This newsletter is free for all subscribers at all levels. Later this week we’ll have two more special Fair-focused newsletters for our $5/month and $10/month subscribers. Next Friday (Sep. 11), we’ll resume regular publication with an edition of the Tap newsletter.

Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making it possible for us to tell the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

ROOT BEER FLOATS AND PREEMPTIVE PROSTATE EXAMS
A Portrait of The Peg at the Minnesota State Fair
By M.C. Cronin with illustrations by WACSO

The spectacle of the Minnesota State Fair’s New Foods Industrial Complex, and the gamesmanship employed by vendors hoping to cash in on it, is an annual test of our will.

Don’t get us wrong. WACSO and I very much enjoy tagging along for the Heavy Table crew’s attack on the new foods. The whole endeavor is a genuine feat of human ingenuity, crafted from loose sheets of paper, printed maps carved into zones, and hand-scrawled marching orders.

But we tend to be the ones lingering around the periphery of the group, lending our opinions while mostly keeping an eye out for those booths not playing the New Fair Foods game. The places with a bit more history under their belt. The operators who are clearly not pursuing revenue at all costs—and who may, sadly, be sealing their own fate because of it.

That’s how we found ourselves at The Peg.

The restaurant occupies a space carved into the back side of the Horticulture Building. Granted, the Horticulture Building is roughly circular, which makes identifying its “back” something of a philosophical exercise. But this feels about as back-of-the-building as anything. The Peg faces a lazy bend in the road that stretches between the Space Tower and the International Bazaar. It’s a rare spot at the fair where not much else seems to be happening. A nice reprieve.

The Peg’s claim to fame, beyond having been at the fair since 1984, is that it’s the only full-service restaurant on the fairgrounds. Just take a seat and, before long, an actual server will come over and take your order. You know, like a “real” restaurant. It’s a pleasant break from standing in yet another line to have food tossed at you through a window.

There’s a lunch counter lined with red vinyl diner chairs. Tables are scattered about surrounded by those hard plastic shell chairs you might remember from your school cafeteria. Its bright red-and-white color scheme is hard to miss.

We grabbed a couple of seats at the counter and struck up a conversation with an older gentleman who had bellied up beside us and ordered a 32-ounce root beer float.

“I was feeling a little dehydrated,” he said, “so I thought I’d better sit down and do something about it.”

We were certain a 32-ounce root beer float would not be his doctor’s first choice for restoring fluids, but we decided not to weigh in. This is the state fair. Different rules apply.

Our new friend told us he comes to the fair every day—or at least tries to. He used to live in the neighborhood. These days, the commute from Norwood Young America is the main obstacle to his daily visits. But we got the feeling nothing was going to prevent him from trying.

And just in case we doubted his commitment, he let us in on a little personal secret. Prior to the fair opening, he made a special trip to his doctor for a checkup. Just to make sure his prostate was prepared for everything the fair might throw at it.

No, he wasn’t kidding.

If that weren’t enough, he also had a custom phone pocket sewn into the thigh of his jeans. This was no amateur. This was a seasoned fair warrior wearing custom-made tactical gear. Between the preemptive prostate exam and the custom fair-going threads, well, honestly…respect.

Our server, Erica, was bubbly, quick with a smile, and happy to tell us about The Peg. She’s worked there for a few years, and her enthusiasm suggested she was built for exactly this sort of thing. She explained that The Peg got its name from the owner’s now-closed nearby diner, The Square Peg.

Apparently, The Peg opens several days before the fair itself. While everyone else is hauling in equipment, assembling booths, and preparing to feed the invading hordes, The Peg is already serving the invading hordes of vendors and workers setting up around the grounds.

We have a rule of thumb: If a menu item is either a) labeled “Famous” or b) named after the establishment, we get it. At The Peg, we managed to satisfy both requirements twice over with the “Famous Peg Burger” and the “Famous Peg Muffin.”

The burger arrived on a sturdy but soft bun with two savory patties that verged pleasantly on crumbling apart. But the star was the signature sauce—which, we are delighted to report, was not another tired variation on Thousand Island dressing. Instead, it was a bright mixture of freshly chopped green peppers and onions in what tasted like a light mustard-and-steak-sauce blend. Maybe.

Whatever was in it, the sauce was genuinely distinctive. It’s the sort of thing we could see ourselves craving again before long.

The Famous Peg Muffin was more straightforward, but no less satisfying: a buttery fried egg, a spicy sausage patty, and a slice of American cheese tucked inside an English muffin. It’s a hefty breakfast sandwich, built to settle the stomach and prepare a person for several hours of aimless wandering and questionable decision-making.

At eight bucks apiece, both sandwiches are legitimate State Fair bargains. No Blue Ribbon Coupon Book required.

One of The Peg’s table settings incorporates a memorial fair bench dedicated to the original owner. It isn’t a grand gesture, but it is a particularly human one. And a nice reminder. If you can pull yourself away from the food showdowns and sit a minute and strike up a conversation with a stranger, you might learn something about what really makes the fair what it is.

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After polishing off his dehydration-averting 32-ounce root beer float, our new friend spent a few tumultuous seconds considering ordering a second. For his own sake—and, based on everything we now knew, the sake of his prostate—we were relieved when he decided against it.

The Peg, Outside the southeast side of Agriculture Horticulture Building at the Minnesota State Fair, 651.353.6282, DAILY 7am-9pm

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This newsletter and the entire Heavy Table magazine presence is made possible by you and everyone else who subscribes to our enterprise. We’re incredibly grateful for our support - it’s the only way we can keep writing, editing, visually documenting and publishing so much Upper Midwestern culinary news.

Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making it possible for us to tell the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

ALL’S FAIR

I’ve been writing about food and drink at the Minnesota State Fair for about 16 years now. Beyond the general stress associated with five hours of marching and eating followed by the act of writing and editing about 10,000 words of copy and many dozen photos, I’ve never taken it very seriously.

In a world where journalists document food insecurity, and pandemics, and climate change, and terrorism, and war, and, and, and... State Fair food really doesn’t rate, and so I’ve never really given it much thought after the Fair’s opening day.

But as a lifelong serial quitter - always happy to throw aside whatever no longer works, sometimes with little justification - I would’ve found a way to ditch the Fair a long time ago if it really didn’t matter. I’ve always been able to silence the nagging voice in the back of my head asking: “If the Fair is really so silly, why don’t you bail on it?” The question I’m asking this year is: Well... why don’t we?

As long as there have been people, there have been celebrations. Take Rome [1], for example: The ability of the wealthy and the powerful to throw a really good public party was one of the key ways that they stayed wealthy and powerful. Chariot races, triumphs, gladiatorial games, public feasts - all ways that money and energy passed from the haves to the have-nots right back up to the haves again.

Weirdly trivial yet also essential. If you can’t stop quotidian life once in a while and celebrate, what’s the point of living? If you can’t party with your neighbors and fellow citizens, where are you really from, and how can you really claim to be at home?

Part of the reason that the State Fair matters - and part of the reason people get so passionate about loving it, or hating it, or stressing over the details of it - is that it’s a forum where we can all stand together as equals, step out of the day-to-day flow, and try to agree on some of the really important things in life: Music. Togetherness. Art. Nearly barfing after eating too many robot-made mini-donuts. Political discourse. Glowing necklaces made from non-compostable plastic. Toy throwing stars, also plastic. The crucial role of agriculture. Beer flavored like Oreo-esque but non-trademark-protected cookies.

The State Fair represents - and I would argue, absolutely should represent - the best that we have to offer one another. When you look at stuff like the absolutely vibrant crop art tradition or the incredible melting pot of diversity on display in the Fair’s various foods and musical acts, you’re getting some of that vital joy.

And when you look at stuff like the general lack of shade or water, the uncontrolled skyrocketing prices of everything, the Australian Nightmare Potato, or the Falcon Heights bandits charging 25 freaking dollars to park on the street, you’re getting the real world elbowing its way into what could be a utopian celebration of what makes Minnesota great. Why not just break the passenger-side window and go through the glove compartment, Falcon Heights? We can’t stop you! Help yourself! You’ve earned it!

We don’t have billionaires like Carnegie or Rockefeller or Augustus or Crassus anymore, horrible men who built mansions and temples to their own glory with one hand while picking up the enormous tab of keeping the masses entertained and cladding cities in marble with the other. Instead we’ve got extractive tech barons and world-class grifters inserting themselves between people and what people need (food, health care, water, information, energy), grinding out as much profit as humanly possible by making those exchanges as unpleasant as possible.

Is our future a trip through a giant misting fan to a shaded bench to a moving display of publicly sourced art? Or is it a dehumanizing, angry, noisy honking 45-minute commute followed by a walk through sun-beaten streets with thousands of other people interrupted only by opportunities to spend 2x or 3x or 4x what’s reasonable for the food and water that we need to get through the day?

At the Minnesota State Fair you can have it all - you can live the dream of creative expression and mutual care, and the nightmare of extractive greed and selfishness. It’s all on display! It’s all available, to be enjoyed or experienced in excruciating measure!

The process of sorting out what is what - what is reasonable, what is fair, what is joyous, what is crass, what is beautiful, what is nourishing, what is junk, what is innovative, what is exploitative, what is fun, what is tedious - that’s a process that engages the brain and the heart and the human soul.

You start to look at all the variables, and the mind boggles. For a person who wants to figure out how the world works, and how it could work a little bit better, the Fair is a worthy adversary.

And that’s why we do it. — James Norton

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FOOTNOTES

[1] WRITER’S NOTE: A few years back, it was discovered that most men think about ancient Rome on a weekly if not daily basis. This led to a new kind of question people would ask each other: “What’s your Roman Empire?”, meaning: “What’s the thing you sort of obsessively noodle about?” For me, my Roman Empire is the Roman Empire. Well, the Roman Republic and the old Roman Empire, but not the latter days (the Eastern/Western split.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This newsletter and the entire Heavy Table magazine presence is made possible by you and everyone else who subscribes to our enterprise. We’re incredibly grateful for our support - it’s the only way we can keep writing, editing, visually documenting and publishing so much Upper Midwestern culinary news.

Welcome, dear readers, to the 16th annual expedition of the Heavy Table Wrecking Crew to the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

As is our custom, our team of writers, illustrators, and photographers hit the ground running on Day 1 of the Minnesota State Fair in order to eat and drink our way voraciously across the landscape for your benefit.

A big thank you before we start: Twin Cities PBS and their new documentary series Relish Presents have underwritten this deranged odyssey of culinary adventure and we’re grateful to them for their support.

Below you’ll find candid notes on nearly 50 different foods and dozens more drinks. We’ve compiled these without fear or favor, praising the delicious and thrifty and skewering the disgusting and overpriced.

If you’re a paying subscriber to the Heavy Table, cheers and thank you - your dues make this (increasingly) expensive tradition possible, and we hope that you’ll find our cheers and jeers make your own trips to the Fair a little more reliably delicious.

If you’re not a paying subscriber, this post will open up for everyone to enjoy next week Wednesday, September 2.

THE BEST FOOD STORIES AREN’T ALWAYS ON THE PLATE

The Minnesota State Fair is a celebration of everything we love about food — sharing it, discovering it, and the people who bring it to life.

This August, continue the journey with Relish Presents, a new documentary series from Twin Cities PBS celebrating the chefs, makers, and community leaders shaping Minnesota’s food culture.

At the heart of Relish Presents are six compelling stories featuring Alex Roberts, Lachelle Cunningham, Mecca Bos, Amalia Moreno Damgaard, Karyn Tomlinson, and Mateo and Erin Mackbee. Together, they offer a fresh perspective on the people, traditions, and communities shaping Minnesota’s food culture.

Whether you’re discovering a new favorite at the Fair or planning your next local food adventure, Relish Presents invites you to meet the people behind the food that brings us together.

Watch Relish Presents on Saturday, August 29 at 10:30 am, airing on TPT 2 and streaming on YouTube and on the PBS App.

