This week in The Tap: A look ahead at upcoming restaurants in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, notes about spots that have closed, and about those that have recently opened.
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 James Norton at editor@heavytable.com.
NOW OPEN:
- MN Nice Cream Cafe, 807 Broadway St NE #102, Minneapolis | Instagram-ready ice cream in the former Empire Coffee spot.
- Surly Pizza Upstairs, 520 Malcolm Ave SE, Minneapolis | New-Haven-style pizza in the former Brewer’s Table space in the Surly brewery complex.
- Geek Love at Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave S, Minneapolis | The bookstore has moved two blocks north from its original location and its Geek Love restaurant is now open.
- Finnegans Taproom, 817 Fifth Ave S, Minneapolis | The charitably focused brewer has just opened its new brewery and taproom.
- Prime Six, 609 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis | A mishmash of everything upscale from around the world, plus a dance floor. In the old Rosa Mexicano space.
- Holman’s Table, 644 Bayfield St, St. Paul | A restaurant at the St. Paul Airport.
- Sweet Chow, 116 1st Ave N, Minneapolis | Counter-service pho and veggie-friendly fare.
- just/us, 465 Wabasha St N, St. Paul | An ambitious-looking new spot in the suddenly closed Red Lantern space.
- Biergarten Germania, 275 E Fourth Street, St. Paul | Schnitzel, pretzels, brats, and other German standards, plus beer. Here’s our first look.
- Fig + Farro, 3001 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis | Vegetarian food in the semi-cursed former Figlio’s space.
- Sound, 132 E Superior St, Duluth | An ambitious new spot by Chef Patrick Moore (above), formerly of Silos at Pier B.
CLOSED / CLOSING:
- StormKing Barbecue (going down to one day a week, Saturdays). Our review here.
- Kings Wine Bar (to be replaced with a new restaurant TBD)
- Kim’s Vietnamese (as covered on our Checklist)
- Northgate Brewing
- Vescio’s Italian Restaurant
- Wild Onion
- Cap’s Grille
COMING UP:
Minneapolis
- El Burrito Minneapolis, 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis | June | A new El Burrito Mercado restaurant in the former Pepitos next to the Parkway Theater.
- Lipstick Pig, 825 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis | Early Summer | Another new barbecue spot, owned by the Eli’s crew.
- Cajun Twist at The Trailhead, Theodore Wirth Park, Golden Valley | Summer 2018 | Gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and more, including beer and wine served up daily out of The Trailhead, a new facility at Wirth Park.
- Fhima’s Minneapolis, 40 Seventh St S, Minneapolis | Summer | A new spot from David Fhima in the form Il Foro/Forum space.
- The Bungalow Club, 4300 E Lake St, Minneapolis | April | A neighborhood establishment in the former Craftsman space focused on fresh pastas.
- All Square, 4047 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis | Spring | Grilled cheese restaurant working to reduce prison recidivism.
- Maven, 901 W Lake St, Minneapolis | Late spring | A project focusing on smoked fish and meats, plus cocktails. By Adam Eaton, Tim Niver, and Saint Dinette’s GM Laurel Elm.
- Royal Foundry Craft Spirits, 241 Fremont Ave N, Minneapolis | 2018 | British-inspired spirits distilled in Minneapolis. Here’s our preview.
- Dayton’s Food Hall & Market, 700 Nicollet Mall | Mid-2019 | Major new 40,000-square-foot food hall curated by Andrew Zimmern.
- Tori 44, 2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis | Mid-April | A new ramen restaurant and noodle manufacturing facility in the former Victory 44 location from the owners of Tori Ramen.
- Popol Vuh and Centro | Spring | A two-restaurants-in-one, high-concept/street-food purveyor with a Mexican emphasis. From the team behind the successful Lyn65 in Richfield. UPDATE, 2/6/18, via Cast Iron Communications: “Centro will open first followed by Popol Vuh and they are looking at Spring time (April/May) as of now.”
- Diamond BBQ, 5400 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis | Early 2018 | Barbecue, escargot, beef tartare, and more. By Daniel del Prado of the recently-opened Martina.
- The Sioux Chef Restaurant at Water Works (on the Mississippi, behind the Mill City Museum) | 2019
- Minnesota Barbecue Company, 816 Lowry Ave NE, Minneapolis | 2018 | A Kansas-City-style barbecue place to be led by Chef Kale Thome of the Travail team (and a Kansas native). Doing pop-ups around town until the official opening.
- Funky Grits, 805 E 38th St, Minneapolis | Soon, pending resolution of plumbing snafu | A soul food spot in the home of the short-lived Hell’s Chicken and Fish.
- Malcolm Yards Market, 501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis | 2019 | A food market that will capitalize on its proximity to Surly’s massive brewery/restaurant complex.
St. Paul
- The Grand Catch, 1672 Grand Ave, St. Paul | Early summer | The Wadi brothers and Thien Ly of Cajun Deli will open a seafood shack on Grand Avenue.
- Spring Cafe, Como Lake Pavilion | Spring | Lakeside dining on Como Lake.
- Hyacinth, 790 Grand Ave, St. Paul | May | Upscale Southern Italian fare in the old Golden Fig space.
- In Bloom at Keg and Case, 928 W 7th St, St. Paul | Early summer | Rustic fine dining over open flames by the Corner Table/Revival team in the new Keg and Case food hall.
- Keg and Case revitalization of the Schmidt Brewery, 928 W 7th St, St. Paul | 2018 | Featuring restaurants by the teams behind Corner Table, and Five Watt, plus Sweet Science ice cream.
- Parlour Bar, 271 W 7th St, St. Paul | Spring | The popular Minneapolis Warehouse District bar-restaurant is branching out into St. Paul.
Greater Twin Cities Area and Beyond
- Pearl and the Thief, 112 N Main St, Stillwater | May | Second restaurant from the chef of Handsome Hog in St. Paul.
- Corktown Deli and Brews, 1906 W Superior St, Duluth| Spring | Minnesota beer and New-York-inspired deli in Duluth’s booming Lincoln Park neighborhood, by the creators of the Duluth Grill.
- The Copper Cow, 5445 Eden Prairie Road, Minnetonka | Summer | A new eatery from the Copper Hen team.
- Garage Bowl and Bar, 16 W First St, Waconia | September 2019 | Boutique bowling, brick oven pizzas, and a high-quality bar program in downtown Waconia.
The Tap is the Heavy Table’s guide to area restaurant openings, closings, and other major events. The Tap is compiled and published biweekly by the Heavy Table. If you have tips for The Tap, please email James Norton at editor@heavytable.com.