The last feature I wrote for City Pages before it shuttered in 2020—the very last cover story the magazine would ever run, in fact—was about why the hell anyone would open a restaurant during the Covid era. This moment feels really similar: Who can focus on recipe development or menu design while a paramilitary unit blitzes through town trying to kidnap your family members or employees?
But while there’s not a lot of new news about openings and closings in this January’s Racket Restaurant Roundup, there has been plenty of food news in the first month of 2026. We spoke with restaurants about becoming hubs of solidarity during the ongoing invasion, and we spoke with the everyday folks using mutual aid to feed neighbors in need while supporting immigrant-owned restaurants and grocers. We spoke with bars and restaurants about closing during the general strike, a difficult but important thing for those in the industry to do on a Friday night.
A contributor filed this dispatch from The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen, the Eat Street brunch restaurant that became an ad hoc field hospital after Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents, and we swung by Modern Times, which is now Post Modern Times, to talk about how they’re serving free food from now until the end of the occupation.
Pretty dystopian stuff, yeah, but these are the times we live in. Don’t make Gandalf tap the sign. Just get out there and do what you can to help your neighbors in need right now. Support a restaurant you love, especially those that are immigrant-owned, and tip generously, or give to a fund that supports a restaurant in need.
Here’s the rest of the month’s restaurant news.
Now Open
Company Bar
Kingfield’s Petite León closed at the tail end of 2025 for a rebrand and refresh; now Company Bar is slingin’ oysters and mortadella sandwiches in the space. (Don’t worry: The León Burger lives on.) 3800 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
House of Sambus
Minneapolis’s newest sambusa spot is House of Sambus. They’re open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and right now through February 9 they’re running a deal where you get a free cup of hot tea with your order of 10+ signature beef or veggie sambusas. Get over there! 527 W. Broadway, Minneapolis
Farina Rossa
We love Farina Rossa, the pizza pop-up that found a semi-permanent home at Fair State last year. But with Fair State’s taproom closing, what would become of JM Lynch’s pizza place and its signature red flour crusts? Turns out, they’re stickin’ around! Go get some takeout this weekend. 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Dahlia
They simply have some of the best pastries in town (especially if you’re a sicko for savory pastries, and you know I am). Now, after operating for years on a pop-up basis, Dahlia has a permanent home in a shared space with MN Nice Cream. 807 Broadway St. NE Ste. 102, Minneapolis
Noma Hi-Fi
The newest Daniel Del Prado spot is Noma Hi-Fi at 50th & France, where DDP also just opened the restaurant Thèrése and is working on opening Americana. 3916 W. 50th St., Edina
Closed, Closing, or Changing
The New Uptown Cafe
The New Uptown Cafe, sister restaurant to the nearby Uptown Diner, closed abruptly this month after roughly four years. “We have so loved delivering breakfast and lunch to our neighbors, and we are deeply grateful to the team who showed up every day with care and commitment, often under increasingly challenging circumstances, as well as to the customers who supported us along the way,” their goodbye statement reads. Uptown Diner is still open. 3008 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Hey Y’all Tipsy Taco Bar
The instantly controversial, seemingly terrible Tex-Mex restaurant that took over the old Betty Danger's Country Club space in Northeast has announced it will close “indefinitely” after February 7. "Minneapolis continues to persevere through unprecedented challenges and your resilience inspires us,” the post announcing the closure reads. 2501 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis
Bar Brava
Minnesota Monthly has the whole rundown on Bar Brava (including screenshots), which has closed indefinitely after some weird and racist remarks owner Dan Rice posted from his personal Instagram account in November. Rice had posted a quote from President Donald Trump about the arrival of federal agents in Minnesota and wrote, “Today is the beginning of the end for Somali gang violence.” A follow-up post citing “‘East African male’ violence and crime” is even worse. Sushi by Baaska, which had a residency at Bar Brava, had previously cut its stay short by two months, with chef Baaska Tegshbileg writing, “We don’t support any form of discrimination. Therefore, we’ve decided to end our residence at Bar Brava, we stand by our community especially in this difficult time.” 1914 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis
