The debuts local food writers are most excited for
It’s an Eater tradition to round out the year with a survey of local food experts — editors, writers, reporters, and a select few others — on the highs, lows, and surprises of the past 365 days in dining. Today, our panel looks at the most exciting restaurant debuts planned for 2024. Have thoughts to share? Feel free to add them in the comments.
This is the year we see how the Gavin Kaysen machine works: Bûcheron, Diane’s Place, and Gia will all be opened by veterans from his camp.
Anything by Yia Vang.
It feels like we’ve been waiting years for Yia Vang’s Vinai (because we have), so that debut is one to watch. In similarly long-awaited news, I’m looking forward to Diane Moua’s new spot in the Food Building. And I’m so stoked for Chilango, the new Mex-Tex restaurant from Jorge Guzmán.
That would be Diane’s Place at the Food Building — Diane Moua’s talent as a chef and innovator speaks for itself at this point, and seeing her realize that talent in a restaurant and event space is incredibly exciting. It also ties into a bigger thread of new-wave Southeast Asian-influenced spots opening up and really knitting together deep, bold, rooted flavors (think Gai Noi, Mi-Sant, and Hai Hai, for example) into the contemporary Minneapolis-Saint Paul dining scene.
I’m super excited for Chef John Sugimura’s new concept, Suji. A strong Japanese immersive dining experience coming to Minneapolis. I loved his last concept, PinKu in Northeast Minneapolis, and was sad to see it close. So I highly recommend keeping an eye out for this one when it opens because there won’t be anything else out there like this.
I have anxiously been awaiting the arrival of Tap In on Lowry! A community-centered space with delicious food and drinks will be a wonderful addition to the area.
Can it be true? Is chef Yia Vang finally going to open his much-anticipated Hmong restaurant Vinai in 2024? I have absolutely no doubt it will be worth the wait.
Diane’s Place at the Food Building — I love Diane Moua’s pastries, and I’m also excited to check out the savory Hmong-inspired dishes and bar program. It will be nice to see the Food Building fully utilized again, it’s such a neat space.
I’m can’t wait for both Diane’s Place and Vinai, and whatever the Dahlia team does creating a lunchy, brunchy, daytime spot. I’m also excited about Jade Dynasty coming to the old Fuji Ya spot at Lyn-Lake — hell yes to a new dim sum spot, we need more! Coastal Seafood’s new St. Paul bar seems really promising, too. If there’s one thing I could snap my fingers and conjure for the Cities’ dining scene, it would be the kind of casual, (relatively) affordable oyster bar you can find on the coasts. Maybe this is the place.