The biggest news in local food this month was—I don’t need to tell you—the debut of Sandwich Week.
But I guess there were at least some other important things happening… on to the news!
Now Open
May Day Cafe
After a brief closure early in the year, May Day Cafe in Minneapolis’s Powderhorn neighborhood (3440 Bloomington Ave.) has reopened under a collective ownership model. “I’ve heard from a number of customers who’ve said, ‘I thought this was a worker co-op!’” organizer Mira Klein told Racket back in September. Best of luck to these newly minted worker-owners.
The Rabbit Hole
Billing itself as the North Loop’s largest sports bar, The Rabbit Hole (411 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis) is now open in a 10,000-square-foot space with 40+ TVs. Sports are the focus, but they’ll also be bringing in DJs and doing other events, including private parties, according to the website.
ie by Travail
Italian Eatery has officially been reborn as ie by Travail (4724 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis), and after previewing the place ahead of its early February reopening, we can happily report that things are more or less the same as they were. That’s a relief to the folks who mourned the restaurant’s closure last year; “It really feels like there’s nothing like it on our side of south Minneapolis,” my pal Jenna, the biggest Italian Eatery fan I know, told me when we recapped our recent dinner experience.
Graze by Travail
Elsewhere in Travail world, North Loop food hall Graze (520 N 4th St, Minneapolis) has transitioned to Graze by Travail, and several new stands are now open: Caja fried chicken, Tixtli by Nixta, and Umami by Travail. You're by Travail! You’re by Travail! This whole city is by Travail!
Papá Chuy’s
Papá Chuy’s Bakery is serving up empanadas, tres leches cakes, and assorted pan dulce at 2409 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. There’s also hot coffee, so you can grab a sweet treat and a cuppa joe to go.
Momo Café
Momo Café, a new coffee shop and tea house from the folks behind the wonderful Momo Sushi, is now open not far down Central Avenue from the sushi spot. “More than anything, we want people to feel a sense of warmth and belonging,” chef Sonam Nyorie told Racket earlier this month. (Much of the art and decor here is from Nyorie’s personal collection.) "Whether you’re here for a quick coffee, a plate of momos, or a long conversation with friends, we hope the space feels welcoming and peaceful.” Find them at 3035 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
The 19 Bar
What an absolute joy to watch The 19 Bar (19 W. 15th St., Minneapolis) make its return to Loring Park. The historic gay bar, one of the oldest in the country, has been closed for almost a year after a major fire gutted the space. “During COVID, we closed for 15 months,” owner Gary Hallberg tells MPR. “So this is even shorter than that. We survived that, came back strong—and I think we’ll come back strong on this one, too.” The event also gave us a photo in which Mayor Jacob Frey, um… well, you just take a look.
Closed, Closing, or Changing
Blondette
Downtown Minneapolis’s Blondette, the Rand Tower Hotel bar that Daniel Del Prado helped open in 2022, has closed, sort of, the Star Tribune reports. It’ll be open for weekend brunch, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., but otherwise will only do private events. Del Prado, meanwhile, wants you to know that he is not involved over there anymore, TYVM.
Herbie Butcher’s Fried Chicken
The vegan fried chicken joint from Herbivorous Butcher sibling-owners Aubry and Kale Walch will be going on “an indefinite sabbatical" after Sunday, March 30, according to an Instagram post. Herbie Butcher’s opened in 2021 at 48th & Chicago in south Minneapolis, but it’s not the only faux bird game in town—if you’re looking for other local vegan fried chicken options, we’ve got a bunch for ya right here.
Dark Horse Bar & Eatery
After a 10-year run, Lowertown’s Dark Horse said goodbye on February 14. “We are a small dysfunctional family that has grown to love and support each other on a level that will forever be unmatched over the years here in Lowertown,” the St. Paul spot’s farewell note, posted in January, reads. “For anyone that has had the chance to come in and experience our staff—consider yourself lucky.”
Saint Dinette
Well folks, we’ve known it was coming. St. Paul’s excellent Saint Dinette will serve its final brunch on March 2, and the final dinner will be on March 22. “While there are many factors that played a role in this decision, every restaurant tells a story and every story must come to an end,” an Instagram farewell reads. “We truly believe ours has been a beautiful one and we couldn’t be more proud of the way it was written.”
Just Announced and Coming Soon
Big Star Tipsy Taco Bar
New life for the old Betty Danger’s! The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that a Tex-Mex restaurant called Big Star Tipsy Taco Bar is heading for 2501 Marshall St. NE in Minneapolis. The Ferris wheel and mini golf course? Not only are they staying, but they’re going to be joined by a dog-friendly patio.
El Sazon Tacos and More Eat Street
Just last month, the El Sazon team opened Xelas in Stillwater, and now they’re working on another taco spot, this time inside the Eat Street Crossing food hall. They’re planning to open on March 14, with bowls, burritos, and tacos.
World Street Kitchen at TMAMY
World Street Kitchen, the Uptown restaurant from brothers Sameh and Saed Wadi, is setting up shop inside The Market at Malcolm Yards. It’ll replace Mr. Paul’s Po’boys and Jams, which closed on February 9. The egg sandwich and sushi bowl spot Eggflip/Sushiflip just landed at the market last month. And speaking of this food hall…
The Market at Malcolm Yards No. 2?
Twin Cities Business reports that after finding success in Prospect Park, TMAMY is looking to expand to St. Louis Park. This could be a big’n; owner Patty Wall tells TCB she wants to open a 40,000-square-foot hall with 14 kitchens (!), plus a rooftop deck.
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.
Khue’s Kitchen
A happy report from Khue’s Kitchen: After a fire destroyed their nearly ready to open restaurant, chef Eric Pham has found a new location. Khue’s will open on March 6 inside MidCity Kitchen (693 Raymond Ave., St. Paul), the Star Tribune reports.
St. Pierre Steak and Seafood
This sort-of-reborn Burch Steak (more on that here, via Mpls.St.Paul Mag), which is taking over Snack Bar in the North Loop (800 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis), has announced a March 11 opening. You can get your reservations now.
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup…
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.
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!
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.
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. The Star Tribune reports that the first two locations will be in the former Rojo Mexican Grills in St. Louis Park and Maple Grove.
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.
Rosalia No. 2
Rosalia, Daniel del Prado's popular Linden Hills pizza place, is opening a second location in northeast Minneapolis, according to the Biz Journal's Abby Bulger. This one's headed for the ground floor of the Rafter Apartments building at 333 E. Hennepin Ave., right by Surdyk's.
FRGMNT Coffee No. 5
An aversion to vowels isn't holding this local coffee shop back—FRGMNT is planning to open its fifth location, and fourth in Minneapolis, in early 2025. According to Downtown Voices, this one will be inside SPS Tower (333 S. Seventh St.), joining locations in St. Anthony Main, the North Loop, the Mill District, and Eden Prairie.
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.