Cafe and Bar Harmony
Another wine bar down: Northeast’s coffee shop/bar Bar Harmony is no more. “Like so many other small businesses, in 2025 our margins began to shrink from healthy to minimal due to a number of unexpected costs (heavy tariff charges, inflation-related increases, shipping and duty charges, rising COGS, and higher ingredient and consumables costs),” their farewell Instagram statement reads, while also citing Minnesota-specific wage increases and tax changes. 501 First Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Maverick’s Pizza
Maverick’s Pizza in St. Paul closed for the last time on January 31, with owners Mitch and Deborah Johnson writing on Facebook that “financial challenges” were behind the closure. 1215 Randolph Ave., St. Paul
Just Announced and Coming Soon
Famous Dave’s x Papa Murphy’s
I’m at the commmmbination… Famous Dave’s and Papa Murphy’s? It’s a thing, according to the Pioneer Press. The BBQ chain slash take-’n’-bake pizzeria is scheduled to open on February 4, with grand opening celebrations to follow. 1930 Seventh St. W., St. Paul
Killen’s
Peter Killen, formerly of area Irish pubs Kieran's and The Local, is opening an Irish pub of his own in the North Loop, per the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Killen’s will have a 30-seat horseshoe bar and a 50-seat patio, according to the Biz Journal, and a menu of Irish pub fare. Expect doors to open in May. 324 N. Sixth Ave., Minneapolis
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup…
OG Zaza
OG Zaza will open a location on Grand Avenue in St. Paul very soon, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. It’ll be OGZ’s fifth location, and it’ll be adjacent to Grand Ole Creamery, replacing the egg sandwich shop Big E.
Marc Heu Patisserie Paris Linden Hills
Marc Heu just wrapped up a Christmas pop-up in the former Café Cerés space in Linden Hills, but MSP Mag reports that the bakery is for-real for-real moving into the space! It opens January 10 at 9 a.m.—hey, that’s this very weekend.
Parcelle North Loop
Parcelle, the fancy-pants smoothie shop we begrudgingly love, is about to get a second location, according to the Strib. Parcelle No. 2 in the North Loop will only be about a mile from Parcelle No. 1 in Northeast—can the city sustain this many pricey smoothie joints?? 210 N. First St., Minneapolis
Saffron
Sameh Wadi’s Middle Eastern restaurant Saffron will officially return, an announcement we first teased… oh, a year and a half ago. Wadi purchased the former Young Joni space in Northeast, according to MSP Mag, and Saffron should reopen within the next year-ish. 165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Wild Mind Will Keep Brewing
Wild Mind Ales closed in September after an 11-year run, but the space will keep on brewin’ thanks to the folks behind Berlin Music Bar in the North Loop. Per Axios Twin Cities, they’re going to “keep a brewing component” and add food to the equation, with Blue Fox Concepts working on the space. 6031 Pillsbury Ave. S., Minneapolis
Haraz Coffee House
The former Iron Door at Lyn-Lake will soon house Haraz Coffee House, a Yemeni coffee chain with 30+ locations around the U.S., according to Bring Me the News. It’ll be the first Twin Cities location for Haraz, which is hoping for a March opening. 621 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Owamni on the Move
Owamni, chef Sean Sherman's groundbreaking and award-winning Indigenous restaurant, is relocating from its Minneapolis home in the Water Works Pavilion to a few blocks away inside the Guthrie Theater. “The space at the Guthrie doubles the size of our current location, and together we will continue to reconnect people with traditional Indigenous food practices and support Native cultural revitalization and community well-being," Sherman says in a press release. 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis
Americano
Cocina Del Barrio at 50th and France closed October 1. In its place, there’ll be a new Daniel Del Prado restaurant called Americano with “Mad Men vibes,” reports MSP Mag. Barrio’s downtown Minneapolis location is staying open. 5036 France Ave. S., Edina
The Get Down Coffee Co. → Blue in Green Bistro
