It’s a new year, but we’ve gotta turn to 2024 one last time after taking the tail end of the year for some much-needed rest—these are the restaurants that opened, closed, or announced they’re in the works (Chi-Chi’s!) in December.
If you missed it, these are my favorite new restaurants of last year. Oh, and we made a Racket Minnesota-themed ice cream flavor, Racky Road, with Minnesota Dairy Lab last month, which you can order for pickup here.
OK! On to the news.
Open
Bar Revival
Revival on Selby Avenue in St. Paul closed for a weeklong retooling in early December. While they’ve still got the burgers and fried chicken that made ‘em famous, the reopened iteration (dubbed Bar Revival) adds hot beef sandwiches and thin crust pizzas to the mix, according to Mpls.St.Paul Mag’s Stephanie March, with a vibe that’s a little more neighborhood hang-y.
OG Zaza @ King Coil
Elsewhere in St. Paul refreshes, the pizzas at Lake Monster Brewing and King Coil Spirits have gotten an update. The Lake Monster/King Coil team are bringing OG Zaza into the kitchen, the third location for the New Haven-style pizzeria with a food hall outpost in Rosedale Center and a standalone restaurant in Shakopee.
Stargazer
The new northeast Minneapolis bar from the Travail team and Robb Jones of Meteor boasts a constellation of cocktails both original (the soft, citrusy sweet Boogie Nights) and classic (a full-bodied Bywater). But you might be most impressed by the total transformation at 1304 NE Second St., which was previously Dangerous Man’s humble growler shop—just take a look.
Jade Dynasty Restaurant and Bar
Now softly open in the former Fuji Ya space (600 W. Lake St., Minneapolis), Jade Dynasty is bringing Cantonese dishes, fresh fish and seafood, hot pot, and dim sum to Lyn-Lake. Early reports from my softball team’s group chat are very good. One teammate reports, “they have a 20-top with an automatic lazy Susan,” while another adds, “it whipped ass.”
Razava Bread Co.
Head baker Omri Zin-Tamir (of farmers market favorite the Bakery on 22nd Street) and Steve Baldinger (of St. Paul’s long-running Baldinger Bakery) have teamed up to open a new St. Paul sourdough bakery at 685 Grand Ave. Razava Bread Co. brings old-world loaves, baguettes, bagels, and pitas to Grand Avenue, with stone-ground grains sourced from regenerative farms across the Midwest. Eater Twin Cities’ Justine Jones has a great behind-the-scenes look.
Altera
“Altera brings classy, sit-down dining to Highland Park,” reports Minnesota Monthly’s Jason DeRusha of this St. Paul newbie. Altera comes from Aaron Switz and InnerBloom Hospitality, the group behind Layline (Excelsior), Josefina and Macanda (Wayzata), and Yumi Sushi (Excelsior, St. Paul, Edina), and the menu at 721 Cleveland Ave. S. is full of seafood, salads, and cheffy bar fare.
Farina Rossa Kitchen @ Fair State
After popping up at Bang Brewing in St. Paul throughout much of 2024, Farina Rossa Kitchen has landed a permanent-ish home in northeast Minneapolis. Chef John Michael (JM) Lynch’s pizzas are now available at Fair State Brewing Cooperative; the brewery has taken over the former Aki’s Breadhaus space adjacent to the taproom (2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis). We swung by in December for pies like the Frenchy, which is like a French onion soup on pizza crust, and the Italian Stallion, with a meaty bolognese that’ll have you scraping your plate.
Zao Bakery + Cafe
This new Chinese bakery and cafe has quickly leapt to the top of my to-visit list. Zao Bakery + Cafe (575 University Ave. W., St. Paul) offers a selection of buns both savory (chicken curry) and sweet (sesame black bean), plus noodles in broth and congee, reports Jared Kaufman at the Pioneer Press. And they’ve been selling out fast.
