It’s August, which means the State Fair is sucking up all the oxygen in the local food news ecosystem. Sparse though this month's Racket Restaurant Roundup may be, there are still some new restaurants for you to check out. And if you’re more interested in heading to the fair for its final weekend, make sure you’re armed with our recommendations for the best new food and beers.
Now Open
D’s Banh Mi
Three whole years after D’s Banh Mi announced it was taking over the ol’ snack shack on 38th Street in south Minneapolis, the Vietnamese restaurant finally opened on August 7. (I’m as shocked as you are.) In addition to the big sandwiches, they’re offering a few different noodle bowls and some sides. 1848 E. 38th St., Minneapolis
Albi Kitchen
Albi Kitchen is a new Somali woman-owned cafe with coffee and tea, pastries, sandwiches, and sambusas. I’ve bumped this spot to the top of my to-visit list—gotta get my hands on those sambusas! 1411 Nicollet Ave. S. Minneapolis
Mama’s Market & Deli
And speaking of woman-owned restaurants, have you checked out Mama’s Market & Deli? Fred Melo at the Pioneer Press has the scoop on this new Snelling Avenue “micro-grocery and cafe,” which comes from a group of nine Ethiopian immigrants, all of whom are women and mothers. The masala chicken panini sounds really good right about now… 678 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul
Mother Dough No. 4
Another Mother Dough, the bakery from chef David Fhima with several downtown Minneapolis locations, is now open in the US Bancorp Center. That makes four Mother Doughs, all within about a mile of one another; there are two in Capella Tower and one in The Vicinity building on Park Avenue. 800 Nicollet Ave., Suite 150
Saturday Dumpling Co. at TMAMY
Mere months after opening its first physical location, Saturday Dumpling Company has landed a spot in the Market at Malcolm Yards. It’s the first of two additional locations in Minneapolis; another is in the works in the former Café Cerés space in the Armatage neighborhood. 501 30th Ave. SE, Minneapolis
Indian Kitchen Bar & Grill
Replacing the ol’ Chip’s Clubhouse on Snelling is Indian Kitchen Bar & Grill, which is open for dine-in or takeout with a menu of curries, vindaloos, and all kinds of treats from the tandoor. 272 Snelling Ave. S. #200, St. Paul
Closed, Closing, or Changing
Royal Grounds
Sad news for Kingfield: After 15 years, Royal Grounds Coffee will close at the end of August after being “unable to renew our lease with our landlord,” according to a note on the door spotted by a Racket reader. To say goodbye, they’re hosting an August 30 neighborhood potluck (2-5 p.m.), and the final day will be August 31. 4161 Grand Ave. S., Minneapolis
Matriarch
Well that’s weird… less than two months after opening, Uptown plant-based restaurant Matriarch has already called it quits. Owners Michelle Courtright and Crystal Brown cited a “landlord issue” in an Instagram video; the landlord in question, Kashi Associates LLC, says it never signed a lease allowing Matriarch to occupy the space and alleges that the restaurant owes $33,000 in unpaid rent. Whoops! Anyway, we thought their food was pretty good. 1601 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Lynnhall Edina
Edina’s Lynnhall closed August 24 at the end of its five-year lease, with owner Anne Knipe shifting his focus back to the Lynnhall location on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis. The Star Tribune reports that the Edina address won’t be vacant long—Daniel Del Prado’s restaurant group is taking over the space. 3945 Market St., Edina
Stepchld
Northeast’s excellent Stepchld announced it would close back in June, and August 24 was its last day. I thought it was cute that owner Kamal Mohamed requested folks dress in black during the restaurant's last week—it will be mourned! 24 University Ave. NE #100, Minneapolis
Just Announced and Coming Soon
Sonic at the U
A Sonic location you can’t drive to? Is that even legal? Bring Me the News reports that the drive-in fast-food chain Sonic is opening its first Minneapolis location inside the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union. That’s not the only new food at the U—Japanese eatery Wild Blue will also open at the student union, and Halal Shack is headed for the Carlson School of Management. 300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis
Shepherd’s Table
Longfellow Whatever has the scoop on Shepherd’s Table, a “long-awaited” deli and cheese shop that’s set to open September 1 across from Longfellow Park. Elia Read and his family are behind Northfield’s Shepherd's Way Farms, and Read tells LW he sees the shop as a hybrid of the NYC neighborhood delis he grew up with and a specialty shop showcasing family farm-made goods. 3708 E. 34th St., Minneapolis
Chi-Chi’s
Chi-Chi’s update: The first location in the Mexican chain’s revival is slated for the former Rojo Mexican Grill space in St. Louis Park’s Shops at West End, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. Rojo is closing at the end of August, and the new Chi-Chi’s flagship could open before the year is out. 1602 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park
Cheba Hut
You can’t keep a weed-themed sandwich shop down! While Cheba Hut was evicted from its Uptown building back in March, the Biz Journal reports that the restaurant is back in the works under new franchisees Nick Reckinger and Matt Alexander. Allegedly, it’ll open in November. 1118 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup…
Lito's Burritos
Absolutely love this news: Lito’s Burritos, which we’re big, big fans of, is opening a Lyn-Lake location at 901 W. Lake St. (Does it make us a little nervous that this is a famously cursed location? Yes, but we remain optimistic.) The excellent burrito pop-up, until now located inside El Tejaban Mexican Grill in Richfield, will continue to operate out of that first location; in fact, they’re having a fundraiser for the new restaurant there on August 6. 901 W. Lake St., 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. They hope to open by the end of September. 337 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis
Cardigan Donuts
Cardigan Donuts is working on a third skyway location in downtown Minneapolis, the Strib reports. The U.S. Bank Plaza outpost will open this fall, with espresso drinks, kombucha, and ice cream in addition to those delightful donuts. 200 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis
Animales
It’s been a year since the announcement that Animales BBQ Co. was going brick-and-mortar, and in July MSP Mag took a look inside the in-development space. Among the plans for the 12,500-square-foot building: live music and line dancing, smoked Philly cheesesteaks, and a pastry and bread program led by longtime Animalian Amber Wedell. They’re planning to open in September. 241 Fremont Ave. N., 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.
Nokko
Look, we all miss Fast Eddie’s Pizza and agree that the way the pizza shop was pushed out by its landlord is evil bullshit. That being said… I’m not not looking forward to a new Southside sushi restaurant from Hide Tozawa, co-owner of Okome House and co-founder of Kyatchi (where he’s no longer involved). Nokko is headed for the former Fast Eddie’s space at 4747 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, per the Biz Journal. I have complicated feelings about this!
Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks
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. It’s headed for 250 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis, and should open summer 2025.
Marrone’s
The Star Tribune has the scoop on Marrone’s (4250 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis), 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.
Silverbird Roasting Co.
Aaaand not far from Marrone’s, Silverbird Roasting Co. is coming soon to the former Kruse Markit space (4237 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis), reports Bring Me the News. (Justice for Racket commenters who asked, “Why don’t they just put a good coffee shop in there?”) It’ll be the first brick-and-mortar for Silverbird’s Caitlin and Tony Querio, who’ve been roasting beans for local and national shops since 2020.
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 (512 N. Robert St.). 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.
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!
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.
Bellecour | Cooks Split
After teaming up during the pandemic, Cooks of Crocus Hill and chef Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour Bakery are parting ways—Cooks will return to its classes-and-retail mission, and “Bellecour 3.0,” a bakery and bistro, will open in the North Loop later this year. Mpls.St.Paul Mag has the whole scoop.
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 (2601 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis), 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. Expect a mid-2025 opening.
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.
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 the restaurant will be in the new West Hotel and should theoretically open eventually.
