It's fall, a time for change and transformation. In Uptown, a late-night pizza joint has been replaced by another. Further down on East Lake Street, an Afro-Creole Southern restaurant has been replaced by another Afro-Creole Southern restaurant. And on Cleveland Avenue in St. Paul, one cafe has been replaced by another.
The leaves are turning, and the restaurant spaces are turning over; there have been lots of new openings in September's installment of the Racket Restaurant Roundup, . Let's get into it...
Now Open
Bewick Cafe
Whether you’re craving cardamom buns and coffee or cannellini beans and house-made pita, this all-day cafe in St. Paul’s Hamline-Midway neighborhood has you covered, with a menu of sandwiches, salads, a few larger plates, and lots of goodies from the bakery. Chef and co-owner Nicole Pederson-Bates and her husband and co-owner Andrew Bates are behind Bewick Cafe, which is named for Bewick’s wren, a rare bird that builds its nest with its mate. Aww! 1340 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul
OG ZaZa Uptown
Amazing news for late-night pizza lovers: The former Mesa Pizza spot in Uptown is slingin' slices again, this time thanks to OG ZaZa. This is the seventh OG ZaZa location in the Twin Cities, if my math is correct. 1440 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
General Sports Bar
General Sports Bar at 50th & France is now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week, along with weekend brunch. Among the features: a lower-level “Caddyshack” room with a golf simulator and darts, a dog-friendly patio, and wall of hockey sticks made from used sticks donated by local players and families. 5034 France Ave. S., Edina
Side Door at Dexter’s Concepts
Daniel del Prado’s Side Door at Dexter’s, the mini food hall attached to his upscale sports bar at 50th & France, has debuted three new concepts: Lucia’s, Rose Sushi, and Daq Daq. We’ll just leave this here. And this. 5005 Ewing Ave. S., Minneapolis
Dogwood Coffee No. 4
The old Cafe Bene space in St. Paul is now home to Dogwood Coffee Co.'s fourth cafe. An early scan of Instagram suggests that this location is as cute and stylish as you'd expect from the Dogwood crew. 53 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul
Konbu Nori
There’s a new downtown Minneapolis skyway sushi spot: Konbu Nori, which is serving up onigiri, ramen, hand rolls, and rice bowls. The Star Tribune reports that Tuan Hoang, former chef/owner of North Loop Galley’s Japanese noodle shop Kawae, is behind the operation. 330 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis (Second Floor)
Cava
It’s happening, folks. The first Cava in Minnesota (and the 500th Cava anywhere, isn’t that neat?) just opened near the University of Minnesota. U of M Redditors say the lines have been long as hell. 622 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis
Square Roots
An Afro-Creole Southern restaurant in the Coliseum Building on Lake Street? If you’re getting déjà vu, it could be related to the short-lived Lagniappe, which closed after about eight months in the space Square Roots now occupies. It’s more than a restaurant; Square Roots also has an “ambitious nonprofit mission,” per MSP Mag, which you can read about here. 2700 E. Lake St. Ste. 100, Minneapolis
Harold’s Chicken Uptown
Chicago-based chain Harold’s Chicken has landed in Uptown, replacing Daisy’s and Cowboy Slim’s. Now… is this a real Harold’s or a false Harold’s? The brand's ownership is in question following the death of CEO Kristen Pierce-Sherrod, and there are both "authorized" and "unauthorized" Harold's locations—for more on that story, we direct you to The Chicago Tribune’s story about the "chicken coup." 1430 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis
The Midway Diner
The Midway Diner is now serving St. Paul’s Midway. Located in the United Village development near Allianz Field, Midway Diner serves a menu of breakfast classics, with evening hours and cocktails on the way, according to the Strib (gift link). 445 Simpson St., St. Paul
Laune Bread
After taking a pause in August to rethink and reenvision the Lake Street bakery, Laune Bread reopens Thursday with co-owners Chris MacLeod and Tiff Ri at the helm—and at the… everything, as their recalibration period included the departure of the rest of their staff. Let’s hope this pause puts them on good footing for the future, because I love those Laune pastries. 3605 E. Lake St., Minneapolis
Stelline Italian Kitchen
Stargazer, the celestial cocktail spot from Travail, has closed; it reopens Thursday as Stelline Italian Kitchen, an “Italian restaurant built for Tuesday nights, Saturday nights, date nights, family dinners and ‘let’s just get pasta’ nights,” per a press release. Buddy, that is, like, every night. 1304 NE Second St., Minneapolis
Martiya
Lotta restaurants opening October 1! And that includes Martiya, the first full-service, sit-down restaurant from Afro Deli founder Abdirahman Kahin. Promising East African cooking and Somali hospitality, Martiya will debut with a monthlong soft opening phase, and I loved this preview in the Strib (gift link). 3036 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
Closed, Closing, or Changing
Good Times Pizza
In a post on its since-deleted Instagram account, Good Times Pizza announced in September that it was “hitting pause.” (Bring Me the News spotted the post before its deletion.) I’ll miss you most of all, pepperoni and pickle pizza. 322 W. 38th St., Minneapolis
Seward Cafe
Also hitting pause is Seward Cafe, the south Minneapolis institution that reopened in 2023 with a new crew carrying on its legacy of cooperative ownership. Seward is closed “for the time being,” according to an Instagram post, but will continue booking and hosting shows and events. 2129 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis
French Meadow
“After an unexpected and difficult transitional year, including the sale of French Meadow Bakery & Café and Bluestem Bar on Lyndale Avenue, our beloved café and bar are now closed,” a sign on French Meadow’s door written by founder Lynn Gordon announced in late September. The Strib has the whole rundown (gift link) on the sale and resulting lawsuit, and French Meadow’s St. Paul location will remain open. 2610 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
Just Announced and Coming Soon
Evergreen Cafe
Yes, the closure of Sun Street Breads was a huge bummer. But if the tradeoff is that we get a new bakery in the space from pastry wiz Shawn McKenzie of Burch Steak, Bar La Grassa, and Cafe Ceres fame… well, I’d probably take that trade. Evergreen Cafe will have “pastries, bread, cookies, scones, and biscuits with eggs and all the fixings for sit-down breakfasts and lunches,” MSP Mag reports. It sounds a lot like Sun Street! And that sounds really good. 4600 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
Sandwich Club
If I have one complaint about Sandwich Club, the excellent food truck from Marcus and Kelsey Brandt, it’s that I can’t get it every day, all year round. So what a treat to learn, via the Strib (gift link), that Sandwich Club is going brick-and-mortar this November with a spot in Minneapolis’ Victory neighborhood. 2124 44th Ave. N., Minneapolis
Parcelle Organics
The planned Parcelle Organics location in the North Loop won’t just have a cafe and those signature smoothies; it’ll also have a grocery store. They’re calling it Parcelle Grocer: “Stop in for a smoothie and pick up a few things for the next couple of days while you’re there,” an Instagram post explains. OK, so they’re finally doing the full Erewhon. 208 N. First St., Minneapolis
PopUp Bagels
PopUp Bagels, the Connecticut bagel shop that started as, yes, a pop-up and now has locations along the East Coast and in several other states, is making its way to Minnesota. It’s headed for the Saxon building in the North Loop, and more MN locations are in the works, according to The Development Tracker. 107 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis
Bevvie Minneapolis
Dirty soda shop Bevvie, which opened in Woodbury earlier this year, is planning a second location in Minneapolis near the U of M. I’d mock this more if I hadn’t come out in favor of dirty sodas after the State Fair this year. 2630 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis
The Familiar on Grand
Grand Avenue is getting a new wine bar from a few familiar faces. The Familiar on Grand, slated to open this November, comes from the crew at nearby Catzen Coffee and invites you to “experience the allure of high-end wines in an intimate, gothic atmosphere.” Sounds elegant and a little creepy—a match made in heaven. 949 Grand Ave., St. Paul
Bar Mario
No affiliation with Mario’s Pizza, as far as I can tell—The Business Journal reports that Bar Mario is an Italian steakhouse taking over the former Nashville Coop space in Northeast. (You probably know it better as the former Stepchld.) Brian Kunz, local bev pro, is behind Bar Mario, which he describes as a love letter to Italian steakhouses. Look for it to open this fall. 24 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Tender Lovin' Chix
After closing its Lyndale Avenue location earlier this year, Tender Lovin’ Chix is heading for a new location in the North Loop, according to an Instagram post. (No exact address has been given at this time.) “New home. Same TLC. Same flavor. Same love,” the team promises.
Mandalay Kitchen
After closing for many months after a car crashed into the restaurant this winter, Mandalay Kitchen is at long last reopening its doors on October 16, per Instagram. Mandalay Kitchen rocks—just our humble opinion. Get ready to go give ‘em some love. 383 University Ave. W., St. Paul
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup...
Sushi by Baaska
“Baaska’s pop-up omakase dinners have changed the sushi game in Minnesota. Now all he needs is a restaurant.” That’s the story Mike Norton wrote earlier this year, and we’re pleased to report that the second part of the headline is coming to fruition: Sushi maestro Baaska Tegshbileg is opening a modern Japanese restaurant in the former Zen Box Izakaya space this fall. MSP Mag has the inside look, and you can support their crowdfunding campaign here. 602 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis
Clementine
In patisserie news, the Star Tribune has the scoop on Clementine, which is heading for Minneapolis’s Tangletown neighborhood. The spot comes from Jasmine Weiser Kaysen, former executive chef at Edwards Dessert Kitchen, who says the bakery will be “dessert-focused” and that it’ll use French techniques while not exactly being a French bakery. 614 W. 54th St., Minneapolis
Arch and River
Now that Owamni has made its to the Guthrie, it will be replaced at Water Works Park by Arch and River, “a modern French bistronomie with an Afro-Caribbean twist,” per a release from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The restaurant comes from B’beri Desserts owner Diane Moukouri and her husband, executive chef Fritz Ebanda, and should open later this year. 425 W. River Pkwy., Minneapolis
New Milly’s Wine Bar Venture
I, too, identify as “martini-focused,” the descriptor the Milly’s Wine Bar team is giving for their new restaurant in northeast Minneapolis. It won’t be Milly’s 2.0, the Biz Journal reports; Brandon Witzel, Jill Mortensen and Kay Phillips want this new spot to have a bigger menu that features pizzas, especially with the semi-recent departure of Young Joni not far away. 200 Lowry Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Front Porch Pies
As for what's taking over the Savory Bake House space? It's Front Porch Pies, reports Longfellow Whatever, the excellent vegan bakery that distributes to coffee shops around the Twin Cities. Owner and baker Chelsea Keene is shooting for an October opening. 3008 36th Ave. S., Minneapolis
Momo Sushi
The wonderful Momo Sushi, which has been closed since a fire ripped through its Central Avenue building last summer, is taking over the Beast Barbecue space. Owner Sonam Nyorie tells MSP Mag, "I want the customers to feel like it's the same, not like we have a totally new restaurant, a new Momo.” And they’re hoping to open very soon. 825 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Vuka Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken
The former It’s Greek to Me building at Lyn-Lake will soon house a South African restaurant where the specialty is a 48-hour-marinated grilled chicken. That’s according to the Biz Journal, which adds that Vuka Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken is connected to brothers Taz, Dominic, and Shepherd Nzara, who bought the building for $2.4 million. “We are a sauce company … that just happens to make really good chicken,” Taz Nzara tells ‘em. LOVE the sound of that. 626 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Mixed Culture Brewing
Longfellow Whatever has the scoop on Mixed Culture Brewing, a new brewery that’s heading for the former One on One Bike Shop space. Qiuxia and Kevin Welch are Belgian-style beer lovers who actually lead beer tours in the region. Mixed Culture Brewing will be a coffee shop by day and a brewery by night, and they’re transforming the 10,000-square-foot outdoor area into a beer garden. Look for them to open later this year. 4461 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis
Smith Coffee and Cafe
Eden Prairie’s Smith Coffee and Cafe is opening a second location in the former D’Amico & Sons at 50th & France. Expect house-made pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch. 3948 W. 50th St., Edina
Jujube
Lotta news lately for Saturday Dumpling Co., which has opened two brick-and-mortars and a stall at the Market at Malcolm Yards in recent years. Now owners Peter Bian and Linda Cao are working on their first full-service restaurant, dubbed Jujube. It’s headed for the former Izzy’s Ice Cream Space in downtown Minneapolis, and chef Jake Johnson will oversee the kitchen, where Texas barbecue meets “innovative Asian flavors,” according to a press release. They’re looking to open this fall. 1100 Second St. S., Minneapolis
Mike’s Red Tacos
Cali-based quesabirria chain Mike’s Red Tacos plans to open 15 locations in the Twin Cities area, according to QSR Magazine. Local franchisee Michael McGuire, who operates 23 Jersey Mike’s locations, is leading the charge. Multiple locations
Bellecour No. 3
Chef Gavin Kaysen will open a third Bellecour this fall, in the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Minneapolis. This one’ll be less like Bellecour’s fancy sit-down North Loop bistro and more like its Edina daytime cafe, MSP Mag reports.
Fold
Ooooh: A new Somali sweet spot is heading for Minneapolis’s Bryn Mawr neighborhood. Fold, a dessert destination inspired by malawah, will have waffles, shakes, and filled, folded crepes to the old Bryn Mawr Market space. 412 Cedar Lake Rd. S., 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
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
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.
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
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
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
Gambino’s Coal Fired Pizza
Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks and Andrea Pizza are getting to work on yet another pizza place, which 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. (Originally dubbed "Prince Coal Fired Pizza," the restaurant has since been renamed "Gambino's Coal Fired Pizza, per the Strib.) 512 N. Robert St., St. Paul
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
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. (And, yes, there has not been an update on Instagram since January 2025. We don't know if this is still happening, either!)