AN ECONOMIC NOTE FROM EDITOR JAMES NORTON

Have you noticed in recent years that the Fair seems more and more expensive - in every way? It’s no illusion - from the cost of admission to the cost of food and drink to the cost of parking (thanks, Falcon Heights), the entire enterprise has gone from relative bargain to sweat-inducing splurge.

When we started our Fair roundups back in 2010, we brought around $200 in cash to cover our food expenses. This year we took out $700 in twenties, with little confidence that we wouldn’t have to grab our credit card to cover some gaps. It makes other gaps in hospitality (the ravaged, unusable Food Building stripped of its tables, freakin’ Falcon Heights charging $25 to park on the street, the general lack of easily accessible water) feel that much more painful. Get bent, Falcon Heights!

So: as much as we can this year, we’ll be laser-focused on value. We’ll be eyeballing portion sizes as well as quality and constantly hunting for values to celebrate and price-gouging to groan at. Check our “$26 Burning a Hole in Our Pockets” feature for our contributors’ takes on the best way to spend a modest $26 culinary budget during your trip to the Fair. And learn from our mistakes - we’ll be eating and drinking so much that we’ll happily take the landmines so that you don’t have to.

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Old School Vs. New School | James Norton
Strawberries Deals (And More Often, Not Deals) Forever | Bill Childs
Blue Ribbon Bargains | Stacy Brooks
Not Too Sweet/Way Too Sweet | Amy Rea
NEW DRINKS AT THE FAIR 2026 | Louis Livingston Garcia
What If The Friday’s Appetizer Menu, But A Little Different And At The Fair? | Bill Childs
Meat and Potatoes | Jeanne Lakso
Everything But the Oink | Eli Radtke
$26 Burning a Hole in Our Pockets | Staff

OLD SCHOOL VS. NEW SCHOOL
By James Norton

It’s easy to get set in one’s ways, and demand that old-school foods stay that way forever. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se - that’s how Europe got to curate some of the world’s all-time culinary classics, while we Americans experience Turkey-Blasted Spicy Doritos-Filled Oreos.

But the name of the game at the Minnesota State Fair is culinary innovation, and we’re nothing if not receptive to good intentions. So without further ado, here’s an eight-item rundown comparing new Fair foods with their old-school inspirations, starting with the best, moving on to the rest, and ending with “it blew up on the launchpad, please fetch one of those foamy all-purpose fire extinguishers.”

Peri-Peri Bowl | Afro Deli | $15

This item - high on my list of “Things I probably won’t remember after trying them” - is one of the real shockers of 2026. It’s fantastic.

The contrast and complement of fried sweet plantains and legit spicy fried chicken plus seemingly random but utterly delightful little mini beef sambusas is a feast for the mind as well as the mouth. Straight up delicious, also legitimately fun to eat. A perfect Fair food.

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: I would be hard pressed to like anything more than classic fried chicken, but the Peri-Peri Bowl takes that dish on such a surprising and rewarding journey that I felt legitimately enriched on a personal level. New school for the win. A home run.

Pumpkin Bar Funnel Cake | Taulelle’s Jurassic Corn Dogs | $12

Many questions have tormented humanity without resolution, including: Is the soul immortal? Is perpetual motion attainable? Why did they keep making Ghostbusters movies when the first one was essentially perfect? Does this shirt make me look fat?

Add to the list: How do you pronounce “Taulelle”? Is it “Tall-Ell?” “Too-Ellie?” “Ta-Lu-Lah?” Is this something we can ever really resolve? Probably not.

At any rate: Taulelle’s is offering a twist on the Fair classic funnel cake that adds a mellow hit of pumpkin plus cinnamon and a topping of cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The flavor is warm and soothing, the cream cheese frosting adds interest without being too sweet, and the size of the thing is massive, making for a truly good value. A smash success of a dish.

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: 100% new-school on this - Taulelle’s has taken a fairly tired staple festival food and reinvigorated it with depth and interest. A solid triple in baseball terms.

Dubai Whoopie Pie | Dino’s Gyros | $13

We’ve never really seen the point of whoopie pies, which tend to be dry, boring, and sort of like a tedious homemade riff on a Ho-Ho, itself a fairly mediocre dessert. But the Dino’s Gyros Dubai Chocolate twist on the whoopie pie actually works, and quite well - the thick, creamy pistachio filling puts up a real fight against the cakey exterior and the filo / honey / brown sugar / pistachio topping offers some pleasant crunch and contrast.

Is it expensive at $13? Kinda, but considering the $20 Dubai chocolate bars we’ve seen at gas stations (!), this is actually a fair bit of joy for an acceptably steep price tag.

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: The Dubai version wins. It’s not hard to elevate the whoopie pie, but anything can be screwed up at the Fair, and Dino’s actually nailed the brief by bringing a lot of interest and fun to a generally uninteresting dish.

Hmong Corndog | Union Hmong Kitchen | $16

This Hmong-style sausage bursts with flavor and offers surprising depth for a Fair food, and the accompanying citrus Kua Txob sauce adds a satisfyingly cool bite to complement the meat. The mostly flavorless corn dog jacket feels pointless, beyond cosmetics (the sausage isn’t necessarily gorgeous on its own), but the sausage and sauce combo works for certain. What maybe doesn’t work: $16 for a single not-massive sausage on a stick. [1]

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: The answer to this question depends 100% on your own relationship with money. If you’re happy to spend freely at the Fair and not really checking your wallet as you go, the Hmong corndog brings a lot of zazz and excitement to an old-school food and will be a welcome twist on an old favorite. If you’re the type to count your pennies and rail against price gougers, paying sixteen freaking dollars for a regular sized sausage wearing a jacket of fried batter will probably get your goat. Scrooges beware.

Elote Tots | Tot Boss | $9

An “elote” treatment is an easy way to dress up just about anything - throw some Tajín, corn, and a creamy sauce on something starchy, and Mission Accomplished. Does an elote topping elevate a basket of otherwise mediocre tater tots? Yes. Does it make for a meal worth savoring? Not really. But $9 buys you a lot of decent calories, and you absolutely can do worse for your dollar.

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: Well... this is a tie. Classic tater tots are fine. These elote tots are a little more expensive, but a little more fun, and ultimately... fine. Everybody gets a passing grade here.

Shakshuka Meatballs | French Meadow | $16

We get it: The whole thing with French Meadow is that the food is expensive. That’s how you know it’s fancy! Case in point: the restaurant’s shakshuka meatballs cost, on an ounce-by-ounce basis, about four times more than a new Lexus RX 350. [2]

We’re not against paying a lot of money for great food, but these saucy balls don’t exactly hit those heights. [3] Imagine a non-lethal bazooka packed with finely chopped herbs. Now imagine firing that bazooka directly into your own face. That’s the impact of these insanely herby, fairly bready meatballs. The tomato sauce that they bathe in lacks some of the spicy intensity we like in a good shakshuka, but it’s nice overall. That said: the strips of toast that come with the dish tasted stale and chewy rather than crispy; we would’ve instead enjoyed some pieces of challah.

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: Old-school shakshuka with eggs and challah trounce this State Fair variant, to say nothing of the value prospect.

Mango Sticky Refresher | Chan’s Eatery | $13

Thirteen mickey-frickin’ dollars for a cup of ice and a quarter cup of viscous sweet liquid that is Elmer’s Glue-adjacent? Seriously? $13?

NEWBIE VS. CLASSIC VERDICT: Actual mango sticky rice all the way. Trying to render a beautifully balanced classic dessert in liquid format was a fool’s errand.

Korean Bao | Rooted and Wild | $9

After a few minutes of our tasters riffing on this vegan spin on a classic pork bao, I had a realization: Other people were writing the review for me, and I should just put on my listening ears.

Here, in no particular order, are the various ways the taste and texture of these bao wrappers were described:

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“Cardboard.”

“Styrofoam.”

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Borsch House, 241 Division St, Altoona, Wisc., 715.560.5062, TUE-SAT 11am-7pm, SUN 11am-3pm, MON CLOSED

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

WHEN CHICKEN MEETS CORN
Pozole isn’t much trouble to make, and the result is a lovely flavor explosion.
by James Norton

An unusual ingredient in my pantry (Rhode Island 8-Row Flint Corn from Ukwakhwa farm) led me to attempt a dish I’ve often enjoyed on East Lake Street, but have never made myself: Pozole. The recipe is a little putzy, but not too difficult, and the result is incredibly worth the effort: you get a delicious soup and a house that smells utterly amazing. I don’t believe in scented candles or air fresheners, but a pozole scent really seems like a no-brainer.

Often, I’ll grab a likely looking recipe off the Internet and make a couple little tweaks. With this soup I ended up doing major surgery, and was pleased with the final result.

I changed the water to chicken stock for a richer flavor, used boneless skinless chicken breasts for ease of prep, boosted the amount of stock to push toward a soup-like consistency, garnished with the lettuce and other finishing ingredients rather than submerging them, subbed avocados (creamy, delicious) in for radishes (generally unpleasant), and reduced the amount of finishing ingredients to emphasize the soup over the toppings.

I also boosted the hot sauce from a dash to a tablespoon (ultimately, the heat level turned out great), and called for a small-to-medium jalapeno (the original recipe didn’t specify, and the monster pepper I bought would’ve been over the top.) I also added lime wedges to the finishing stage, that kick of citrus really boosts the whole recipe.

If that sounds like a lot of changes … yeah, there may come a time when your experience takes over from a written recipe and starts bossing you around in the kitchen. If you’re smart, you’ll listen to it.

CHICKEN POZOLE

6 cups chicken stock
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 24 oz.)
1 15- to 16-ounce can white hominy, drained *
2 14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 small-to-medium jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 avocados, sliced
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 lime, cut into wedges

Bring stock to boil in large saucepan. Add chicken; cover and simmer until cooked through, about 11-14 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter, reserving the liquid in the saucepan. Cool, shred, and set aside chicken.

Add hominy, stewed tomatoes, oregano, jalapeño and hot sauce to reserved cooking liquid, then bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly thickened, stirring often, about 45 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and bring back to a simmer before serving. Season with salt, pepper and additional hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Top bowls of soup with a couple slices of avocado, a tablespoon or two each of lettuce and green onions, and grated cheese to taste. Spritz in some lime juice to brighten the flavor, and hot sauce if you want a bit more heat and depth.

* I substituted a cup of Ukwakhwa Rhode Island 8-Row Flint Corn, soaked overnight. It was delicious. To get your own bag of this heirloom corn, just drive to the Ukwakhwa farm on the Oneida reservation near Green Bay, Wisc. and come prepared to barter, because their grains and products are not available for conventional money.

RIGHT OUT OF THE MOLD
Store-bought ma’moul date cookies are OK; homemade ones are the perfect match for hot beverages.
By James Norton

Americans claim to like coffee. A few of us even drink tea. But we’ve really missed a trick when it comes to pairing our hot beverages with delicious and substantial snacks. Fika is an artform in Scandinavia; the Brits are famous for their cream and afternoon teas; and if you’ve ever traveled in the Middle East, you know it’s non-stop beverage plus bakery as you make your way through homes and public spaces.

Over the course of my (extensive) exploration of Middle Eastern markets in the greater metro area, I’ve come upon seemingly dozens of varieties of ma’moul, butter cookies filled with smashed dates that are the perfect companion for tea or coffee. They’re sweet but not aggressively so, and they’re substantial without being overwhelming. One cookie perched on the side of your plate is a perfect accompaniment to a caffeine break.

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The Tap is a newsletter for our $10/month Founding subscribers, but if you’re a $5/month subscriber, please stay tuned for the noon delivery of our Hearth newsletter, which covers recipes and home cooking.

Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making it possible for us to tell the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

INTRODUCING OUR FEEL GOOD MEALS

Heavy Table’s writing and photography teams have been thinking about food for a while now - decades, in some cases. We’ve eaten thousands of meals on the job and we have Opinions about just about everything. So in order to draw out some of the marrow-deep, sometimes highly personal knowledge about food that we don’t usually get to share, we’re going to kick off an occasional feature about the meal we turn to when we need something a little bit extra - that meal feel-good meal that never fails. My entry in the series, Gyu-Kaku, follows - bon appetit! – James Norton

MY FEEL-GOOD MEAL
Nothing about Gyu-Kaku demands that you take it seriously. Maybe that’s why I love it.
By James Norton

When I was younger and life got me down, I could always rely on a good restaurant meal to turn things around. Almost any place would do, as long as it was lively and interesting and my friends were there - dining out was a restorative treat, a way to boost morale when the going got tough.

Things have changed. Twenty years of food writing have a way of making even the best food taste like work, and sometimes it’s the most precious and expensive places that wear me down the most - either I’m personally paying $30 for that exquisitely presented plate of ravioli with ricotta and sun-blushed tomatoes, or I’m reviewing it for work and even more compelled to analyze flavor, texture, and value prospect to the exclusion of actually enjoying the food. Either way, dining out is less fun than it used to be. [1]

Then I found Gyu-Kaku, a Japanese restaurant chain presenting a spin on Korean barbecue. I was obligated to eat there as part of Heavy Table’s Lyndale Avenue Checklist, and I was ready to hate it - grilling your own meat tableside seemed like a silly gimmick, and its lengthy menu was about as easy to parse as a sand-blasted Assyrian tablet.

But then: that sizzle. Oh, man, that sizzle. I’ve always been a sucker for tableside entertainment, and at Gyu-Kaku, you make your own, throwing tiny slices of steak, chicken, or seafood onto a hot oiled grate so that it can sizzle away and cook over open flames.

It turns out that there’s something highly relaxing and pleasant about sitting around food sizzling away over open flames - it’s one of the reasons that those of us who go camping enjoy the ritual so much. Yes, there are often horrible bugs, or rain, or mud, or sunburn, or ankle injuries, or boredom, or... well, plenty of things that make camping incredibly ridiculous as an activity one would choose to do.

And yet: sitting around that smokey fire in the woods smelling kebabs cooking away while talking with friends is goddamn magical. You wouldn’t think a restaurant could really approximate it, but there we have it: the sounds, the smells, the camp spirit are all captured, albeit in cosmopolitan form, at Gyu-Kaku.

And then there are the little things: The staff greet you and send you off with the proper Japanese expressions. There’s complimentary tea after dinner, and optional s’mores (see? camping!) You can order a double-sized icy monster mug of Asahi. One time, they had a special called the Yakiniku Mountain, which was a softball-sized mountain of tiny grillable steak slices. Utterly ridiculous, and legitimately a ton of fun. [2]

But put all that aside for a second, and consider this my central argument: My wife and two kids are always happy to join me at Gyu-Kaku, and for about 90 minutes we can chat, relax, grill up a bunch of meats, and just hang out together. Sometimes we’ll bring an uncle or a grandparent or a friend and make it a social thing, and sometimes we’ll just kick back as a family, getting sucked into spirited discussions about whether the massive Harami in Secret Pot steak is sufficiently cooked or whether it’s worth ordering another plate of teriyaki chicken.

My son sometimes calls the restaurant “SizzleTown,” because that’s where he and Uncle Dan said they were taking their meat slices the last time we all gathered there. It’s a place where a friend’s son set his menu on fire, where my son dropped his chopsticks an incredible four times over the course of one meal, where we celebrated grandma’s birthday, and where I celebrated this most recent Father’s Day. There’s just something about gathering around a fire, I guess.

Gyu-Kaku isn’t seasonal and local, it’s not particularly trendy, and its customers tend to be students and working-class folks rather than ambitious young professionals and perpetually well-informed gourmands. Honestly, it’s a pretty silly place. And that may ultimately be why it’s my feel-good meal.

Gyu-Kaku, 3025 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, 612.224.9888, MON-THU 11:30am-9pm, FRI 11:30-10pm, SAT 12-10pm, SUN 12-9pm

THE TAP

The Tap is the Heavy Table’s ongoing biweekly account of noteworthy Minnesota restaurant openings, closings, and future openings. Please send any tips to editor@heavytable.com. All dates are approximate based on best information available; opening dates, in particular, tend to shift around a lot.

NOW OPEN (Up to 3 Months)

Bean & Bear Bagels at Ursa Minor Brewing, 202 S. 26th Ave. West, Duluth, Minn. ■ Freshly made bagels and bagel sandwiches anchor the menu at this new shop. Opened August 19, 2026.

Inti Kitchen and Bar, 4537 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Corner Table/Revival location is now serving Indian and Tibetan fare. Opened August 13, 2026.

Tom’s Thai (formerly Tiki Tom’s Thai), 1601 West Lake Street, Minneapolis ■ Thai and Chinese-American food dominate the menu at this ambitious new Lake Street eatery in the former Pinoli space. It also features “world famous cheese curds.” Opened August 12, 2026.

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority is now the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opened August 7, 2026. Reviewed in the August 14, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Side Door at Dexter’s Food Hall (partially open) ■ A Daniel del Prado mini-food hall is on its way, including Rose Sushi, Daq Daq (Korean fried chicken), and Lucia’s (pizzas and salads). Lucia’s opened August 6, 2026.

Tasca Madrid, 173 Western Ave. N., Saint Paul ■ Tapas, vermouth, paella, and other staples of Spanish tavern dining will come to the former Handsome Hog space in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of Saint Paul. Soft opening/bakery opening in progress as of July 19, 2026. (Watch our video profile of founder Alberto Blanco.)

Haraz Coffee House, 3001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis ■ The former Iron Door on Lyndale Avenue is now a new location for the Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chain Haraz Coffee House. Opened late June, 2026. Reviewed in the August 14, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Asia Village at Northtown Mall, 398 Northtown Dr, Blaine, Minn. ■ A new Asian-inspired food court owned in part by the team behind Eden Prairie’s successful Asia Mall is now open for business. Opened June 13, 2026. Reviewed in the June 19, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Radish Farm Stop, 5357 Penn Ave. South, Minneapolis ■ Radish Farm Stop is a year-round, consignment-based farm stand that combines the qualities of a farmer’s market, grocery, and coffee shop. Opened June 13, 2026. Profiled in the June 12, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Sweet Lou’s Meats, 6318 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, Minn. ■ Craft sandwiches, whole-animal butchery, and a breakfast program set this new spot apart from just about everywhere else in the metro. Opened May 27, 2026. Profiled in the August 21, 2026 edition of the Tap.

CLOSED AND CLOSING (Up to 3 Months)

Swede Hollow Cafe Nearly 3 decades of famous cinnamon rolls and coffee come to a close with the shuttering of Swede Hollow Cafe. Closing August 31, 2026.

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St. Pierre Steak and Seafood, 800 N Washington Ave #101, Minneapolis, 612.383.2848, TUE-THU 5-10pm*, FRI-SAT 5-11pm, SUN-MON CLOSED * Closing time may vary

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF COFFEE AFTER DINNER

At a recent party at my place, one of our guests declined a cup of after-dinner green tea on account of the - seriously, difficult to measure - caffeine content. Yes, my friends are getting to be middle-aged and obsessed with a good night’s sleep while I (presumably) remain about 25 years old and hurkle-durkle to my heart’s content unless I am on the schedule for breakfast duty the next morning.

But I think there should be room in all of our lives for late-night coffee and conversation, even as we age into the glorious Years of Mortality. If we’re not up until 1am every once in a while talking about What It All Means, are we really alive?

When I was a UW-Madison student back in [decade redacted], coffee shops leaned nocturnal - most were open until 10, if not 11, if not midnight. A few doubled as bars and would serve java until 1 or 2. But here in the modern metro region of Twincy [1], almost every coffee shop closes early - 6 or 7pm, if not 4 or 5pm. Coffee is for the morning to help us create units of value for our pitiless bosses; cocktails are for the evening, or, more likely, a healthy glass of tap water and lights out by 10.

Here’s where immigration is coming to save our bacon: Muslim cultures with an interest in robust, non-alcohol-driven Third Spaces are bringing a wave of late-night coffee and dessert shops to the realm. From Golden Nuts on Central to Ramadan’s (which we recently wrote about) to Qahwah and Qamaria to this week’s story about Haraz, there is a welcome new tidal wave of shops serving decent coffee at late hours.

Pair it with the coffee you can get after dinner at Ethiopian restaurants (which seems to be 100% excellent) and it’s boom times for late-night caffeinators. Coffee after 10 might not be the smartest choice on a daily basis, but it certainly is nice to have the option to sit down and talk - really talk! - without getting blitzed. – James Norton

HEAVY TABLE’S HOT FIVE

#5 Strawberry Rhubarb Koláče at Kolacherie | Prague, Czech Republic

About the only thing I knew about my Czech heritage prior to my recent trip to Prague was that my Czech great-grandma used to make koláče filled with poppy seeds or apricot preserves. She might not recognize the 21st century flavors that trendy bakery Kolacherie is known for—think lemon curd with dark chocolate or olive with blue cheese—but I think she would approve of the light, tender crumb of the pastry. The seasonal strawberry rhubarb flavor featured tangy farmer’s cheese that contrasted beautifully with the sweetness of the berries and the streusel topping. On the bakery wall, there’s a map with pins marking the spread of koláče with the Czech diaspora—I was tickled to see Lau’s Czech Bakery in New Prague and Franke’s Bakery in Montgomery representing Minnesota. – Stacy Brooks

#4 Bánh Faux Mì at Northern Waters Smokehaus | Duluth

It’s hard not to stop at Northern Waters if you’re rolling through Duluth around lunchtime. It’s equally difficult not to get the Cajun Finn or one of their other smoked fish sandwiches when you do.

I’m not sure what they consider “faux” about their banh mi (that makes it sound like it’s made with mock duck or something). The centerpiece is a thick slab of country-style pâté topped with shavings of thin, salty ham. A generous mound of quick pickled cucumbers, carrots, onions and other veggies cuts the richness.

It may not be strictly traditional, but all the banh mi flavors are there with bells on, and arranged with Northern Waters’ signature attention to quality. Of course I also got a hunk of smoked salmon to go. – John Garland

#3 Assorted Sushi at Saji-Ya | Saint Paul

We’ve relentlessly pounded the sushi restaurants around here for years, and have sorted them into three roughly defined categories: “Kado No Mise” (utterly unaffordable yet somehow completely worth it), “Billy Sushi” (delicious but unendurable due to the thumping club music / nightclub-grade hospitality / 6x priced sake bottles), and “the rest.” But within “the rest” there is a hierarchy, and at the top sits Saint Paul’s Saji-Ya. It’s not mind-meltingly tremendous, but it’s delicious, completely reliable, and lifted up by service that’s reliably warm and competent. And as a place to welcome sushi-loving kids back from summer camp, it’s second-to-none. – James Norton

#2 Arugula Pizza at Pryes Brewing Company | Minneapolis

Pryes’ stylish, spacious taproom is a place where the beer, the view of the Mississippi, or the wintertime outdoor saunas are the thing. But it’s good to know you can get a decent pizza, specifically the Arugula Pizza ($15.60 including service charge), a 12-inch wood-fired crust, modestly sauced and cheesed, with a nice pile of vinaigrette-dressed arugula.The crust is blistered and a bit charred, and the red pepper flakes offer some needed heat. Cut in quarters, it’s just enough to help soak up that tasting flight and fuel your power walk or bike ride back down the river. – Jeanne Lakso

#1 Jerk Chicken at the Harbor Bar | Hager City, Wisc.