Proprietor Houston White has announced the closure of The Get Down Coffee Co., the North Minneapolis coffee shop he opened in 2021. He tells the Star Tribune it was time for something new: in this case, a bistro called Blue in Green (after the Miles Davis song) that’ll have a full food menu and a more upscale vibe. “I think in this town, we stagnate because we just accept the best of what we have instead of expecting to continue to evolve it,” White tells the Strib. 1500 N. 44th Ave., Minneapolis
Aubergine
The former Revival space on St. Paul’s Cathedral Hill will soon become Aubergine, “a restaurant that celebrates Lyonnaise cuisine with Minnesota ingredients,” per the Star Tribune. Bjorn and Megan Jacobse say you’ll see a lotta eggplant at their new restaurant, hence the name, along with other seasonal French fare. Look for it to open this fall. 525 Selby Ave., St. Paul
Ono Hawaiian Plates
The North Loop Galley, which was home to Ono Hawaiian plates, closed earlier this summer. But Ono is sticking around; they announced this month that the restaurant will head for the former Guacaya Bistreaux space, not far from their former food hall home. 337 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis
Downtown Food Hall
Can a 30,000-square-foot food hall save downtown Minneapolis? Hey, worth a shot. The folks behind The Market at Malcolm Yards are working with Hempel Real Estate to plan a 30,000-square-foot food hall on the ground floor of LaSalle Plaza, reports the Biz Journal. Per the plans, it’s going to have 700 seats, with 16 restaurant spaces, two bars, and a self-serve beer wall, plus an event space, a play area for kiddos, a pickleball court, and shuffleboards. 825 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks North Loop
We first noticed Tono’s rapid expansion back in 2022, but the pizza and cheesesteak shop hasn’t slowed down a bit. After launching in 2019, an 11th Tono is being planned in the North Loop, reports the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. 250 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis
Marrone’s
The Star Tribune has the scoop on Marrone’s, a new woodfired pizza restaurant from Steven Brown (Tilia, St. Genevieve). The vibe here will be inspired by late ’70s New York City (the phrase “pizza oven that looks like a disco ball” appears in that Strib story), and while it’s still in the early stages, they’re looking to open before the year is out. 4250 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
Prince Coal-Fired Pizza
Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks and Andrea Pizza are getting to work on yet another pizza place. Prince Coal-Fired Pizza is heading for the former Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza spot in downtown St. Paul. Expect a full-service restaurant with a full bar and takeout, but not another Tono; “We will have a specialized menu that will include coal-fired pizza, meatball sandwiches, appetizers and other sandwiches,” co-owner Shaz Khan tells the Pioneer Press. 512 N. Robert St., St. Paul
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! 601 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis
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.
Billy Sushi x NOLO Kitchen Concept
Billy Tserenbat of Billy Sushi and Marty Collins, co-owner of NOLO’s Kitchen, are working on a new North Loop restaurant, the North Loop Neighborhood Association reports. They’ve already got the keys to the Washington Avenue space between Borough/Parlour and Bar La Grassa, and the restaurant will be "inspired by the legendary chaos and charm of places like Chino Latino and Bella Notte." Love the sound of that, personally.
Asia Village
As it prepares to open inside Blaine’s Northtown Mall, Asia Village has announced that 85°C Bakery & Cafe, a Taiwan-based chain, and local Vietnamese restaurant Pho Mai will be among the vendors at the all-Asian food court, according to the Strib. The building is 90% leased, per the developer, with a tentative opening planned for early 2026. 301 Northtown Dr. NE, Blaine
ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ by Owamni
Sean Sherman’s nonprofit, North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), is opening its very own food building. NATIFS Wóyute Thipi is taking over the former Seward Co-op Creamery Café space, and will soon house a commissary kitchen for Indigenous foods, a coworking space that will support BIPOC businesses—and an Indigenous barbecue restaurant, ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ by Owamni. 2601 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis
