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Tracking the latest bar and restaurant developments in Minneapolis and St. Paul
This curated list features newly announced restaurant and bars coming to the Twin Cities, organized roughly by when they’re expected to open. (New restaurants that have already opened live here.) Expansions of existing local restaurants are tracked at the bottom of the list. Did we miss something? Reach out at minneapolis@eater.com.
Gia
Gia, a new Italian restaurant from chefs Jo Seddon and Lisa Wengler, is set to open in Linden Hills on February 6. Seddon and Wengler met in the kitchen of Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour — after running Gia as a pop-up at Café Vin (and, last summer, as a seasonal restaurant at Waconia’s Sovereign Wine Estates), they’re making the leap to a full-service restaurant. Expect fresh pastas; roasted vegetables; grilled prawns; bright lemon tarts with cream. 5555 Xerxes Avenue S., Minneapolis
Berlin
A moody new jazz club is poised to open in Minneapolis’s North Loop, just next door to chef Dani del Prado’s steakhouse Porzana. Berlin, tucked inside a snug brick building, has a decidedly European feel — there’s a crescent bar in the back; textures of marble, velvet, and brass; a small stage set with a grand piano, and a menu of potted duck confit, baked gnocchi, and baba au rhum from culinary director Jamie Malone of Paris Dining Club (and previously Grand Cafe). Ruby Langworthy, an alum of Young Joni’s Back Bar and Little Tijuana, heads the beverage program; general manager Jenna Schimdt came to Berlin from Demi. The live music calendar kicks off with Berlin’s grand opening on February 7. 204 N. 1st Street, Minneapolis
Caphín
Càphin Minneapolis, the Vietnamese coffee truck from owners Jenny and Savio Nguyen, is opening a permanent location at the former Jinx Tea Bar space, as Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal reports. The Nguyens got their start serving Vietnamese coffees like cà phê trứng (a traditional egg coffee) and cà phê lá dứa (an espresso drink laced with pandan syrup) at farmers markets around the metro. They saw a huge increase in sales this summer, according to the Biz Journal, after Càphin proved to be a hit at the Mill City Farmers Market. The coffeeshop is slated to open on February 17 — the Nguyens also plan to serve pastries from local bakeries and, eventually, their banh-inis, a banh mi-panini mash up with Vietnamese ham. 4503 France Avenue S., Minneapolis
SunBean Coffee
Coming soon to the Standish-Ericsson neighborhood: SunBean Coffee, a venture by Fred and Annie DuBose. Racket has the scoop on this upcoming coffee shop’s schemes for a bright, sunny, mood-lifting interior; ethically grown coffee and non-coffee drinks; food pop-ups from local women and BIPOC-owned businesses; and a mission that supports mental health. A grand opening is planned for February 26. 4553 34th Avenue S., Minneapolis
Chilango
Jorge Guzmán, James Beard-nominated chef of Kingfield’s Petite León, has announced he’s opening a second restaurant in the Calhoun Beach Club, formerly home to Urban Eatery. Chilango’s focus will be, as Guzmán puts it, “Mex-Tex” food, a spin that leans into Mexican dishes but leaves room for Texan flair. (“I want to do Mexican food, but I also want the ability to pivot and smoke ribs, or throw down on some tasty as hell brisket nachos,” Guzmán said in a statement.) The bar program promises tequila, slushy frozen drinks, imported Mexican beers, and various cocktails. Chilango is slated to open in February 2024, giving it ample time to gear up for summer lakeside dining. 2730 W. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55416
Diane’s Place
It was big news last year when Beard-nominated pastry chef Diane Moua announced she was leaving Bellecour Bakery to open her own restaurant. As Moua told Eater last year, expect pastries that meld traditional French forms with Southeast Asian flavors (yuzu, taro, etc.), Hmong home cooking tied to her family’s Wisconsin farm (guinea hens, bitter melon, pork fat with mustard greens), and modern savory dishes. Moua will also be collaborating with Erik Sather of Lowry Hill Meats. Look for a late winter or spring opening. 1401 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis
Keefer Court
Beloved Chinese bakery Keefer Court, a 40-year fixture of Minneapolis’s Cedar Riverside neighborhood until its 2023 closure, is stepping into a new phase of life at Eden Prairie’s Asia Mall, under Pho Mai owners Michael Bui, Mai Bui, and Peter Do. Construction is underway; expect an opening this winter or spring.