We’ve tried a lot of jerk chicken over the years, in large part because we make an absolutely excellent (and labor intensive) jerk chicken on the grill at home. Time and time again, we’ve encountered “OK” and “decent” and “reasonably good” jerk chicken entrees, all falling short of what we’re able to accomplish at home with 24 hours of time, a grill full of burning lump charcoal, a lot of whole all spice, and handfuls of soaked bay leaves. But then West Indies Soul Food in Saint Paul matched our efforts with an excellent, full flavored jerk chicken; and now Harbor Bar, a riverside patio across the water from Red Wing, has posted similar results. Although their jerk chicken is skinless breast meat - which makes it a little drier and less rich than the home version - it has a lovely char, full jerk flavor, and a salty jerk marinade sauce on the side for an extra flavor boost. Throw in the waterfront view of the Mississippi River, a bottle of Red Stripe, and passing boat traffic, and you’ve got a meal to remember. – James Norton

STREET REPORT
BILL’S BAIT SHOP IN MINNEAPOLIS
by James Norton

Is the newly opened Bill’s Bait Shop restaurant a loving homage to the north country or a condescending urban cash grab? Everything about this new spot in the former Chicago’s Taste Authority space - the artfully composed web presence, the meticulously styled supper club-tribute kitsch interior, the “aw shucks” basic menu - tilts toward the “homage” side of the spectrum.

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But then push comes to shove and you’ve spent nearly $25 a plate on forgettable fast food. [2] Can a lousy value prospect, all by its lonesome, transform a tribute into a desecration? Yes. Can a lackluster restaurant be redeemed entirely by a really cool looking neon-driven feature wall? No.

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Also: Check out our writeup of the recipe for Shrimp with Maque Choux and BBQ Sauce from the Sea Salt Eatery Cookbook.

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Sea Salt Eatery, 4825 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, 612.558.3370, DAILY 11am-8pm (closed seasonally for fall and winter)

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

FLAKEY MAGIC
It’s early days, but brewers say New Zealand hop flakes adds a new dimension to beer
By Louis Livingston-Garcia

The Kiwis have done it again. Not the bird, but New Zealanders.

Last May, Wairoa Hop Extracts, led by hop grower Cam Ealam of Holmdale Farm in Wakefield and business partner Rob Goodman, utilized medical marijuana technology from the U.S. to create Flake-It Hop Flakes.

This dried liquid hop extract looks like dehydrated, transparent green flakes. They’re made of hop oil and gum acacia and used to increase hop aroma and flavor intensity and used as a dry hop addition. According to Wairoa, about 100 grams of flakes is equivalent to 11 pounds of T90 hop pellets.

Though it is early doors, Eric Sannerud is excited at what hop flakes may bring to beer.

Sannerud knows hops. He is a farmer who owned and ran Mighty Axe Hops, was the hop brand manager at Brewers Supply Group, and is now president of Sannerud Hop Consulting.

He is also the first and sole distributor in North America of Wairoa Hop Extracts’ hop flakes. He received a small “test batch” initially of about 100 pounds and received an “official batch” of about a 500-pound equivalent of T90 pellets of Nectaron and Riwaka flakes.

He saw them in the New Zealand magazine “The Pursuit of Hoppiness” a year ago; he subscribes to anything hops related.

“Any time I hear about a weird hop thing, my radar goes off, I’m very curious, I reach out, I ask for samples, and try to figure out… is this bullshit or not, basically,” says Sannerud. “There’s a lot of hop stuff out there that is BS, or at a minimum… someone thinks they have the next best thing since sliced bread, but they’ve never had bread before.”

The pre-market strategy, as he calls it, is to get 50 or so beers made with hop flakes in the U.S. and Canada, take that information, and choose the next step.

For Sannerud, who has done a lot of consulting in product development for hop extract products, hop flakes surprised him.

“I got a sample and it performed better than anything’s ever performed… this was the best performing one by a large margin,” he says of product testing. He puts the products through a rigorous tasting session, adding it to sparkling water, flat water, and Miller High Life in various dosings to see how it smells and tastes, and how much can be added until it becomes undrinkable.

Sannerud said hop flakes tasted and smelled the best across the board out of any hop-boosting product, without any of it becoming “loud,” or too strong in a negative way.

“This one was very positive and strong, and it also went into solution a lot better,” he says.

BIGGER, CHEAPER, EASIER

Haggard Barrel Brewing in Saint Louis Park, one of the first breweries to use the hop flakes Sannerud is distributing, was also impressed by how soluble the product is, as well as its yield, and flavor boosting.

It recently released Sammy Paradise, a triple hazy IPA at 10% ABV made with Falling Knife Brewery that utilizes Citra hops, Idaho 7, and Nelson Suavin hop flakes.

The initial appeal was, as a small brewery, it can be hard to gain access to certain hop farmers and hops. But hop flakes, and a relationship spanning years with Sannerud, meant they could try them and also try hops like Nelson Sauvin. Typically, a pound of Nelson Sauvin T90 pellets, what you’re most likely to see if a brewery shows you hops or has you smelling them on a tour, cost around $24 per pound. The hop flakes were cheaper.

An early August comparison shows 11 pounds of Nectaron hops from Yakima Valley Hops to cost $252, whereas 100 grams of Nectaron hop flakes, an equivalent of 11 pounds of hop pellets, cost $143.

Karl Eicher, brewer, owner, and head malt janitor at Haggard, says he tried a lot of different products when brewing at BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul. Stuff like HyperBoost, SubZero Hop Kief, and Cryo Hops, and has been lucky to be on the cutting edge of alternate hop products.

“So when Eric came to us, I thought, ‘Well, what a great opportunity to try an alternative product on our small scale,’” says Eicher. “It was kind of a volume boosting kind of value add to the beer, and kind of made a no-brainer.”

The beer was a success, with a punched up flavor. And Eicher wants to use more hop flakes, with the brewer possibly using Nectaron hops in a West Coast IPA. But there’s a lot to figure out, like would a dryer finish be better?

The experimentation, like with all hop products, will be key to unlocking the potential of hop flakes.

THE NEW ZEALAND HOP FLAKE EXPERIENCE

Andrew Childs is founder, co-CEO, and brewer of Behemoth Brewing in Auckland.

He and other New Zealand brewers have had more time to play around with hop flakes, and he said he made a collaboration pale ale with Riwaka and Citra pellet hops for Auckland Beer Week.

“We used Motueka hop flakes in the dry hop alongside some T90 pellets,” says Childs. “They worked really well and integrated nicely to give a great smooth flavor without the vegetal character. I would not say it has as much going on as Cryo Hops or Claytons Amplifire Pellets or oils, which have huge flavour expression, but it did add a nice extra layer to the T90 beer.”

Michael Donaldson, publisher and editor of “The Pursuit of Hoppiness”, the New Zealand publication to report on the new item early on, thinks the hop flakes are an “amazing innovation.”

“New Zealand is very good at agriculture and food innovation and this is another example,” says Donaldson. He also brings up how Jos Ruffell of Garage Project started Phantasm, the thiol-boosting product from dried sauvignon blanc skins, or “powdered wine waste,” as he calls it.

Phantasm has shown up in multiple beers in the U.S., especially in the Twin Cities market, where each new beer seems to have a better handle on its flavor-boosting ability.

“Hop Flakes are not dissimilar to cryo-hops in the way they deliver the great flavors without the vegetal, astringent material,” Donaldson added.

He and Eicher also agree on one point: hop flakes flourish when used alongside a well conceived backbone of T90 pellets.

“I think that proving that you can maximize T90, and swing with some of the other people who are using all those amplified products, is a really good way to ensure that if you ever stray to try those things, that you’ll really get the most out of them,” Eicher said.

NEXT BEST THING SINCE THE INVENTION OF HOP PELLETS?

It’s hard to guess so early in their life where hop flakes will end up on the spectrum of hop products, but Sannerud, Donaldson, and Eicher are all intrigued by what they could end up doing for beer.

“Hop flakes, once people learn how to use them, will be a remarkable addition to beer, not just for flavor and aroma, but the fact they are so lightweight so therefore they cost less to freight,” Donaldson said.

Less cost is of the utmost importance for beer makers more than ever as economies struggle across the globe.

Eicher said no one product is a panacea, and all of these hop-boosting items need to be grounded in a good crop of T90 pellets, mastery of the brewing system, and what the goal is for the beer.

But he too gets to the economic part of it all and says brewers should try it as the alcoholic beverage space gets more competition lest beer stagnate.

“It’s important to give these things a shot,” says Eicher. “I know that’s hard with the way that things are right now, but I think that’s super important to making sure that we continue to evolve as a product segment because beer needs to keep the interest.”

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HOT FIVE: COCKTAIL EDITION
By John Garland

5. Four Liters of GaviLyte-G from CVS Pharmacy | $10 with Insurance

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The Tap is a newsletter for our $10/month Founding subscribers, but if you’re a $5/month subscriber, please stay tuned for the noon delivery of our Tulip and Schooner newsletter, which covers beer, wine, and spirits.

Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making it possible for us to tell the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

THE TAP

The Tap is the Heavy Table’s ongoing biweekly account of noteworthy Minnesota restaurant openings, closings, and future openings. Please send any tips to editor@heavytable.com. All dates are approximate based on best information available; opening dates, in particular, tend to shift around a lot.

NOW OPEN (Up to 3 Months)

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority is now the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opened August 7, 2026.

Side Door at Dexter’s Food Hall (partially open) ■ A Daniel del Prado mini-food hall is on its way, including Rose Sushi, Daq Daq (Korean fried chicken), and Lucia’s (pizzas and salads). Lucia’s opened August 6, 2026.

Tasca Madrid, 173 Western Ave. N., Saint Paul ■ Tapas, vermouth, paella, and other staples of Spanish tavern dining will come to the former Handsome Hog space in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of Saint Paul. Soft opening/bakery opening in progress as of July 19, 2026. (Watch our video profile of founder Alberto Blanco.)

Haraz Coffee House, 3001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis ■ The former Iron Door on Lyndale Avenue is now a new location for the Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chain Haraz Coffee House. Opened late June, 2026.

Asia Village at Northtown Mall, 398 Northtown Dr, Blaine, Minn. ■ A new Asian-inspired food court owned in part by the team behind Eden Prairie’s successful Asia Mall is now open for business. Opened June 13, 2026. Reviewed in the June 19, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Radish Farm Stop, 5357 Penn Ave. South, Minneapolis ■ Radish Farm Stop is a year-round, consignment-based farm stand that combines the qualities of a farmer’s market, grocery, and coffee shop. Opened June 13, 2026. Profiled in the June 12, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Sweet Lou’s Meats, 6318 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, Minn. ■ Craft sandwiches, whole-animal butchery, and a breakfast program set this new spot apart from just about everywhere else in the metro. Opened May 27, 2026.

CLOSED AND CLOSING (Up to 3 Months)

Bauhaus Brew Labs ■ An avant-garde Northeast Minneapolis brewing stalwart, Bauhaus Brew Labs is calling it quits citing changing consumer tastes and supply chain challenges. Closing June 28, 2026. UPDATE: The Star Tribune reports that Bauhaus will reopen, purchased and run by ABV Technology, which helped Bauhaus develop some of the area’s best-tasting n/a beers. (I remember blind taste testing Bauhaus beers vs. the ABV tech n/a equivalents back in 2020 with the Growler magazine, and our crew getting about 50/50 in terms of guessing which was which.)

Borough ■ More than a decade of upscale party fare in the North Loop comes to an end with the closure of Borough; Jester Concepts will turn the space into the resurrection of Revival. Closing June 27, 2026.

El Tejaban and Lito’s Burritos (Richfield location) ■ The closure of this Richfield Mexican food mainstay and the massively popular Lito’s concept comes down to trauma and financial damage inflicted by Operation Metro Surge, according to an MSP Mag interview with Miguel Hernandez, the owner of Lito’s. The Lito’s in Minneapolis remains open. Closed June 18, 2026.

Red Cow (2626 Hennepin Avenue South) ■ The closure of the Hennepin Avenue location of Red Cow highlights the continuing struggle for the health of Uptown (and its surrounding neighborhoods, if you want to be technically correct about it.) Closed June 1, 2026.

Tay Ho ■ An old-school Vietnamese favorite on University Avenue, Tay Ho may well have served the best bun bo hue in the metro. Closed May 28, 2026.

Downtowner Woodfire Grill ■ After nearly 40 decades of business, an oak grill Saint Paul staple is shutting its doors. Closed May 17, 2026.

UPCOMING (Most Imminent to Furthest Out)

Square Roots, 2708 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, ■ The former DuNord-run New Orleans-inspired spot in the Coliseum building on East Lake Street will reopen as an Afro-Creole restaurant helmed by Jared Brewington (Official Fried Chicken). The restaurant’s 501(c)(3) status is unusual and marks it as a social enterprise. Square Roots features an affordable menu, an all-Black management team, and an educational residency program for aspiring restaurateurs; MSP Business Journal has the full story. Opening Summer 2026.

Bean & Bear Bagels at Ursa Minor Brewing, 202 S. 26th Ave. West, Duluth, Minn. ■ Freshly made bagels and bagel sandwiches will anchor the menu at this new shop. Opening Summer 2026.

Inti Kitchen and Bar, 4537 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Corner Table/Revival location will start serving Indian and Tibetan fare later this year. Opening August 2026, although website and social media has been quiet.

Martiya, 3030 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis ■ The owner of the pioneering East African fast casual chain Afro Deli is branching out to a new spot that will offer a family style fusion riff on Somali fare. Opening August 2026.

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority will turn into the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opening August 2026.

Tiki Tom’s Thai, 1601 West Lake Street, Minneapolis ■ Sushi, Thai, AND Chinese-American food are all on the menu at this ambitious new Lake Street eatery opening in the former Pinoli space. Opening Summer 2026, but web presence has been frozen for months.

Gambino’s, 512 N. Robert Street, Saint Paul ■ The owners of the rapidly expanding Tono’s Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks are opening their first full-service venture in the former Black Sheep Pizza location on Robert Street. Supposedly Opening Summer 2026, but online presence is outdated.

Vuka Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken ■ A South African restaurant featuring 48-hour-marinated grilled chicken will take over the long-time It’s Greek to Me spot at Lyn-Lake. Opening Summer 2026.

Maison Rose, 981 Sibley Memorial Highway, Lilydale, Minn. ■ The former I Nonni space in Lilydale will find new life as a project from the team behind Patisserie 46 and Rose Street Patisserie. The new endeavor will combine production facilities, classroom space, and a bakery/cafe. Opening Summer 2026.

Arch and River ■ The married couple behind B’beri Desserts is taking over the former Owamni space at Water Works Pavilion and bringing Afro-Caribbean-inflected brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert-bar service along with them. Opening Summer 2026.

Clémentine, 614 W. 54th St., Minneapolis ■ Jasmine Weiser Kaysen (formerly of Edwards Dessert Kitchen; we profiled her June 22, 2022) will bring pastries made using French techniques and global ingredients to South Minneapolis. Opening Fall 2026.

Marrone’s, 4250 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ Wood-fired pizza will anchor the latest project by Steven Brown (St. Genevieve and Tilia). Opening 2026.

Saffron, 165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis ■ The acclaimed restaurant Saffron will return in the former Young Joni space in Northeast Minneapolis. Chef Sameh Wadi says onsite capacity (woodfire ovens, no fryer or traditional stove) means that the menu will evolve from its previous standards. The Star Tribune previewed the project in early January.

Steak Frites by Meritage, location TBD ■ A spinoff restaurant from Meritage, slated to be located in a suburban location with a $32 per person fixed price menu including bread and butter, salad or soup, steak or mussels and unlimited fries. Opening yet to be announced. For more, read the Jan. 9, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Ate Ate Ate, 1178 Burnsville Center, Burnsville, Minn. ■ Yet another Asian-focused food hall is coming to the metro, anchored by the Asian food store Ensom Market. The spot is giving some Market at Malcolm Yards vibes. As per the press release: “The 13,320 square foot location will be home to a diverse roster of nine food vendors, plus a bar and beer pull wall, an event space, and regular entertainment offerings.” The project is spearheaded by Akhtar Nawab, a Michelin-awarded chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Opening delayed. Star Tribune has a story on the mall and its tribulations.

Jujube, 1100 2nd St S., Minneapolis ■ A unique Asian/Central Texas barbecue crossover will bring dishes including classic brisket and Peking duck to the former Izzy’s space overlooking Gold Medal Park. Texas Chef Jake Johnson (with experience at Animales, Kim’s, Bachelor Farmer, and others) will lead the culinary side of this Saturday Dumpling Company-owned sit-down dining experience. Opening late 2026.

Blue in Green, 1500 N. 44th Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Get Down Coffee Co. will become a bistro with a soulful edge, offering dishes like curry chickpea stew, sweet potato cornbread, and Hawaiian barbecue sandwiches plus a wine program. Opening 2026.

ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ by Owamni, 2601 Franklin Ave., Minneapolis ■ Sean Sherman is branching out from Owamni - in a big way - this summer by opening a combination restaurant, commissary kitchen, and office headquarters in the former Seward Co-op Creamy space on Franklin Avenue. The restaurant, ŠHOTÁ, will focus on Indigenous barbecue concepts, which means (in part) pre-colonial meats such as venison, turkey, and bison taking the place of mainstays such as pork, chicken, and beef. Profiled in the January 10, 2025 edition of the Churn. Opening 2026.

Tim McKee Restaurants at The West Hotel, 167 N. First St., Minneapolis ■ A basque-inspired charcoal-driven restaurant and a Mediterranean bakery will be part of a new North Loop hotel in the former Commutator Building operated by Salt Hotels. Opening 2026.

Americana, 5036 France Avenue S., Edina, Minn. ■ A joint project of restaurateur Ryan Burnet and chef Daniel del Prado, Americana will move into the former Cocina del Barrio space and start serving mid-20th Century-inspired American fare. Opening late 2026.

UP LATE
Ramadan’s believes in community, Egyptian culinary culture, and late nights.
By Stacy Brooks

At a first glance, it seems like a typical Twin Cities coffee shop: walls lined with Nordic-style blonde wood paneling, chocolate croissants and layer cakes in the pastry case, a customer sipping an iced matcha latte as she taps away at her laptop. But take a closer look, and you’ll see that Ramadan’s Egyptian Coffee House proudly lives up to its name. Large photographs depict the country’s past and present: a camel in front of the pyramids, the towering skyscrapers and urban sprawl of Cairo. The menu includes Middle Eastern specialties like Arabic coffee and kunafa. And perhaps most importantly, it’s open late.

“Cairo is a city that never sleeps,” says Ali Mohamed, who has been helping his cousin, cafe owner Ramadan Hussein, get things up and running. “We’re accustomed to staying up late, so personally, I’m disappointed in cafes here that close early, like at noon or the afternoon.”

Given the recent Twin Cities arrival of Yemeni chains including Qahwah House, Qamaria Yememi Coffee Co., and Haraz Coffee House, Mohamed and Hussein initially considered opening a franchise location. “But the problem with a franchise is that you have to stick to their food items, their drinks, even their music playlist,” Mohamed says. “We wanted to go the route of the Egyptian culture, which has a lot to offer.”

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gia, 5555 Xerxes Ave S, Minneapolis, 612.274.7163, MON-SAT 4-10pm, SUN CLOSED

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

Looking for new ways to make a difference in your community? On August 6th, get inspired at Nobody Saves the World Alone: A Celebration of Collective Giving. Hear from leaders like Julián Castro and Hali Lee and explore the power of giving together. This event is free and open to all. Register today.

DINNER FOR ONE

My family’s been gone all week, attending a reunion in West Virginia while I hang around at home, trying to write (at least half of) a manuscript about Wisconsin food.

My romantic notions dissipated quickly: trying to go from 0 to 25,000 words in five days is a brutal experience that is truly humbling, if by “humbling” we mean that it’s like watching your own self-esteem being ejected through the window of a friendly Irish pub off of a very steep cliff into an empty trash compactor.

Incidentally, that is the proper use of the word “humbling.” If you don’t feel terrible after you’ve been humbled, you’re doing it wrong. I’ve never understood the contemporary use of the word, which is what you say when you’ve been given a coveted award. You’re not being humbled, guys, you’re being aggrandized. Those are opposite things.

I generally maintain a pretty constant stream of self-criticism in order to keep the ambient levels of self-satisfaction from getting too intense, kind of like spraying down the smoking embers of a forest fire that might, if left alone, flare back up again. But during weeks like this, the equivalent of a damp blizzard followed by sub-zero temperatures, it’s less about battling self-satisfaction and more about crawling out of bed to actually do some work.

It’s always both funny and alarming to witness my sub-conscious shift from “preventative self-aggression” to “self care,” because it doesn’t happen very often, and it’s a clear sign that something Actually Horrible or at least Actually Exhausting is happening.

This week, self-care has manifested itself as a scheduled nightly movie (City of God, Apocalypse Now, the Godfather, Godfather II, Goodfellas - all the feel-good classics) and an end-of-the-week jerk chicken cookout.

The thing about jerk chicken is this: It’s a reasonably reliable recipe, but it is legitimately a big pain in the butt. You need to source large quantities of annoying ingredients (whole all spice, handfuls of bay leaves) that pretty much require a special trip to an Indian or Latin market. You need about 18 hours of prep and lead time, because your chicken marinates overnight and you need to soak the aromatics you’ll end up throwing onto your grill.

And you’ve got to - GOT TO - make banana ketchup and red beans with coconut rice, two sides that immeasurably improve and complete the jerk chicken eating experience.

And you’ve got to manage a charcoal grill - lighting it, banking the coals, covering half the grate with damp bay leaves, chucking in aromatics, smoking your chicken under the dome, and finishing it on the hot side of the fire.

It’s a whole deal. But the reason I motivate myself to do this, just for myself, is that it really does make me feel better: jerk chicken with banana ketchup and red beans with coconut rice is one of the most flavorful, delicious, complete and nourishing meals known on this planet. My “last supper” request teeter-totters between a full omakase at Kado no Mise and this specific jerk chicken experience. They are completely different, but they share something in common: they legitimately feed the soul as well as the body.

I think that may be what every serious food person I’ve met has in common: they’re looking for a flavor that feeds something profoundly deeper than an empty stomach. It’s a long quest, but getting there is wonderful, and being able to provide it for oneself makes a long week seem worthwhile. – James Norton

HEAVY TABLE’S HOT FIVE

#5 Sassy Salad at Keziah’s Kitchen | Pine City, Minn.

The Sassy Salad at Keziah’s Kitchen in Pine City is built with a layer of soft noodles topped with a mix of bitter and tender greens, carrots, and bean sprouts, finished off with a generous portion of deep-fried pork belly. It earns its name with laab seasoning that packs fire and smokiness, tempered with the sweet-sour combo of tamarind sauce. Stir it all together, and it’s a wild dish, hugely enjoyable, and the cucumber slices provide a breather between flavorful bites. – Amy Rea

#4 Zha Jiang Noodles at Dumpling Eatery | Eden Prairie, Minn.

Of course the dumplings at Eden Prairie’s Dumpling Eatery are the star of the show, but don’t overlook the noodle menu. A big bowl of Zha Jiang Noodles was the perfect order on a recent rainy day, with its rich ground pork sauce and fresh veggies. On its own, it’s a quiet dish, very comforting and mild, but the chili oil on the table kicked up the flavors and added heat that made the sauce more complex. I had plans to bring leftovers home, right down to the last noodle, but it was too good to stop. – Amy Rea

#3 Chocolate Eclair at Rose Street Patisserie | Saint Paul

There’s nothing like making something difficult at home to reinforce standards for what you get when you’re out on the town. At a recent ambitious brunch at my place, I collaborated with friends to make scratch bagels, bacon, morning buns, and eclairs (below).

