Cranky’s Bicycle Bar (opening spring 2011)
E Lake St, Minneapolis | crankysbicyclebar.com
Details are starting to emerge about Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, an upcoming joint on E Lake St at a still-undetermined location. Owner Ross Stangler envisions a bike-obsessed gathering place where cyclists can meet, eat, and drink along the highly traveled Midtown Greenway near the Mississippi River.
“I’ve worked in, designed and consulted for bars / restaurants for a long time from Montana to New York and decided it was time to try to get out on my own,” he said. “I love Minneapolis. It’s my hometown, and being an avid bicycler, this concept just clicked.
“It’s seems like we’re a little past due for a bicycle-centric bar in one of the nation’s top bicycle-friendly and progressive cities.”
Stangler said the menu direction is a blend of local and international comfort food that has “been deconstructed and reenvisioned using sustainable, local sources.”
An opening date is not set; it feels like it will be a few months, though, as Stangler said he was still in the early stages of development.
Tilia (opening soon)
2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis | 612.354.2806 | tiliampls.com
Steven Brown is previewing the menu at Tilia in Minneapolis’ Linden Hills neighborhood, where starters like gravlax with flying-fish-roe butter, escargot, and celery root chowder share space with four entrees: squash pasta, cod, roasted pork tenderloin, and grilled mahi mahi.
Other eye-catchers include a bacon cheeseburger on a pretzel roll, a “peanut butter french toast waffle”, and two desserts — toffee date cake and German chocolate cupcakes — developed with pastry chef / author Zoe Francois (Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day). A children’s menu lists grilled chicken, spaghetti, chicken and stars soup, and “ants on a log.”
Brown and co-owner Jorg Pierach each were mum on an opening date, but it can’t be far off because they’re already selling gift cards on their website and on Facebook.
NOW OPEN
- Le CrazyTaste Bakery, 1316 SE 4th St, Minneapolis | 612.331.4388
- On’s Thai Kitchen, 1613 University Ave W, St. Paul | 651.644.1444
- Lucy’s, 3025 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis | 612.344.5829
- Cocina del Barrio, 5036 France Ave S, Edina | 952.920.1860 | barriotequila.com
- Naviya’s Thai Brasserie, 2812 W 43rd St, Minneapolis | 612.276.5062
- Pollo Campero, 1572 S Robert St, St. Paul | campero.com
- Hazel’s Northeast, 2859 Johnson St NE, Minneapolis | 612.788.4778 | hazelsnortheast.com
- Meritage (open again after a brief remodel), 410 St Peter St, St. Paul | 651.222.5670 | meritage-stpaul.com
- North Washington Cafe, 700 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis | 612.236.9444 | northwashingtoncafe.com
- Falafel King, 1851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis | falafelking.com
- People’s Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe, 3545 Galleria, Edina (near Crate & Barrel) | peoplesorganiccoffee.com
- Buffalo Wild Wings, 2001 SE University Ave, Minneapolis | 612.617.9464 | buffalowildwings.com
- In Season, 5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.926.0105 | inseasonrestaurant.com
- Blackbird, 3800 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.823.4790 | blackbirdmpls.com
- Pinstripes, 3849 Gallagher Dr, Edina | 952.835.6437 | pinstripes.com
- The Inn, 89 S 10th St, Minneapolis | 612.886.2377 | inneats.com
- Mozza Mia, 3910 West 50th St, Edina | 952.288.2882 | mozzamia.com
- Pizzeria Lola, 5557 Xerxes Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.424.8338 | pizzerialola.com
- Psycho Suzi’s, 1900 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis | 612.788.9069 | psychosuzis.com
- BLVD Kitchen and Bar, 11544 W Wayzata Blvd, Minnetonka | 763.398.3200 | blvdkitchen.com
- Filfilah Restaurant and Grill, 4301 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis
- Steepery Tea Bar, 783 Radio Dr, Woodbury | 651.788.9759 | teagardeninc.com
- Dogwood Coffee Co., 3001 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis | dogwoodcoffee.com
- Prairie Ale House, 16396 Wagner Way, Eden Prairie | 952.949.9700 | prairiealehouse.com
- Purple Sandpiper, 8405 Lyndale Ave S, Bloomington | 952.888.1429 | www.purplesandpiper.com
- Mendoberri, 730 Main St, Mendota Heights | 651.209.3270 | mendoberri.com
- Town Hall Tap, 4810 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.822.1449 | townhallbrewery.com
- Darbar India Grill, 1221 W Lake St, Minneapolis | 612.822.3300 | darbarindiagrill.com
- Gorkha Palace, 23 4th St NE, Minneapolis | 612.886.3451 | gorkhapalace.com
- Scusi, 1806 St Clair Ave, St. Paul | 651.789.7007 | scusistpaul.com
- Jack’s, 818 W 46th St, Minneapolis | 612.825.2183 | jacksmpls.com
CLOSED / CLOSING:
- Da Afghan, 929 W 80th St, Bloomington
- Kieran’s Old Pub, 330 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis
- 501 Club, 501 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis (closing Jan. 8)
- St. Martin’s Table, 2001 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis
- Ringo, 5331 W 16th St, St. Louis Park
- Zahtar, 755 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie (in Lifetime Fitness)
- Cafe Bonxai, 1613 University Ave W, St. Paul
- Palomino, 825 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
COMING UP:
- Heidi’s, 2903 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, opening Jan. 11 | 612.354.3512 | heidismpls.com
- The Lowbrow, 4244 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, opening late January | 612.208.0720 | thelowbrowmpls.com
- American Burger Bar, 800 LaSalle Place (8th and Hennepin), Minneapolis | americanburgerbar.com
- Patriot’s Tavern, 145 New England Pl, Stillwater. Will be owned by Brent and Brian Pilrain of Roma Market in Willernie. Scheduled to open this month.