Five Iron
Thr3 Jack, the golf simulator at 729 N. Washington Ave. in the North Loop, has been replaced by Five Iron Golf, according to Brianna Kelly at Downtown Voices. This new chain has around 30 locations in major U.S. cities, along with franchises in Dubai, Australia, Singapore, and India.
Closed, Closing, or Changing
Red Dragon
We bid a teary, bleary farewell to Red Dragon last month; after 48 years, the home of Wondrous Punch is no more. Real end-of-an-era stuff. “I can't even tell you all the phenomenal people that have come through here, and the friendships that we've made,” Tony Wong, nephew of owner Phil Wong, told Racket ahead of the closure. But hey: We’ve got the recipe for Wondrous Punch, along with many hazy memories, here.
Union Hmong Kitchen
Union Hmong Kitchen isn’t leaving 901 W. Lake St. entirely, but the restaurant has closed to the public. (This was the only remaining UHK location in town; its outpost at Graze Food Hall in the North Loop, open since 2021, shuttered in November.) Instead, the Lyn-Lake location will focus on in-home feasts, catering, and its stalls at sports stadiums, according to an Instagram post. And of course, chef Yia Vang’s other new restaurant is kind of a big deal.
Dulono’s
Dulono’s is getting evicted from its downtown Minneapolis location, according to J.D. Duggan at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. The onetime pizza institution, which was established in 1957 and opened a popular Lake Street location in 1964, owes nearly $76,000 in rent at this downtown spot, where it moved in 2017 after shuttering on Lake Street.
Kruse Markit
Kruse Markit at 4237 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis has abruptly closed, according to a January 1 Instagram post. The all-day cafe and sundries shop opened in 2023, but when we visited in June of the following year, commenters noted it was often closed at random hours—never a great sign.
Just Announced and Coming Soon
Papa Chuy’s Bakery
Papá Chuy’s Bakery is heading for the former Vegan East in Whittier, according to a December 3 Southwest Voices newsletter. While they wait for the permits to come through at 2409 Lyndale Ave. S., you can call to place orders for conchas, pan dulce, and other treats.
Chi-Chi’s
Well goddamn! A good 20 years after shuttering its last location, the Minnesota-born Tex-Mex chain Chi-Chi’s is staging a comeback right here in MN. Michael McDermott, son of Chi-Chi’s founder Marno McDermott, has reached an agreement with Hormel Foods (which owns the CHI-CHI'S™ trademarks) to bring back the classic chain with “modern influences,” per a press release.
Moona Moono
The ol’ Paper Source space in Uptown (3048 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis) will soon house Moona Moono, a coffee and retail shop with boba, matcha, and the latest in trendy K-beauty products. Look for it to open in March.
The Cabana Club
A long-empty St. Anthony Main space is coming back to life very soon. The Cabana Club promises a “travel-inspired haven” at 201 SE Main St. in Minneapolis, with a globe-trotting menu that includes a duck confit banh mi, jerk chicken, and paella arancini. The grand opening is scheduled for January 3.
ie by Travail
The rumors are true: Italian Eatery is making a comeback thanks to the team at Travail, which will reopen the south Minneapolis favorite in February. They’re bringing back menu favorites and as many of the staff members as possible, according to a January 2 press release, and even the name isn’t changing much; it’s now ie By Travail. “Our commitment is simple: keep the spirit alive and serve our community the way it has always been served,” said Bob Gerken, co-owner of Travail Collective. (According to neighborhood sources, the side restaurant, previously called Un Dito, might spring back to life as a satellite version of Dream Creamery, Travail's Northeast burger/ice cream shop.)
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup...
Namos Restaurant and Lounge
A “luxury” sports bar, Namos Restaurant and Lounge, is heading for the old Erik the Red space steps from U.S. Bank Stadium, according to Downtown Voices. A recent Instagram post from Namos says it’ll be "a fusion of culture, cuisine, and live sports like you’ve never seen." I doubt that very much, unless Vikings players are doing a Coyote Ugly thing on the bar after each game—but hey, maybe they are!
