So, things are really awful right now. If you want to dine out and help out, spots like Meteor Bar, Bauhaus Brew Labs, Owamni, and Wrecktangle have been donating a portion of sales to immigrant groups or to the family of Renee Good. Other spots like Northern Coffeeworks have free whistles. Today and always, consider dining at immigrant-owned restaurants and shopping at international grocers.
If you see any other local restaurants showing up to support neighbors, feel free to drop them in the comments below. Stay safe all, and remember that immigrants are the backbone of our local restaurant community.
Now on to this (somewhat belated) edition of the Racket Restaurant Roundup.
Now Open
Bellecour
Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour, which closed in 2020, is back, bringing a Frenchy bistro vibe to the North Loop instead of Wayzata this time around. Expect seafood towers, duck wings, steak frites, and more—at dinner, that is. By day (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Bellecour operates as a bakery, with coffee, pastries, and made-to-order dishes. 107 N. Third Ave., Minneapolis
Cheba Hut
Never thought weed see the day, but MN’s first location of the pot-themed sandwich shop Cheba Hut actually did open in December, after years of delays and the eviction of the former franchisee. Racket’s Jessica Armbruster has your first look here. 1118 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Volière Spirits and CrowBar
The old Hamm’s brewery complex in St. Paul is now home to a woman-owned distillery (Volière Spirits) and cocktail bar (CrowBar). Take a peek inside courtesy of MSP Mag, which says you’ve simply gotta try the banana bourbon and black sesame cocktail. 704 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul
Dreamstate Cafe
“I just want places where I can go and get everything I want,” Kirstin Wiegmann of Reverie and the new Dreamstate Cafe told Racket last month. Relatable, no? Dreamstate is an all-day cafe with a big menu of vegan options, from sweet potato sopes to burgers to burnt end tacos and nachos. Get those, or get the corned beef sandwich. Just trust me. 2558 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
Dream Creamery Nokomis
Elsewhere in dreamy news, Dream Creamery, the Northeast ice cream and smash burger shop from Travail, has opened up in the little space adjacent to Italian Eatery in south Minneapolis (which Travail took over around this time last year). On the menu: Dream Burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, and 22 ice cream flavors. 4724 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
Potter’s Pasties
More like St. Pasties: Potter's Pasties and Pies has opened a third brick-and-mortar spot in St. Paul, this one inside the Dabbler Depot liquor store. It joins locations in Minneapolis and Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, as well as Potter’s fleet of Union Jack-painted food trucks. 1545 Seventh St. W., St. Paul
Red Rocket Pizza Co.
Oh, do you… is that… does that, um… does anyone else call their dog’s… you know, nevermind. Red Rocket Pizza Co. is now slingin’ pies at Bauhaus Brew Labs. 1315 Tyler St NE, Minneapolis
Two Mixed Up
Two Mixed Up’s smash burger and wing shop at Graze food hall has been joined by a second location in the Minneapolis skyway. Yes, I will be stopping by soon to eat the “burger fries” with Philly cheesesteak meat and jalapeños. 121 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis
Mestiizo
With Mestiizo, located in the former Sheridan Room (and, briefly, ALTBurger) space, longtime bartender Danny Guerrero is mixing Latin and Asian flavors. “What we're trying to do here is blurring the line that divides—this is Mexican food, this is Japanese or Asian food—we want everything to pretty much blend into harmony,” Guerrero tells MSP Mag. 337 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
PaperBoy Deli
Good news for folks lunching in the Minneapolis skyway: PaperBoy Deli, a new sandwich shop from Kamal Mohamed (Kizzo, StepChld) and pastry chef Yon Hailu, is now up and running at the Baker Center. They’ve got a menu of Italian-ish sandwiches served on schiacciata, an Italian flatbread. 733 Marquette ave, Suite 223, Minneapolis
Pig Ate My Pizza Bloomington
It finally happened! Pig Ate My Pizza’s second location in Bloomington is now open, with pizzas, burgers, apps, and Nouvelle Brewing beer on tap. Go forth and PAMPer yourself. 10700 Bloomington Ferry Rd., Bloomington
Berto’s
Tixtli, the Graze Food Hall offering from the Nixta/Oro crew, has closed and been replaced by Berto’s, a burrito shop from the Travail folks. Yes: That makes this a trio of Travail openings in this edition of the Racket Restaurant Roundup. 520 N. Fourth St., Minneapolis
Closed, Closing, or Changing
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
This one hurts: Fair State Brewing Cooperative, MN’s first cooperative brewery, is where Racket hosted its launch party in 2021, and we continued to host our birthday there for many years. Just love a unionized, cooperatively owned beermaker! But after filing for bankruptcy in 2024, the brewery never really recovered, selling the majority of its assets to Ranchers Beverage Co., according to a letter to members in December. While Ranchers plans to keep brewing Fair State beer at its St. Paul production facility, they’ve closed the Northeast taproom and tiny brewery.
Banh Appetit
Also painful! Banh Appetit, the excellent spiritual successor to Dinkytown’s Bun Mi, announced its closure on December 10, and its last day of service was December 23. “[I]t has always been of great honor to be a part of your lives, your celebrations, and your everyday dining experiences,” the team said on Instagram.
Stonegarden
Man, I really liked Stonegarden, which opened on Chicago Ave. in late 2024. An all-day brunch spot (even on weekdays), Stonegarden served really great benedicts and tartines and just felt kinda nice (but not too nice) in a way that I liked. It closed suddenly in December, and I will miss it.
Handsome Hog
Bourbon and BBQ restaurant Handsome Hog, which spent just about a decade in St. Paul (first Lowertown, then Cathedral Hill) has closed. HH was founded by troubled local chef Justin Sutherland, who left the restaurant in 2024.
Butter Bakery Cafe
After 20 years, Butter Bakery Cafe on Nicollet and 37th closed at the end of December with one final butter-ball drop. “These past 20 years have provided our community much to be proud of … With your investments, we helped transform a neighborhood commercial corridor and a local food economy,” its farewell from owner Dan Swenson-Klatt reads.
Savory Bake House Moving to St. Paul
Huge scoop on a tiny bakery from Longfellow Whatever: Savory Bake House, that cult-loved, excellent bakery that always has a line down the block, is moving to a much bigger space in St. Paul's South Como neighborhood. That’s great news for Savory Bake House—it’ll quadruple their space—but definitively sad news for the folks of Longfellow and the neighboring communities who love this little spot.
Caja
In addition to the closure of Tixtli by Nixta at Graze mentioned above, Caja, the fried chicken spot from Alma’s Alex Roberts, will leave the food hall at the end of this month. The stand replacing it will also come from the Travail team, according to the Strib.
Just Announced and Coming Soon
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
Possibly the biggest news in this edition of the Racket Restaurant Roundup: Sameh Wadi’s Middle Easter restaurant Saffron will officially return, an announcement 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.
In the Works
As previously reported in the Racket Restaurant Roundup…
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
Dahlia
Here's some great news if you love Dahlia, but also if you love MN Nice Cream. Sharyn Jackson at the Star Tribune reports that the former, a popular pop-up bakery (which we love), is heading for the latter's space. But MN Nice Cream (which we love) isn't going anywhere: The two will share the space, with Dahlia serving breakfast and lunch during the day Thursday through Sunday and MN Nice Cream taking over in the evening hours. The collab will launch in January. 807 NE Broadway St., 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.
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. They're now hiring and hope to open this fall, according to the latest Instagram updates. 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.
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
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.