Highland Popcorn
Racket has the run-down on Highland Popcorn, an upcoming St. Paul restaurant that employs and uplifts workers with disabilities. Flavors range from classics like movie-theater and kettle corn to peppermint caramel. “To come into a supportive environment where you’re geared toward success, and you’re not going to be worried abut people lashing out at you or telling you you can’t do something—this is all about abilities, and what you can do,” owner Shamus O’Meara told Racket. 2138 Ford Parkway, St. Paul
Manila Sizzling Wok and Grille at Burnsville Center
After closing their University Avenue location of Manila Sizzling Wok and Grille on St. Paul’s University Avenue, Rowan and Laydelyn Gutierrez are reopening their Filipino restaurant at Burnsville Center, this time under the name Manila Sizzling Plate, Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal reports. Rowan told the Biz Journal the menu will feature “traditional” Filipino fare with sisig, lechon kawali, and lumpia at the center. He hopes to open in late February or early March. 1178 Burnsville Center, Burnsville
A Bar of Their Own
The Cities’ first bar dedicated entirely to women’s sports is opening in the former Tracy’s Saloon space this spring, hopefully in time for the Big 10 Women’s Basketball tournament in early March. Here’s the full story. 2207 E. Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis
Crossing Bridge Noodle Restaurant
Southwest Voices has the scoop on the new Chinese restaurant coming to the former Bad Waitress space. Kevin Ni, co-owner of Sushi Train, is brining crossing-the-bridge noodles (a brothy dish of meat, rice noodles, and vegetables from China’s Yunnan province) plus other fare to Eat Street. An opening is planned for March 15. 2 E. 26th Street, Minneapolis
Chimborazo
One of Northeast Minneapolis’s most popular restaurants is making a leap to St. Paul. Ecuadorian favorite Chimborazo will open a second location on St. Paul’s Lexington Parkway on April 22, Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal reports. Expect the same fall-off-the-bone seco de pollo, creamy mahi-mahi encocado, and snacky llapingachos from chef Marcos Pinguil. 508 Lexington Parkway, St. Paul
Klassics Kitchen & Cocktails
Chef Gerard and Brittney Klass’s C.R.E.A.M. Cafe, serving coffee flights, breakfast sandwiches, and banana chai lattes, is already open in the Mill District — and sister restaurant Klassics Kitchen & Cocktails is on the way. Menu details are scant so far, but keep an eye on Instagram for updates. 428 S. 2nd Street, Minneapolis
Picnic
E and Andrew Kitzenberg are bringing a neighborhoody new cafe and bar to the old Clancey’s space in Linden Hills. Southwest Voices has all the fun details: BLTs and prosciutto-topped salads for lunch; a succinct dinner menu of pasta and bone-marrow fried rice; a casual, drop-in atmosphere for drinks; and at the center of it all, picnic boards laden with crudo, pickled mussels, and pimento cheese. Look for an opening this spring. 4307 Upton Ave S., Minneapolis
Jade Dynasty Restaurant and Bar
A new dim sum and hot pot restaurant is coming to the former Fuji Ya space as part of a Lake Street revitalization project, Southwest Voices reports. Chuen Sai “Paul” Wu and Eric Zeng promise “authentic Asian cuisine and specialize in Cantonese dishes, fresh fish and seafood, Asian hot pot, and Chinese dim sum.” Look for a late winter or early spring opening. 600 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Starling
Jester Concepts, the restaurant group behind Butcher & the Boar, Borough, Parlour, and P.S. Steak, is expanding to the suburbs via a new Edina restaurant, Starling. Culinary director Wyatt Evan’s menu spans continents with dishes like green curry walleye, yakisoba, Balinese fried rice, and a Moroccan-influenced seafood boil with a cocktail program to match; desserts include bunuelos and ube tres leches cake. Starling won’t be taking reservations. Look for a spring opening. 4917 Eden Avenue, Edina
Dave’s Hot Chicken
LA-based, Kris-Humphries-owned chain Dave’s Hot Chicken is beefing up its Twin Cities expansion plan — in addition to the current Minnetonka location, 15 other spots are planned across the state. So far, as Bring Me the News reports, St. Paul, Maple Grove, and Apple Valley are all getting a Dave’s. Multiple locations
The Brother’s Eatery
Southwest Voices was first to report that the Brother’s Eatery, an all-day breakfast spot, is setting up shop in the former Vo’s Vietnamese space on Lyndale Avenue. Expect all the American breakfast classics: pancakes, omelets, steak and eggs, the works. No opening date has been announced yet, but it’s fair to expect sometime this spring. 3450 Lyndale Avenue S., Minneapolis