- Turtle Bread, 4205 E 34th St, Minneapolis, opening in early 2011 | turtlebread.com
- Tilia, 2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis | 612.618.3069 | tiliampls.com
- Crave, 825 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (former Palomino) | craveamerica.com
- Sweets Bakeshop, 4747 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | sweetsbakeshop.com
- The Lowry Cafe, 2207 Lowry Ave N, Minneapolis
- The Herb Box, 755 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie | theherbbox.com
- Bread & Pickle, Lake Harriet bandshell, Minneapolis, opening April 1 (weather permitting)
- Rosa Mexicano, 6th and Hennepin, Minneapolis (in City Center next to Fogo de Chao) | rosamexicano.com
- Black Sheep Pizza, Rossmor Building, downtown St. Paul | 612.342.COAL | blacksheeppizza.com
- Masu Sushi & Robata, 330 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
- Ahern’s Irish Pub, 126 5th St N, Minneapolis
- Blue Door Pub, 26th and Nicollet, Minneapolis
- Pat’s Tap, 3510 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
- Sun Street Breads, 4600 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. A brick-and-mortar location for Solveig Tofte, opening March 2011 | sunstreetbreads.com
- Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, E Lake St, Minneapolis, opening spring 2011 | crankysbicyclebar.com
- Betty’s Pies, Mall of America | bettyspies.com
- Little Szechuan, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | littleszechuan.com
- La Crepe Nanou, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | lacrepenanou.com
- Huey’s 24 / 7 Diner, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | hueys247diner.com
- The Wine Loft, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | thewineloft.net
- Burger Jones, 1617 County Road 42, Burnsville. Opening spring 2011 | burgerjones.com
- Pizza Ranch, 1220 Highway 25 S Suite 104, Monticello | 320.250.8095 | pizzaranch.com
- YO!Sushi | Company says five metro locations coming, first in Minneapolis in 2011 | yosushi.com
- Andiamo Italian Ristorante, 1629 Lena Ct, Eagan
- Mill Valley Kitchen, 3900 Excelsior Blvd, St. Louis Park
- Cowboy Jack’s, 2801 Southtown Drive, Bloomington (opening mid-February)
- Shakey’s Pizza, Plymouth
Whoa, Black Sheep opening up downtown St. Paul? Has the time finally come for a strong dining scene over there? Impressive.
There is a lot going on in 2011, looking forward to it.
On’s Thai Kitchen, is absolutely fantastic!
On used to be the head cook at Bangkok Thai Deli, she left around May and went home to Thailand for a few months…
December 2 she opened up On’s, we have been back now about 7 times, this is the real deal folks. You will not find this authentic of Thai food outside of Thailand. Perfectly prepared and very fresh ingredients. This is not a place to miss!
Rosa Mexicano coming to MPLS? Nice. The NYC orginal on 1st Ave was one of my favorites when I lived there.
I just saw an eviction notice on the door of Ahern’s Irish Pub today.
That’s a great tip, NUBR. Thanks a ton.
That place is a puzzle. They were giving away gift certificates during Gophers football games this fall, and their Facebook page had quite a bit of activity, yet they never talked about an actual opening date. Now perhaps we know it’s never happening. Well, good luck to the owners, regardless. If you see any signs of activity in that spot, NUBR, keep me posted – jason@heavytable.com.
How did I miss this about a Black Sheep in St. Paul? I drove right by it this morning! Any idea when it’s opening? Their site doesn’t make any mention of another location.
Never mind, found it on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/blacksheeppizza?ref=ts&sk=wall
Looks like March 7th – yay!