The Rabbit Hole
They're gonna have 40 screens at this new sports bar, which'll move into the old Axe Bridge Winery spot in the North Loop (411 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis) later this year. No relation to The Rabbit Hole that once existed at Midtown Global Market, this one'll also host cover bands and DJs and private events, according to the North Loop Neighborhood Association.
Cafe Yoto
Downtown Voices has the scoop on Cafe Yoto, a new counter-service Japanese joint from Kado no Mise chef Yo Hasegawa. Cafe Yoto will open in the Duffey building (548 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis), in the former home of Stalk & Spade, very soon, with a focus on online and takeout orders.
19 to Reopen
Thank god: Minneapolis’s 19 Bar, the first gay bar in the city and one of the oldest in the country, is still planning to reopen, according to Zoë Jackson at the Star Tribune.
Animales Brick and Mortar
This is the one we’ve all been waiting for, folks. After… oh, a year? of copy-pasting Animales’ tentative plans for a brick-and-mortar restaurant into the Racket Restaurant Roundup’s “In the Works” section month after month, we got confirmation that it is in fact happening! Founder and co-owner Jon Wipfli announced on in August that Animales will head for the former Royal Foundry Distillery in the Harrison neighborhood (241 Fremont Ave. N, Minneapolis), with a 300-seat, family-friendly restaurant; a full bar; a patio; and even a dedicated play area for kids. HYFR. Look for it to open in 2025.
Khue’s Kitchen
Eater has the scoop on Khue’s Kitchen, a new St. Paul Vietnamese restaurant from chef Eric Pham, which’ll open in the former Ngon Bistro space on University Avenue this summer. Pham’s grandmother opened Quang, where his mother still works; Pham you might know from his Khue’s Kitchen pop-up at Bar Brava. The brick-and-mortar should open this fall—a fire set back their progress when they were just about to open in August. You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
Bubble Line Brewery
Brittney Mikell—who honed her skills as an assistant brewer at La Doña Cervecería—is readying to open the state’s first Black woman-owned brewery in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. You can find the latest updates from Bubble Line Brewery on Instagram.
Sculpture Garden Eats
A restaurant for the Walker’s Sculpture Garden? Total no-brainer. Kind of can’t believe there isn’t one already. Mpls.St.Paul Mag’s Stephanie March had a great scoop on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the Walker’s teaming up to bring this new concession stand to life.
Saffron
Just know this news has the foodie in your life all a-tingle: Saffron, Sameh Wadi’s popular, groundbreaking, and much-missed Middle Eastern fine-dining restaurant, which closed in 2017, will make a return. That’s according to this scoop from Mpls-St.Paul Mag, whose Stephanie March caught up with Wadi earlier this month to talk about opening Saffron, closing Saffron, and the yearslong process it’s been to bring it back. (Did you know he was just 23 when Saffron opened? Wild stuff.) No lease yet, but it’s reportedly in the works.
Mad Chicken
Is that like mad cow? Downtown Voices reports that chicken chain Mad Chicken, which got its start in Wisconsin and has locations in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Maryland, will open its first Minnesota location in the vacant building at First Avenue North and Fourth Street North that formerly housed American Army Navy Surplus Store.
Asia Village
Here’s some news that has the North Metro friend in your life ecstatic: The group behind Asia Mall in Eden Prairie has announced a similar concept called Asia Village slated for the Northtown Mall in Blaine (301 Northtown Drive NE). They’re teaming up with the folks behind Pho Mai and Keefer Court to bring the 130,000 square foot space to life, with hot pot, all-you-can-eat sushi, a Korean BBQ, and a grocery store. Renovations will start this August; it’s scheduled to open by late 2025.
New North Loop Project from Tim McKee
James Beard Award-winning chef Tim McKee (La Belle Vie, Sea Change, Octo Fishbar) has his eyes set on the North Loop for a new project inspired by the Basque region of Spain. He's being tight-lipped about the new Minneapolis endeavor for now, but has revealed that it'll be somewhere on First Street and open sometime... sometime. Read more via the Strib.