Brew Lab 101
New Mexico-based Brew Lab 101 is landing in the North Loop early this year, as Bring Me the News reports, with local brewer Ryan Woodfill (an alum of Canal Park Brewing Company, Lake Superior Brewing, and StormKing Brewpub) at the helm. 25 N. 4th Street #100, Minneapolis
Lynette
Lynette is the new restaurant coming to Longfellow’s former Riverview Cafe and Wine Bar. As Mpls.St.Paul Magazine reports, Billie Conaway, Travis Serbus, and Melissa and Ben Siers-Rients plan to fully renovate the 4,500-square-foot space and transform the old Riverview into a new kind of neighborhood restaurant. Serbus and Ben Siers-Rients (both of Petite León and Little Tijuana) are among the co-founders of Lyn65, the beloved, now-closed Richfield restaurant that transformed a strip mall space into cozy, time-worn haunt. Lynette an homage to Lyn65. Expect neighborhood-y, bistro-like dishes of the finest sort: fresh pasta, rotisserie chicken, duck fat fries, sourdough pizza, etc., plus wine and cocktails. Lynette is slated to open in spring of this year. 3753 42nd Avenue S., Minneapolis
Tender Lovin’ Chix on Lyndale
Tender Lovin’ Chix, which debuted just this spring, is making the food-truck-to-permanent leap and opening in the former Fire & Nice Ale House space in Uptown. Marques “Ques” Johnson and Billy Tserenbat (of Billy Sushi) are the names behind this spot — it’s one of Tserenbat’s growing number of local collabs, following his partnership with Jon Wipfli of Animales Barbecue. Tender Lovin’ Chix has made its name on its Tokyo-fried-rice-and-chicken-tender combo, so expect more of that, plus an expanded menu. Tserenbat tells Mpls.St.Paul Magazine the new spot will have a bistro feel, plus a full sake bar. Johnson told Eater he’s shooting for an April opening. 2700 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis, MN, 55408
Vinai
Chef Yia Vang’s long-awaited Hmong restaurant, Vinai, will open in the former Dangerous Man taproom in Northeast Minneapolis later this spring. Here’s the full story.
Animales
No word yet on a location for opening date for chef Jon Wipfli’s upcoming permanent location of Animales Barbecue, for which he’s partnered with chef Billy Tserenbat (of Billy Sushi). With a bigger kitchen, Wipfli plans to expand the menu, adding more barbecue and burger options and some key sides. “It’s ridiculous how many people want French fries,” Wipfli told Eater in December 2022. “We’ll probably do something with potatoes or French fries. Give the people what they want.” He’ll be serving alcohol, too, a first for Animales, which has operated as a food truck thus far. Location TBD
Tim McKee’s North Loop Basque restaurant
After some financing and construction road bumps, the North Loop’s West Hotel, home to chef Tim McKee’s upcoming Basque restaurant, looks set to resume construction this year. McKee, the chef behind former Twin Cities restaurants La Belle Vie, Solera, Sea Change, and Octo Fishbar, has devised a Basque-influenced menu of charcoal-cooked dishes and pintxos (small snacks typically served at Spanish bars), though finer details have been scant so far.
Well’s Roadside
St. Louis Park’s Galaxy Drive-In, long owned by Rainforest Cafe founder Steve Schussler, has found a new owner in local restaurant Craft & Crew Hospitality, the Star Tribune reports. Well’s Roadside will diner-style fare like offer burgers and ice cream, plus beer and wine, on a year-round basis. It’ll be a dog-friendly space, too. An opening date hasn’t been nailed down yet. 3712 Quebec Avenue S., Minneapolis
Walkin’ Dog
Beloved hot dog stand Walkin’ Dog is making a triumphant return to Minneapolis’s North Star Center in September of 2024, after closing in April of 2023. A LinkedIn post from the North Star Center promises “dogs, malts, sides and camaraderie in an updated version of this Minneapolis classic that honors Dave & Cindy Magnuson’s legacy.” 608 2nd Avenue S. #725, Minneapolis
Local expansions:
Nashville Coop is opening a third location in Richfield; fried chicken chain Pollo Campero expanding across the state; trendy ice cream and boba shop Treats is expanding to the Mall of America; Nico’s Tacos is adding a third location at 50th and Penn, Puralima Cantina is adding six new locations around the Cities; Zamboni’s Pizza Pub is expanding to the former Eagle Street Grill space; NY Gyro is opening a seventh Minnesota location at Lyn-Lake in the former Chicago’s Very Own space.