The eclairs turned into one of the trickier pieces, what with their double cook plus scratch creme pat plus “fill ‘er up” assembly step plus - plus! - a chocolate dip for the top. It was therefore delightful to hit Rose Street recently and taste eclairs that were clearly made with an equal amount of pain and suffering (if a little more professionalism) - chewy, not too sweet, perfectly in balance, and a showcase for good chocolate and rich filling – James Norton

#2 Agedashi Tofu at Kyatchi | Minneapolis

We eat at Kyatchi at least once a month. It’s close, consistent, friendly, and the menu ranges from sashimi to hot dogs so we can always find something we want. With Tristen Sponsler running the kitchen, our neighborhood favorite is exceeding expectations regularly. There’s a changing array of monthly specials and creative cocktails, and the menu mainstays, already good, are being skillfully reinvented. Case in point: the Agedashi Tofu ($10), fried to just-crisp on the outside with a creamy, luscious interior, served in a bowl of addictive daishi broth. A gentle accompaniment for a happy hour beer or a chilled glass of sake; the broth so flavorful I’d buy it by the gallon for late-night soba emergencies. – Jeanne Lakso

#1 Skagen at Marina Vista Restaurant | Rauma, Finland

Although it’s best known for its UNESCO-recognized Old Town, Rauma also boasts a scenic location on Finland’s western coast. We went to Marina Vista Restaurant for its seaside seating, expecting fairly basic food geared towards passing boaters. Instead, we got cuisine that lived up to the view. Skagen is an appetizer that originated in Sweden, typically made by topping toasted white bread with shrimp salad. This version swaps in the local rye-based archipelago bread and smoked salmon salad, and adds an exuberant garnish of crayfish and pickled onions and cucumber. It tastes like a gentle sea breeze and captures the contentment of long, sunny summer Nordic nights. – Stacy Brooks

STREET REPORT
MASHAWI HALAL GRILL AND PANGEA HALAL MARKET IN COON RAPIDS, MINN.
By James Norton

Restaurants like Mashawi Halal Grill represent one of the coolest facets of dining out in modern America: the opportunity to taste global flavors presented affordably, deliciously, and without compromise. The restaurant’s menu presents a cornucopia of Middle Eastern favorites (including sambusas, cheese-topped flatbread called manakeesh, char-broiled lamb or goat liver, and falafel) but the killer application is the Mashawi Mixed Grill ($30, $80, or $150.)

We tried the $30 and $80 versions on separate visits and found them to be Really Large and Extraordinarily Massive, respectively. The 1-2 person grill ($30, above) comfortably feeds 3-4.

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Tasca Madrid, 173 Western Ave N, Saint Paul, 952.214.4884, Bakery and deli open 7am-3pm; Restaurant hours planned for August SUN-THU 3-10pm, FRI-SAT 3pm-Midnight

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

KEEPING CURRANT
A strange harvest bears odd fruit.

For the past four or five years, we’ve had a white currant bush in the front yard of our little South Minneapolis bungalow. It hasn’t been particularly productive, probably because we keep running it over with the lawnmower. No malice involved: We just kept forgetting what it is.

This year, through thoughtfulness or poor lawn care, we managed to let the white currant bush grow and thrive, resulting in a surprisingly robust crop of fruit. Never having seen or handled white currants before, here are some initial insights.

The fruit is incredibly beautiful. I mean - look at these berries:

If you told me they’d been picked on an alien world, I’d kind of believe you.

The fruit is incredibly weird. Here’s a shot of our white currant liqueur in progress. What the hell is even happening here?! Again: feels like astrobiology. Or is that xenobiology? I don’t know. They look weird.

The berries themselves have a funky, earthy, perfumed sharpness that is intriguing without being unpleasant. They’re not bad, but they’re also not flavor slam-dunks like strawberries or raspberries. Ultimately we decided that all their depth might good in a homemade liqueur, so we followed the advice of a helpful-seeming blog and mixed in jar:

2 cups white currants, 2-1/2 cups vodka, 1 cup simple syrup

We gave the mixture a couple days to think about marrying all of its flavors. We subbed gin for vodka, which injected more bite and complexity to the finished liqueur, but the white currants were strong enough to shine even with the presence of the gin. With a splash of grapefruit juice and tonic, it made for a cocktail that was remarkably sophisticated and tasty. – James Norton

RAMEN ATTACK!!
You’ve eaten packet ramen: no work, so-so flavor. This method is the opposite: plenty of work, incredible flavor.
By James Norton

I would rather not disparage restaurant or package ramen, but, sadly, here it goes: most of it is serviceable at best. It’s simplicity itself to score edible package ramen or basically okay restaurant ramen, but getting something deep, complex, and memorable is an uphill fight, particularly now that Zen Box has shut its doors.

Shopping at a good local grocery store (we like Eastside Food Co-op, but others abound) and making your own ramen from scratch is a great deal more work than pouring boiling water over a brick of desiccated noodles. But it’s also a beautiful way to spend a day cooking, with the result of ramen that will wow friends and family members with depth of flavor, impact, and quality.

If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably love to cook - this particular set of recipes is a challenge that should engage and provoke you without breaking your spirit. I’ve made it on a few different occasions with good to really, really excellent results.

This ramen method is adapted from a book called Best-Ever Homemade Ramen, which deserves the lion’s share of the credit for the recipe and concept. Most of what I’ve done is sorting out the recipe into a step-by-step procedure that takes about 90-120 minutes of active cooking followed by six hours of marinating, followed by 30 minutes of simmering and assembly. If you’re fast in the kitchen, you might beat those times; I find with set-up and clean-up included, they’re reasonable for a skilled home cook.

One shopping note: Many markets don’t carry the lard that you need to make the recipe’s aromatic fat. (Don’t be confused by “pork fat,” which won’t work for this purpose.)

Eastside Food Co-op has two kinds of lard - leaf, which is more neutral, and regular lard, which is more “porky” - either will do for this recipe. Some Latin markets (like La Alborada on East Lake Street) also carry lard, labeled manteca de puerco.

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SHOYU RAMEN WITH CHASHU PORK

The first thing you do is make your Shoyu Tare.

SHOYU TARE

Makes about 4 cups

2 1/2 cups (600ml) dark soy sauce
1 1/3 cups (300ml) water
5 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp cooking sake
1 Tbsp sugar
One large green onion or small leek, green part only
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 slices ginger (about 2” by 3/4”)

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The Tap is a newsletter for our $10/month Founding subscribers, but if you’re a $5/month subscriber, please stay tuned for the noon delivery of our Hearth newsletter, which covers recipes and home cooking. We’ll also make this entire newsletter available for free to all subscribers next Wednesday (July 29, 2026.)

Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making it possible for us to tell the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

Looking for new ways to make a difference in your community? On August 6th, get inspired at Nobody Saves the World Alone: A Celebration of Collective Giving. Hear from leaders like Julián Castro and Hali Lee and explore the power of giving together. This event is free and open to all. Register today.

A COOLER SUMMER

The arrival this week of cooler temperatures is an absolutely superb development, and one that I think we’ve all collectively earned. 10 days in a 90-100 F wildfire dome is enough to smoke a chicken, and I think we’ve earned good weather for the rest of the year at this point, if not the rest of our lives.*

One of the only highlights of the week was busting out a Costco alligator-themed inflatable water slide and letting our kids and our friends’ kids play in the water for about 3 hours while the adults lounged patio-side.

It was also a good excuse to stress-test the new Arctic Zone Titan 40 Can Collapsible Tabletop Cooler in Sharkskin Gray (about $35-50 retail). We packed this newly obtained cooling solution (a review sample) full of ice, Spindrift, cans of tonic, and a combination of Modist Supra Lights and Castle Danger Cream Ales, and let the good times roll.

Some thoughts on the cooler’s features, in case you’re thinking of picking one up:

• TableTop™ Entertaining Lid: Patented TableTop™ lid with 2 cup holders and easy-access hatch for quick grabs

This feature rules. Snapping open the top to grab a beverage is tremendously simple, and the table-top feature is great for food prep, parking your drinks, and general outdoors miscellany.

• Keeps Ice Up to 2 Days: Deep Freeze™ Performance Insulation with Therma-Flect® radiant barrier helps lock in cold

We got more like 4-6 hours of ice time out of our cooler, but it may well be that “2 days of ice” is a “packed 100% full” sort of thing. I wouldn’t plan a vacation around this feature.

• Comfortable to Carry: Adjustable Backsaver® shoulder strap and carry handles for easy transport

The straps are in fact nice, and a pretty good way to haul this thing to a campsite or beach party.

• Collapsible and Space-Saving: Folds down easily for compact storage when not in use

The Titan 40 is much easier to store than our full-sized mega roadtrip cooler, and therefore coming to more events with us this year. Plus, the thing has an attached bottle opener, which would mean a lot to me if I didn’t permanently carry a bottle opener on my keyring. Still, I salute the sentiment. – James Norton

* I understand that we will not in fact be getting good weather for the rest of the year.

THE TAP

The Tap is the Heavy Table’s ongoing biweekly account of noteworthy Minnesota restaurant openings, closings, and future openings. Please send any tips to editor@heavytable.com. All dates are approximate based on best information available; opening dates, in particular, tend to shift around a lot.

NOW OPEN (Up to 3 Months)

Tasca Madrid, 173 Western Ave. N., Saint Paul ■ Tapas, vermouth, paella, and other staples of Spanish tavern dining will come to the former Handsome Hog space in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of Saint Paul. Soft opening/bakery opening in progress as of July 19, 2026.

Haraz Coffee House, 3001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis ■ The former Iron Door on Lyndale Avenue is now a new location for the Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chain Haraz Coffee House. Opened late June, 2026.

Asia Village at Northtown Mall, 398 Northtown Dr, Blaine, Minn. ■ A new Asian-inspired food court owned in part by the team behind Eden Prairie’s successful Asia Mall is now open for business. Opened June 13, 2026. Reviewed in the June 19, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Radish Farm Stop, 5357 Penn Ave. South, Minneapolis ■ Radish Farm Stop is a year-round, consignment-based farm stand that combines the qualities of a farmer’s market, grocery, and coffee shop. Opened June 13, 2026. Profiled in the June 12, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Sweet Lou’s Meats, 6318 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, Minn. ■ Craft sandwiches, whole-animal butchery, and a breakfast program set this new spot apart from just about everywhere else in the metro. Opened May 27, 2026.

E’s Gourmet Sandwiches, 221 Myrtle St. E, Stillwater, Minn. ■ Ethan Sorensen (the 20-year-old nephew of acclaimed chef Jamie Malone) is serving up classic sandwiches at this petite waterfront eatery. Opened May 6, 2026. Profiled in the May 1, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Restaurant Aubergine, 525 Selby Ave., Saint Paul ■ The former Revival space on Selby will become the bricks and mortar home to a husband and wife-driven French pop-up series with roots in the Gavin Kaysen restaurant empire. Opened April 24, 2026.

CLOSED AND CLOSING (Up to 3 Months)

Bauhaus Brew Labs ■ An avant-garde Northeast Minneapolis brewing stalwart, Bauhaus Brew Labs is calling it quits citing changing consumer tastes and supply chain challenges. Closing June 28, 2026. UPDATE: The Star Tribune reports that Bauhaus will reopen, purchased and run by ABV Technology, which helped Bauhaus develop some of the area’s best-tasting n/a beers. (I remember blind taste testing Bauhaus beers vs. the ABV tech n/a equivalents back in 2020 with the Growler magazine, and our crew getting about 50/50 in terms of guessing which was which.)

Borough ■ More than a decade of upscale party fare in the North Loop comes to an end with the closure of Borough; Jester Concepts will turn the space into the resurrection of Revival. Closing June 27, 2026.

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El Tejaban and Lito’s Burritos (Richfield location) ■ The closure of this Richfield Mexican food mainstay and the massively popular Lito’s concept comes down to trauma and financial damage inflicted by Operation Metro Surge, according to an MSP Mag interview with Miguel Hernandez, the owner of Lito’s. The Lito’s in Minneapolis remains open. Closed June 18, 2026.

Red Cow (2626 Hennepin Avenue South) ■ The closure of the Hennepin Avenue location of Red Cow highlights the continuing struggle for the health of Uptown (and its surrounding neighborhoods, if you want to be technically correct about it.) Closed June 1, 2026.

