Angel Food Bakery and Coffee Bar, The Left Handed Cook, Cupcake St. Paul and more

The Tap by Jason Walker

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The Tap loves restaurant tips from readers, so we’re awarding a Heavy Table pint glass to the best tipster each month. The Tap is the metro area’s comprehensive restaurant buzz roundup, so if you see a new or newly shuttered restaurant, or anything that’s “coming soon,” email Tap editor Jason Walker at jason@heavytable.com.

March’s winner: Heidi Panelli of Fridley

Angel Food Bakery and Coffee Bar (opens late this month)

86 S 9th St, Minneapolis | hellskitcheninc.com

A new bakery from the owners of Hell’s Kitchen, Angel Food opens later this month and will churn out all kinds of treats, cakes, and breads, as well as a coffee bar featuring Peace Coffee, in a street-level space right above the restaurant. The bakery, led by current Hell’s Kitchen pastry chef Katy Gerdes and new hire Craig Nelson, will be the source for all the desserts and breads at Hell’s Kitchen as well as serve doughnuts, treats, and coffee to passersby.

Co-owner Cynthia Gerdes said the idea was born because Hell’s Kitchen pastry chefs simply didn’t have enough room in the restaurant’s basement kitchen.

“We looked upstairs at turning that space into a commissary,” she said, “and then we thought, there are some great bakeries in Minneapolis – Rustica, Sun Street, Patisserie 46 – that we’re not trying to compete with, but let’s just be downtown’s bakery. It’ll be full-service, with craft breads, treats, and sweets.”

The new space is unique, Gerdes said, because the layout will make customers feel like they’re a part of the action.

“When you walk in, you’re going to feel like you’re in the middle of a working bakery, where there’s nothing separating you from the staff,” she said. “You’re going to sit at a counter where 12 inches away the pastry chefs are frosting the wedding cakes. It’s a small, intimate space, with seven stools. This isn’t a Starbucks where you spread out for your workday, it’s a downtown bakery where you really have a working bakery, not a cafe.”

As a former resident of the apartments above Angel Food, The Tap is excited to see how the new bakery enhances the building’s already exquisite smell. With Hell’s Kitchen, Bombay Bistro, The Melting Pot, and Jimmy John’s, walking into that building is always an aromatic delight.

After its soft opening, Angel Food will celebrate its official grand opening on Mother’s Day, May 13.

The Left Handed Cook (opens in May)

920 E Lake St, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market) | Find it on Facebook

Aiming for a blend of Asian flavors and American comfort food, Thomas Kim and Kat Melgaard are set to open their new restaurant in the Midtown Global Market next month. Kim, a former Los Angeles restaurateur, has sketched out a menu of small plates, rice bowls, sandwiches, and entrees.

Kim points to three dishes emblematic of his cooking style: a soft-shell crab sandwich with a Thai aioli, avocado cubes, and arare rice crackers; fried chicken with Asian and Latin spices with an aji tarragon vinaigrette; and a steak served with ssam sauce of rosemary, garlic, sesame oil, citrus zest, and Korean chili paste and miso.

Also on the menu: starters like roasted sweet corn, asparagus with poached egg, and truffle parmesan fries; rice bowl choices like pork belly, chicken, ribs, fish, and veggies; and 48-hour braised short ribs.

Opening in the former La Sirena Gorda stall, Kim said he’s hoping to open May 15 but “definitely by the end of May.”

Cupcake (opens this summer)

949 Grand Ave, St. Paul | cup-cake.com

Cupcake St. Paul is back on. The St. Paul City Council had previously denied owner Kevin VanDeraa a parking variance for his proposed bakery and wine bar, but mayor Chris Coleman worked with VanDeraa to find enough parking to satisfy the zoning code and thereby the councilmembers.

“Thank you to Mayor Coleman for working on behalf of small businesses,” VanDeraa said. “We are eager for this to be resolved so that we are able to open in St. Paul early this summer.”

