Sun Street Breads (opens March 21)
4600 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.747.4699 | sunstreetbreads.com
Solveig Tofte’s “straight-up bakery cafe” is set to open next week, offering a sandwich-laden breakfast and lunch menu along with her breads, pastries, and other goodies.
“The main thing for breakfast is biscuit sandwiches,” Tofte said. “I have a pretty good repertoire of biscuits. Eggs, toast, meats — lots of bacon everywhere. For lunch, more sandwiches. I’m a sandwich freak.”
Sun Street also has an ambitious drink menu. Coffee is from Dogwood Coffee Co., and Tofte plans a menu of homemade sodas in flavors like pineapple and chai. A beer and wine license has been obtained, but the list is still evolving. “I’m a beer girl, and it’s mostly so I can be involved with the brewing scene here,” she said.
Tofte (we profiled her here) is well-known from her decade at Turtle Bread Company, but she’s probably better known near the new cafe from her Sun Street booth at the Kingfield Farmers Market. Now she’s got a year-round location three blocks from the market in a booming area that recently has added Patisserie 46, Sweets Bakeshop, and The Lowbrow, to name but a few.
“We live just a couple blocks from here so this is our ‘hood, these are our people,” she said. “In Kingfield and Tangletown, there’s all sorts of cool stuff happening. It’s this groundswell of fantasticness.”
Rusty Taco (opens early April)
508 Lexington Pkwy, St. Paul | 612.916.2244 | rustytacomn.com
Owner Bruce Ringgenberg is bringing Rusty Taco, a Dallas-spawned restaurant concept, to the Twin Cities next month. His upcoming 53-seat location, neighboring Trader Joe’s on Lexington Parkway, will offer a concise variety of high-quality tacos and seek to expand the street-truck trend to a counter-service setting.
All tacos are $2.50 each, and beyond the 15 varieties, the only other menu options are chips and dips (and beer, of course, including Fulton Lonely Blonde).
Ringgenberg’s restaurant is the first since the Dallas original, where Rusty Fenton debuted his laser-focused, hangout-friendly concept just last year to rave reviews.
“The reason we’re working with Rusty is the quality,” Ringgenberg said. “We’re very careful not to expand the menu too much to more traditional Hispanic restaurant menu boards.”
Ringgenberg said he hopes to eventually open at least one more Rusty Taco in St. Paul and two in Minneapolis, with more metro expansion possible. “Hopefully we’ll see where the demand leads us,” he said.
Early birds, take note: Rusty Taco will be open at 7am with four breakfast tacos, too, served until 11am.
Wally’s Roast Beef (now open in new location)
8120 Penn Ave S, Bloomington | 952.884.4349 | wallysroastbeef.com
The one-of-a-kind Bloomington sandwich and comfort food outpost (we profiled it here) just moved from its old 90th Street location to 8120 Penn Ave S. Going strong since 1969, Wally’s apparently moved from its former location due to a next-door store’s expansion. The Southtown area will benefit greatly.
NOW OPEN
- Wally’s Roast Beef, 8120 Penn Ave S, Bloomington | 952.884.4349 | wallysroastbeef.com
- Black Sheep Pizza, 512 N Robert St, St. Paul | 651.227.4337 | blacksheeppizza.com
- Cowboy Jack’s, 2801 Southtown Drive, Bloomington | 952.955.8137 | theaftermidnightgroup.com
- Jake & Elwood’s BBQ, 2016 First Ave, Anoka | 763.421.7700
- Pow Wow Grounds Coffee, 1414 E Franklin Ave (in All My Relations Art Gallery), Minneapolis | 612.545.5598
- Crown Coffee, 3445 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis
- River Chocolate Company, 2822 W 43rd St, Minneapolis | 612.926.8466
- Boiler Coffee Room, 1830 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.886.2285
- Smashburger, 8045 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie | smashburger.com
- Sweets Bakeshop, 4747 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | sweetsbakeshop.com
- Urban Eatery, 2730 W Lake St, Minneapolis | 612.920.5000 | myurbaneatery.com
- Aji Japanese, 712 Main St, Hopkins | 952.358.3558 | ajicj.com
- 50th Street Cafe, 3808 W 50th St, Minneapolis | 612.927.4464 | 50thstreetcafe.com
- The Lowbrow, 4244 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.208.0720 | thelowbrowmpls.com
- Harriet Brewing, 3036 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis | 651.491.8979 | harrietbrewing.com
- Heidi’s, 2903 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.354.3512 | heidismpls.com
- Mazopiya, 27571 Credit Union Dr, Prior Lake | 952.233.9140 | mazopiya.com
- Himalayan Restaurant II, 765 53rd Ave NE, Fridley | 763.586.9800
- The Herb Box, 755 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie | 952.829.8484 | theherbbox.com
- Andiamo Italian Ristorante, 1629 Lena Ct, Eagan | 651.289.2000 | andiamomn.com
- University Buffet, 225 University Ave, St. Paul | 651.366.6858
- 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
- North Washington Cafe, 700 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis | 612.236.9444 | northwashingtoncafe.com
CLOSED / CLOSING:
- Kozy’s, 3220 Galleria, Edina (closing end of March) | 952.224.5866 | kozyssteakandseafood.com
- Tillie’s Bean, 2803 E 38th St, Minneapolis
- Dragonfly Coffee, 5001 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis
- Willie D’s Southern Style, 3801 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis
- Le CrazyTaste Bakery, 1316 SE 4th St, Minneapolis
- Applebees, 600 Hennepin Ave (Block E), Minneapolis
- Rosen’s Bar & Grill / The Refuge Bar & Grill, 430 First Ave N, Minneapolis
- The Tea Garden, 101 E 5th St, St. Paul | teagardeninc.com
- Aperitif Restaurant & Bar, 772 Bielenberg Dr, Woodbury
- Ansari’s Mediterranean Grill, 1960 Rahn Cliff Ct, Eagan (closed temporarily due to fire) | 651.452.0999 | ansarisgrill.com
- Amore Coffee, 917 Grand Ave, St. Paul (closing end of March) | 651.222.6770 | amorecoffee.com
- Lily’s, 3301 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis
- 20.21, 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis | 612.253.3410
- West Indies Soul Food, 920 E Lake St #114, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market)
- Pearson’s Edina Restaurant, 3808 W 50th St, Minneapolis
- Fishman’s Delicatessen and Bakery, 4100 Minnetonka Blvd, Minneapolis
- The Favor Cafe, 913 W Lake St, Minneapolis
- Margaux’s Table, 4746 Washington Sq, White Bear Lake
- Town Talk Diner, 2707 E Lake St, Minneapolis
- Liberty Frozen Custard, 5401 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis
COMING UP:
- Tilia, 2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis. Slated to open March 19. | 612.618.3069 | tiliampls.com
- Patriots Tavern, 145 New England Pl, Stillwater. Opens March 21. | www.roman-market.com/patriotindex.html
- Sun Street Breads, 4600 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens March 21. | 612.747.4699 | sunstreetbreads.com
- Sopranos Italian Kitchen, 5331 W 16th St, St. Louis Park. Opens late March. | sopranosmn.com
- American Burger Bar, 800 LaSalle Place (8th and Hennepin), Minneapolis. Opening in March. | americanburgerbar.com
- Pizza Ranch, 1220 Highway 25 S Suite 104, Monticello. Opens March 28. | 320.250.8095 | pizzaranch.com
- Bread & Pickle, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy (at bandshell), Minneapolis. Opening April 1. | breadandpickle.com
- Rusty Taco, Lexington Pkwy, St. Paul. Opens early April. | 612.916.2244 | rustytaco.com
- Shanghai Bistro, 324 Main St S, Stillwater. Opening early April.
- Victory 44 Coffee Bar & Provisions, 2201 44th Ave N, Minneapolis | 612.588.2228 | victory-44.com
- Humble Pie, 822 W 36th St, Minneapolis (Kim Bartmann’s revamp of Gigi’s), opening spring 2011 | 612.825.0818
- Masu Sushi & Robata, 330 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Opening spring 2011. | www.masusushiandrobata.com
- Turtle Bread, 4205 E 34th St, Minneapolis. Opening spring 2011. | turtlebread.com
- The Bullfrog, 1111 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Opens early April.
- Pat’s Tap, 3510 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. Opening spring 2011. | 612-825-3229
- Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, E Lake St, Minneapolis. Opening spring 2011. | crankysbicyclebar.com
- Wuollet Bakery, 200 S 6th St (U.S. Bank Plaza skyway), Minneapolis. Opening April 2011. | www.wuollet.com
- Chilango Cantina, 212 E 7th St, St. Paul. Opening late April / early May.
- Gather, 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Opening late April.
- Blue Point, 4400 78th St, Bloomington. Opening this spring.
- Las Tortillas Mexican Restaurant, 15051 Crestone Ave, Rosemount. Opening this spring. | www.lastortillas.net
- Maeve’s Cafe, 300 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis. Opening spring 2011. | 612.379.1033
- The Lowry Cafe, 2207 Lowry Ave N, Minneapolis. Opening late April. | 612.284.7087
- Little Szechuan, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park. Opens May 1. | littleszechuan.com
- Burger Jones, 1617 Cty Road 42, Burnsville. Opens early May. | burgerjones.com
- Crave, 825 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (former Palomino). Opening summer 2011. | craveamerica.com
- Rosa Mexicano, 6th and Hennepin, Minneapolis (in City Center next to Fogo de Chao). Coming summer 2011. | rosamexicano.com
- Brasa Viva Brazil, 913 W Lake St, Minneapolis
- Unnamed Tangletown Gardens restaurant, 5401 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis (in former Liberty Frozen Custard)
- Blue Door Pub, 26th St and Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis
- Betty’s Pies, Mall of America | bettyspies.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
- YO!Sushi | Company says five metro locations coming, first in Minneapolis in 2011. | yosushi.com
- Mill Valley Kitchen, 3900 Excelsior Blvd, St. Louis Park. Opens summer 2011.
- Blue Plate restaurant, 2112 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis (in old Hollywood Video)
- First National Green Room, 215 S Main St, Stillwater
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. Follow The Tap on Twitter at @jasonwalkermpls.
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