Tay Ho ■ An old-school Vietnamese favorite on University Avenue, Tay Ho may well have served the best bun bo hue in the metro. Closed May 28, 2026.

Downtowner Woodfire Grill ■ After nearly 40 decades of business, an oak grill Saint Paul staple is shutting its doors. Closed May 17, 2026.

Cardamom ■ Uneven foot traffic spurred the Daniel del Prado group to change Cardamom’s service model to a no servers, QR code-driven system, which in turn prompted the Walker Art Center to evict and effectively close the restaurant. Closed May 2026.

Beast Barbecue ■ A Northeast-based St. Louis-style barbecue mainstay for seven years, Beast shut its doors this spring, but the space will be reborn as a new start for Momo Sushi, which was closed by a fire. Closed May 2, 2026.

Russell’s ■ It was a pretty short (less than two years) run for Russell’s, the Grand Avenue restaurant that specialized in cozy tavern fare. Closed May 2026.

The Lowry ■ After 15 years of breakfast-to-late night dining, the Blue Plate-owned Lowry restaurant has called it quits. Closed April 26, 2026.

UPCOMING (Most Imminent to Furthest Out)

Bean & Bear Bagels at Ursa Minor Brewing, 202 S. 26th Ave. West, Duluth, Minn. ■ Freshly made bagels and bagel sandwiches will anchor the menu at this new shop. Opening Summer 2026.

Inti Kitchen and Bar, 4537 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Corner Table/Revival location will start serving Indian and Tibetan fare later this spring. Opening August 2026.

Martiya, 3030 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis ■ The owner of the pioneering East African fast casual chain Afro Deli is branching out to a new spot that will offer a family style fusion riff on Somali fare. Opening August 2026.

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority will turn into the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opening August 2026.

Tiki Tom’s Thai, 1601 West Lake Street, Minneapolis ■ Sushi, Thai, AND Chinese-American food are all on the menu at this ambitious new Lake Street eatery opening in the former Pinoli space. Opening Summer 2026.

Gambino’s, 512 N. Robert Street, Saint Paul ■ The owners of the rapidly expanding Tono’s Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks are opening their first full-service venture in the former Black Sheep Pizza location on Robert Street. Opening Summer 2026.

Vuka Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken ■ A South African restaurant featuring 48-hour-marinated grilled chicken will take over the long-time It’s Greek to Me spot at Lyn-Lake. Opening Summer 2026.

Side Door at Dexter’s Food Hall ■ A Daniel del Prado mini-food hall is on its way, including Rose Sushi, Daq Daq (Korean fried chicken), and Lucia’s (pizzas and salads). Opening Summer 2026.

Maison Rose, 981 Sibley Memorial Highway, Lilydale, Minn. ■ The former I Nonni space in Lilydale will find new life as a project from the team behind Patisserie 46 and Rose Street Patisserie. The new endeavor will combine production facilities, classroom space, and a bakery/cafe. Opening Summer 2026.

Arch and River ■ The married couple behind B’beri Desserts is taking over the former Owamni space at Water Works Pavilion and bringing Afro-Caribbean-inflected brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert-bar service along with them. Opening Summer 2026.

Clémentine, 614 W. 54th St., Minneapolis ■ Jasmine Weiser Kaysen (formerly of Edwards Dessert Kitchen; we profiled her June 22, 2022) will bring pastries made using French techniques and global ingredients to South Minneapolis. Opening Fall 2026.

Marrone’s, 4250 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ Wood-fired pizza will anchor the latest project by Steven Brown (St. Genevieve and Tilia). Opening 2026.

Saffron, 165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis ■ The acclaimed restaurant Saffron will return in the former Young Joni space in Northeast Minneapolis. Chef Sameh Wadi says onsite capacity (woodfire ovens, no fryer or traditional stove) means that the menu will evolve from its previous standards. The Star Tribune previewed the project in early January.

Steak Frites by Meritage, location TBD ■ A spinoff restaurant from Meritage, slated to be located in a suburban location with a $32 per person fixed price menu including bread and butter, salad or soup, steak or mussels and unlimited fries. Opening yet to be announced. For more, read the Jan. 9, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Ate Ate Ate, 1178 Burnsville Center, Burnsville, Minn. ■ Yet another Asian-focused food hall is coming to the metro, anchored by the Asian food store Ensom Market. The spot is giving some Market at Malcolm Yards vibes. As per the press release: “The 13,320 square foot location will be home to a diverse roster of nine food vendors, plus a bar and beer pull wall, an event space, and regular entertainment offerings.” The project is spearheaded by Akhtar Nawab, a Michelin-awarded chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Opening delayed. Star Tribune has a story on the mall and its tribulations.

Jujube, 1100 2nd St S., Minneapolis ■ A unique Asian/Central Texas barbecue crossover will bring dishes including classic brisket and Peking duck to the former Izzy’s space overlooking Gold Medal Park. Texas Chef Jake Johnson (with experience at Animales, Kim’s, Bachelor Farmer, and others) will lead the culinary side of this Saturday Dumpling Company-owned sit-down dining experience. Opening late 2026.

Blue in Green, 1500 N. 44th Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Get Down Coffee Co. will become a bistro with a soulful edge, offering dishes like curry chickpea stew, sweet potato cornbread, and Hawaiian barbecue sandwiches plus a wine program. Opening 2026.

ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ by Owamni, 2601 Franklin Ave., Minneapolis ■ Sean Sherman is branching out from Owamni - in a big way - this summer by opening a combination restaurant, commissary kitchen, and office headquarters in the former Seward Co-op Creamy space on Franklin Avenue. The restaurant, ŠHOTÁ, will focus on Indigenous barbecue concepts, which means (in part) pre-colonial meats such as venison, turkey, and bison taking the place of mainstays such as pork, chicken, and beef. Profiled in the January 10, 2025 edition of the Churn. Opening 2026.

Tim McKee Restaurants at The West Hotel, 167 N. First St., Minneapolis ■ A basque-inspired charcoal-driven restaurant and a Mediterranean bakery will be part of a new North Loop hotel in the former Commutator Building operated by Salt Hotels. Opening 2026.

Americana, 5036 France Avenue S., Edina, Minn. ■ A joint project of restaurateur Ryan Burnet and chef Daniel del Prado, Americana will move into the former Cocina del Barrio space and start serving mid-20th Century-inspired American fare. Opening late 2026.

ICE BREAKER
In the crosshairs of Metro Surge, Wrecktangle Pizza took a defiant stand.
By Amy Rea

The Minneapolis ICE surge in early 2026 did not entirely arrive as a surprise to many in the food industry, including Wrecktangle Pizza co-owner Breanna Evans (below). “Like a lot of other restaurants, we were very aware of the possibility of an ICE raid coming through,” she said. “We had printouts in English and Spanish from the Immigration Law Center to post at all of our locations. We established things like what to do, who’s the point of contact, for a very long time.”

The waiting period at the end of 2025 felt increasingly ominous. “December rolled around, the holidays were slower than normal, and we’re like, what’s going on?” she said. “The temperature felt different and weird. We were always checking in with our staff, asking where they were at, how they were feeling.”

Unfortunately, the sense of unease was neither unfounded nor overblown. “The turning point for our team was when Renee Good was murdered,” Evans said. “That really scared everybody when we really saw that spike in the ICE agent deployment. We had staff whose family members were taken. That week specifically was like, ‘They’re taking people, they’re killing people, now it’s real, and I’m terrified.’” She estimates about 30% of the staff had to worry about being targeted by ICE; those staff began asking for rides, while other staff not in ICE’s crosshairs began asking what they could do.

As the reality set in, so did the adrenalized need to do something more than watch helplessly. “We talked about, what are we going to do? What are our restaurant friends doing? Let’s talk to people, let’s figure it out.”

Co-owner and chef Jeff Rogers quickly realized that access to food was going to be a problem for those targeted. “I figured we could make food and have the restaurants be the hubs,” he said. “We make the food, we take it to the restaurants, and they can be dispersed to families and everybody who needs stuff while keeping it under wraps.”

Given that the first quarter of the year is their slowest and people were reaching out to them, asking how they could help, their first thought was getting people into the restaurant and offer a BOGO deal where the free pizza would be donated to a family in need. The point wasn’t just the food, though. “We thought, let’s just get butts in seats, make it safe for everyone,” Rogers said. “You have more eyes on the streets and you’ve got more people able to sound the alert if there were ICE agents or whatever bullshit happening nearby.” Given that the Lyn-Lake area was a primary target, it seemed like a potentially strong approach.

MODEST GOALS

The idea blossomed into having any pizza purchased at any of their locations be added to a count for pizzas to be donated–not that that necessarily was positive for the overall business model. “We talked about it, how it would have been incredibly detrimental [for the business’ cash flow], but it didn’t necessarily matter because we have to do whatever we can do for the community,” said Evans.

Then people began offering to donate to pay for the pizzas. “We didn’t have to just pull it out of our pockets without any safety net,” Evans said. The initial thought was that donors would be from Minneapolis and the surrounding metro, and if they managed to raise $800-1,000, that would be amazing.

But the donation idea took off far beyond what they could have imagined. Donations poured in from all over the world, including Europe and Australia. “What are we going to say, no? Obviously, we’d take it in.” The Wrecktangle team worked with Smitten Kitten on a video explaining the donation program, and that generated further donations. “I think everyone was thinking, I want to help, I don’t know how,” said Rogers. “How do you give people a sense of direction? We were feeling it too. I just can’t sit down and not do anything with my hands.”

DEMAND AND DONATIONS

Wrecktangle far exceeded their goal, bringing in nearly a quarter of a million dollars. But that wasn’t the only mutual aid initiative they offered. “We became a hub for a bit for nonperishables, home-care and self-care needs,” said Rogers. “We were turning over our entire basement four times a day.”

Among the realizations that they were dealing with as they went included the dawning knowledge that using Venmo might work well for reimbursing employees who picked up needed items for the restaurant, but it wasn’t ideal for handling nearly $250,000 in donations. It turns out Venmo applies varying levels of restrictions on how much money an account can transfer out per day. Evans noted that in hindsight, using something like GoFundMe might have made more sense. “We were stuck with a bunch of money we couldn’t move,” Evans said. “It was just sitting there, and people needed to pay rent that day. It was frustrating.”

Another lesson learned, or will be learned in early 2027, is what happens when a business accepts donations and uses the cash in ways that can’t be identified as business expenses. “As a for-profit business, how do you take in this money?” Evans said. “You’re just going and you’re like, we’ll figure it out, I don’t care, bring it if people want to donate it, we’ll take it in, and then we’ll make sure it gets to the right people. But our taxes are going to be insane next year.”

BUILDING COMMUNITY

When asked about other lessons learned, both Evans and Rogers point to identifying the organizations that are already created and doing the work, then supporting them rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. They pointed to the Community Aid Network MN (CANMN) as an example. Wrecktangle began working with them. “They tripled the family households that they were delivering groceries to,” said Evans. Rogers said they talked with CANMN and asked what they needed, and it turned out CANMN needed products. Wrecktangle used donations to order those products and get them to CANMN, which allowed the organization to focus on identifying and helping people in need and cutting down the time needed for fundraising and buying items.

But in many cases, the people needing help didn’t know where to find it. “They were working families, going to school, living normal lives, and then it was a community suddenly needing help and didn’t know where to reach out,” said Evans.

Wrecktangle and Smitten Kitten scrambled to disburse donations as quickly as they could. “We were getting cash in and all of the cash was going out, no questions asked. Which is scary, but you don’t have time to ask any questions. I’m not going to sit here and grill you on whether you need money. I mean, it’s 2026, everyone needs money.”