NOW OPEN

Katie Cannon / Heavy Table

  • Fulton Brewing Taproom, 414 Sixth Ave N, Minneapolis | 612.333.3208 | fultonbeer.com
  • Uncle Moe’s Deli & Drafts, 1501 University Ave SE, Minneapolis | 612.886.2553 | unclemoesdeli.com
  • Lucio’s Grill, 433 S Robert St, St. Paul | 651.414.9060 | Find it on Facebook
  • Patron Mexican Restaurant, 207 N Chestnut St, Chaska | 952.479.7053 | Find it on Facebook
  • Dr. Chocolate’s Chocolate Chateau, 579 Selby Ave, St. Paul | 651.379.3676 | chocolatechateau.wordpress.com
  • The Dog House, Alliance Bank Skyway, St. Paul | Find it on Twitter
  • Tibet Kitchen, 1833 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
  • Eat Street Social, 14 W 26th St, Minneapolis | 612.767.6850 | Our take

CLOSED/CLOSING

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
  • Caribe, 791 Raymond Ave, St. Paul. Closing April 15. | www.caribemn.com
  • Nick and Eddie, 1612 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis
  • The Lunch Box, 950 Nicollet Ave (Retek on the Mall skyway), Minneapolis
  • Franklin Street Bakery, 3904 Sunnyside Rd, Edina | franklinstreetbakery.com
  • Joe Senser’s, 16605 County Road 24, Plymouth
  • Cafe Raisa, 15090 Chippendale Ave W, Rosemount
  • Fermentations, 236 Railway St N, Dundas
  • Marcello’s Pizza, 4112 Lancaster Ln N, Plymouth
  • Roman Anthony’s, 1350 Minnesota Cty Rd 96, White Bear Lake
  • Vescio’s, 601 Marquette Ave S, Minneapolis | vescios.com

