MN 55125
📞 (651) 279-5358
Coming soon:
Dinkytown
Boba X Ramen
Opening summer 2025
Address: 1421 4th St. S.E., Suite A, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Coon Rapids-the central kitchen
Legendary Spice & Boba X
Opening at the end of 2025
Address: 12761 Riverdale Blvd, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
(All photos courtesy of legendary Spice)
© 2025 Lizbeth Lyx. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the author.