COMING UP

  • Lynden’s Soda Fountain, 490 Hamline Ave S, St. Paul (old Kopplin’s). Opens April 15. | 651.235.5646 | lyndens.com
  • New Nick and Eddie Warehouse/Speakeasy, 1621 1/2 Harmon Alley, Minneapolis. Opens April 16.
  • Azia Market Bar & Restaurant, 2550 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens in late April. | 612.813.1200 | Find it on Facebook
  • Tin Fish, 3000 E Calhoun Pkwy, Minneapolis. Opens for the season in late April. | 612.823.5840 | thetinfish.net
  • Angel Food Bakery, 80 S 9th St, Minneapolis. Opens in late April. | hellskitcheninc.com
  • Devil’s Advocate, 89 S 10th St, Minneapolis. Opens in April.
  • Rincon 38, 3801 Grand Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens in May.
  • The Left Handed Cook, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market). Opens in May. | Find it on Facebook
  • Nadia Cakes, 11650 Fountains Dr, Suite 207, Maple Grove. Opens May 15. | nadiacakes.com
  • Well Seasoned, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market). Opens this spring. | 612.886.2489 | wellseasonedmpls.com
  • Maruso Street Food and Cocktails, 715 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Opens this spring.
  • Cowboy Jack’s, 126 5th St N, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | theaftermidnightgroup.com
  • George and the Dragon, 813 W 50th St, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | 612.355.9114 | ganddpub.com
  • Ike’s, 17805 Hwy 7, Minnetonka. Opens in April. | ilikeikes.com
  • Rodizio Grill, 12197 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove. Opens in April. | rodiziogrill.com
  • Somos Peru, 6009 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens May 4. | 612.244.3400 | somosperurestaurant.com
  • Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis. Opens in May. | Find it on Facebook
  • Harriet Brasserie, 2724 W 43rd St, Minneapolis. Opens in early May.
  • Selma’s Ice Cream, 3419 Saint Croix Trl S, Afton. Opens in May.
  • J.J.’s Coffee Company & Wine Bar, 1800 W Lake St, Minneapolis. Opens in May. | Our take on the original
  • Little Tijuana, 17 E 26th St, Minneapolis. Reopening this spring. | Find it on Facebook
  • Cafe Maude at Loring, 1612 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis | cafemaude.com
  • Masu Sushi & Robata, Mall of America. Opens this spring. | Our take on the original
  • Bar Louie, 1320 Lagoon Ave, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | barlouieamerica.com
  • Birdhouse, 2516 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | Find it on Facebook
  • Sweet Ducky Cupcakery, 117 W Churchill St #2, Stillwater. Opens this spring. | 651.472.1150 | Find it on Facebook
  • Blue Door Pub, 3448 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | thebdp.com
  • Mona, 333 S 7th St, Minneapolis. Opens this spring. | 612.208.7675 | Find it on Facebook
  • Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub, 2724 E 38th St, Minneapolis. Opens this summer. | 612.328.1450 | northboundbrewpub.com
  • Cupcake, 949 Grand Ave, St. Paul. Opens this summer. | cup-cake.com
  • Smack Shack, Washington Ave N and 6th Ave N, Minneapolis. Opens this summer. | smack-shack.com
  • Excelsior Brewing Company, 421 3rd St, Excelsior. Beers available on tap this summer. | 952.474.7837 | excelsiorbrew.com
  • Pizza Luce, 800 W 66th St, Richfield. Opens in June. | pizzaluce.com
  • Tavern Grill, 772 Bielenberg Dr, Woodbury. Opens in June.
  • El Burrito Mercado, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market). Opens in June. | elburritomercado.com
  • Primebar, 3001 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis | restaurants-america.com
  • Indeed Brewing, 711 15th Ave NE Minneapolis. Opens this summer. | 612.643.1226 | indeedbrewing.com
  • Sole Mio, 1750 Weir Dr, Woodbury. Opens in July.
  • Cossetta’s, 211 7th St W, St. Paul. Existing market opening new rooftop restaurant; opens this summer. | 651.222.3476 | cossettaeventi.com
  • New Don Saunders restaurant, 2115 W 21st St (old Kenwood Cafe), Minneapolis | Our take on Saunders’ In Season
  • Blood and Chocolates, 495 Selby Ave, St. Paul. Opens in 2012. | 651.492.4799 | Find it on Facebook
  • Super Moon Buffet, 6445 Wayzata Blvd, St. Louis Park
  • Dangerous Man Brewing, 1300 2nd St NE, Minneapolis | 612.377.4164 | dangerousmanbrewing.wordpress.com
  • The Original Just Turkey Restaurant, 3758 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | originaljustturkey.com
  • Rusty Taco, 522 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis | rustytacomn.com
  • Alley Sports Tavern, 100 6th St N, Minneapolis
  • :D-Spot, Dinkytown, Minneapolis | Our take on the original
  • Pistol Pete’s BBQ, 222 N Chestnut St, Chaska
  • Damera Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant, 823 University Ave, St. Paul
  • Dilla’s Ethiopian Restaurant, 1813 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis
  • Chopstiks Cafe, 501 University Ave, St. Paul
  • Moonlight Cafe, 1907 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis
  • Ruze Bakery and Lounge, 4669 Lakeland Ave N, Robbinsdale | ruzebakery.com
  • Burger Night, Minneapolis. Still looking for location. | 612.217.0102 | burgernight.me
  • Humble Pie, 822 W 36th St, Minneapolis. Kim Bartmann’s revamp of Gigi’s. | 612.825.0818
  • Rocky and Shem’s Ice Cream Shoppe, 56th and Chicago, Minneapolis. Opens late 2012 / early 2013.

The Tap is The Heavy Table’s guide to area restaurant openings, closings, and other major events. The Tap is compiled by Heavy Table writer Jason Walker, and will be published biweekly. If you already subscribe to our newsletter, look for an emailed version of The Tap every other week — otherwise, you can find it on the website on alternating Tuesdays.

If you’ve got tips for The Tap, please email Jason Walker at jason@heavytable.com. The Tap’s Twitter feed has moved to @heavytable.

One Comment

  1. Bobannon

    Nadia Cakes had something on their Facebook page saying they have revised their opening date to July.

Comments are closed.