IN THE LINE OF FIRE

While all these efforts were being made, the day-to-day reality was beyond scary. Besides providing funds and food, Evans and Rogers also had to take care of their employees and summon the courage to stand up to ICE. “As scary as it is with these untrained man babies out with guns, we can’t let them have the upper hand,” said Evans. “There’s power in numbers. There’s more of us than there are of them. We had a really good system in place: On this shift, who’s the designated door person, does everyone have a whistle? The whistle and a key to lock the door, that was part of everyone’s uniform.”

Neighbors joined forces. “We had 50 people standing outside the building at every point in time,” said Rogers. “There were around 150 people around the block setting up barricades as a hub, mainly for Smitten Kitten and ourselves. The density was such that if we got a call that a restaurant four blocks away was getting any sort of smoke, everyone would bounce, and it was magical.”

LETTING THEIR ANTI-ICE FLAG FLY

In late January, two local companies that are run by friends of Evans and Rogers asked if Wrecktangle would be interested in hanging banners reading “ICE OUT OF MN FOR GOOD” from their building on the corner of Lyndale Avenue and Lake Street. They quickly agreed.

“While it could seem like a provocation, that wasn’t our intention,” said Evans and Rogers in an email statement compiled by Wrecktangle sales and marketing director Elizabeth Klimenko. “We just wanted to stand for what we believe in, which is fuck ICE. We felt, ‘Why not say what everyone is thinking out loud?’

We just wanted to express what our community was feeling on a large public scale. We didn’t want others to feel alone in resisting fascism. Ultimately, it was just a banner already being made, and our friends asked us if we’d like to hang it on our business, and we said yes.”

The banner is still in place.

THE AFTERMATH

Evans and Rogers are clear on two things: They had to help anyway they could, and they’re lucky their outcomes weren’t worse, as they were for Good and Pretti. But even as things slowly receded, other events began to take a toll. “One of our staff members was supposed to self-deport, and we went to a hearing about it,” said Evans. “That was one of the creepiest things I’ve ever done.”

The media attention they received at the time generated donations and support, but it also brought an onslaught of hate. “The threats weren’t fun,” noted Rogers wryly. They were bombarded with threatening, hate-filled phone calls, emails, and Google reviews. “We were getting these reviews of really bad food, and we weren’t even open.”

“It’s terrible, because it still happens,” said Evans. “If I see a bad review on Google, I wonder, are you a supporter? Did you actually have a bad time? Because I would love to address somebody that had a bad time, but if you’re just putting a one-star review and you’ve never even been to Minneapolis–well, if that’s how you spend your time, I’m so sorry for you.”

The harsh reality is that while things are better now, the toll on Wrecktangle continues. “Historically, this should be our upswing, and it’s lower than the last two years,” said Evans. “It’s bummer, because I know people are out. We just had Lyndale Open Streets and the turnout was awesome.” But other than weekends, the restaurant’s turnout has remained low. It’s a worry that focuses back onto the community. After several brutal years (Covid, George Floyd’s murder, and ICE), the restaurant still wants to support the community if/when the next catastrophe arises. But it will take time to rebuild the resources (never mind face the tax payment next year for this year’s mutual aid).

At the same time, they understand things could be different now. “We’re fortunate enough to say that we stood up and are alive,” said Evans. “But not everybody is, and that’s the terrifying part, right?”

Wrecktangle Pizza Lyn-Lake, 703 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, 612.444.4420, WED-THU 4pm-midnight, FRI-SUN 11am-midnight, MON 4pm-midnight, TUE CLOSED

Malcolm Yards, 501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis, 612.448.5247, MON-THU 11am-9pm, SAT-SUN 11am-10pm, SUN 11am-8pm

Graze Food Hall, 520 No. 4th St., Minneapolis, SUN-THU 11am-9pm, FRI-SAT 11am-10pm

ELSEWHERE ONLINE

Racket endorses Just Paula’s ‘Minne-delphia’-style BBQ. Travail is serving up pasta via the DeCoco’s concept at Graze Food Hall reports the Strib, which also writes about Laune Bread downsizing and rebooting. Alliance Française Mpls/St. Paul will debut a Marc Heu cafe later this summer, notes Sahan Journal. And there’s a new Swedish candy shop at the Honey and Rye Bakehouse (above), reports MSP Mag. Plus: Beyond Beurre Blanc tries over 100 Minnesota french fries and narrows the list down to her favorite 6.

And! A fascinating look at why some blue-chip brands (like Pyrex and All-Clad) are falling apart. (Hint: greed and international finance could be involved.) A bit of sage advice from the story: “Look up the owner, not the name. The name is the cheapest part of the company to preserve. If the ownership trail ends at a private equity firm or a licensing group, assume the product and the reputation are no longer aligned.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This newsletter and the entire Heavy Table magazine presence is made possible by you and everyone else who subscribes to our enterprise. We’re incredibly grateful for our support - it’s the only way we can keep writing, editing, visually documenting and publishing so much Upper Midwestern culinary news.

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The Sample Room, 2124 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, 612.789.0333, TUE-THU 11am-9:30pm, FRI 11am-10pm, SAT 10:30am-10pm, SUN-MON CLOSED

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

Looking for new ways to make a difference in your community? On August 6th, get inspired at Nobody Saves the World Alone: A Celebration of Collective Giving. Hear from leaders like Julián Castro and Hali Lee and explore the power of giving together. This event is free and open to all. Register today.

BEYOND OWAMNI

The latest iteration of Chef Sean Sherman’s ambitious native foods restaurant had its grand opening earlier this month at the Guthrie Theater, and I’ve already been twice. The food at Indígena by Owamni isn’t like anything that you can eat anywhere else: it’s monastery-ready (purged of much of the sugar, fat, processed carbs, and dairy that define industrial food), it’s beautifully rustic, and it’s so thoroughly based on traditional precolonial ingredients that it’s downright experimental.

The new Indígena name points to the restaurant’s expanding mission, which now reaches beyond Turtle Island (an old name for North America) to Central and South American indigenous traditions as well. Among other things, that brings avocados, chiles, mole, and tortillas to the table, and broadens the appeal of the menu.

The food at Indígena is challenging. I mean that word in every sense: challenging (euphemism for “hard to enjoy”), challenging (you have to actively think about what you’re eating to figure out what’s what), and challenging (you grow as a person while you’re eating it and find, much to your pleasure, that your horizons have expanded.)

Different dishes accomplish different meanings of the word - we found undercooked yuca fries challenging in a “send-them-back” kind of way, while we found a delicious venison loin with Chile relish (above) challenging in that it was an entirely new way to present a “steak”-like entree, and it succeeded completely in expanding that category of food.

I thought a duck egg custard dessert was terrific and fascinating, but I’m tolerant of “runny egg”-style textures; my dining companions weren’t as flexible. Nearly everything we ordered provoked observations, if not conversations - I would stake good money on this being one of the most provocative menus in the world, something that I don’t write lightly.

Heavy Table has known Sean Sherman for a while now - we were the first publication to write about him (above), we partnered with him on a Native Foods North Coast Nosh at the History Center, and we brought him up to Chef Camp to cook for our guests over an open fire. And earlier this month, Heavy Table video contributor Nathan Wold went to Indígena to document his work (below).

Indígena by Owamni represents his expanding vision for reinterpreting the precolonial pantry through a modern lens: there are more actively involved collaborators, more diversions and leaps of intuition, and more playful side roads than in any project by him that we’ve seen before.

This is not a restaurant that’s trying to lull you into a food coma or seduce you with luxury; it’s not a temple of comfort food or wine snobbery. It’s wild and imaginative and experimental and fascinating - it’s a place where risks are taken daily and you’re likely to not know half the things on your plate despite them quite possibly growing within 50 miles of your home.

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If you haven’t yet gone to Indígena, you owe yourself a trip. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be thinking - and talking - about it for weeks to come afterwards. And that’s something that not many places can provide around here, or around anywhere in the world, for that matter. – James Norton

Indígena by Owamni at the Guthrie, 806 South 2nd St., Minneapolis, 612.444.1846, SUN-THU 11am-11pm, FRI-SAT 11am-midnight, MON CLOSED

HEAVY TABLE’S HOT FIVE

#5 Buffalo Wings at Runyon’s | Minneapolis

Word on the street is that Runyon’s has the best wings in the city. I do not disagree. A regular order comes with ten of the hot and tangy wings, extra buffalo sauce, celery, and an addictive blue cheese dressing (that contains small chunks of blue cheese). You can also opt for ranch.

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Creekside Supper Club, 4820 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, 612.354.3675, TUE-THU 4-9pm, FRI-SAT 4-10pm, SUN 4-8pm, MON CLOSED

Supervillain (FKA Nathan Wold) - is a cinematographer and documentary filmmaker focusing on the culinary scene, as well as the music scene. With a background in TV production including work with The Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, and Netflix. He also has a background as a fashion designer, studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins, work appearing in Vogue, and on music tours including Girli and Kat Cunning.

REBOOT OR SEQUEL?
At the new Dangerous Man, Peanut Butter Porter and Chocolate Milk Stout are better than ever
By Loren Green

While the story should always be the beer, there are a lot of angles to take with the reopening of Dangerous Man Brewing in Northeast Minneapolis. The original taproom was open 2013-2023, then closed and briefly operated as a production-only brewery out of Maple Lake.

A failed fundraising campaign saw Dangerous Man stop pursuit of a new destination taproom in Maple Lake and eventually close up shop.

Now with new owners and the original brewer onboard, Dangerous Man is back in Northeast with a mixed business model of both liquor store distribution and taproom exclusives.

The building at 861 E Hennepin housed HeadFlyer Brewing for several years until the transition, and it’s hard not to think of HeadFlyer on first impression. The patio is the same and that’s a major selling point - the Miller Textile Building is something of an oasis with elbow room while located a stone’s throw from denser downtown.

Inside, it’s an open room concept with a modern mural that bridges modern art with more classic Dangerous Man elements of barnwood, brick wall, and repurposed liquor barrels. The long, central bar is reminiscent of the original Dangerous Man taproom and the use of community tables keeps the vibe alive – especially in a cozy corner nearest the parking lot, which really draws on that brick wall charm.

The rest of the room, though, is a little more modern and more open – though Dangerous Man has certainly packed a lot of tables into this joint. It somehow feels twice as big as HeadFlyer without any fundamental remodeling. There are also TVs on nearly every wall, showing the World Cup on our visit.

The original Dangerous Man thrived as a local hangout place where you’d grab a seat and chat up the person next to you. They continue the pub feel here. It’s surprisingly dim for a sunny day with a full wall of natural light shining in – and the place is loud.

HeadFlyer’s fireplace/couch corner is still intact too, but it was the least busy area on both visits.

THINGS DONE CHANGE, THINGS DONE STAY THE SAME

For the most part, it’s never the same when the band gets back together. I’m approaching Dangerous Man as a reboot (and apparently a mixed metaphor) instead. A clean slate is impossible, but I can pretend.

After all, it had been 3-plus years since I had a draft Dangerous Man beer. My primary memories of yesterday’s Dangerous Man are how they introduced a new wave of craft beer to Minneapolis – which doesn’t mean they were the best, but they were often the first.

Even though it’s a one-off beer, it makes sense to leadoff with the hazy IPA Things Done Change, a collaboration and brewery handoff beer made with HeadFlyer. This hazy IPA is modern and bright – it’s a juicy and tropical hazy IPA first and foremost, but with a modern hint of acidic bitterness too. It’s bright and bold, a juxtaposition to the dimmer pub vibes. The new space faces a similar challenge of merging old expectations of a dead brand with a new era in beer. Things Done Change was a great bridge.

Now how did the rest of the beers fare? First, we’ll just note there are a lot of them. And there was likely some sampling fatigue by the end.

Sticking with hoppy ales, House IPA is available in cans but was curiously absent from draftlines on two visits so we’ll skip it here too.

The straight-up Hazy IPA, as it is named, came after a lot of beer sampling and was a solid but unspectacular addition to the category. This one is less juicy and more earthy, with tropical fruit flavors, cantaloupe, and a touch of white grapefruit.

Stepback Three Hazy Pale is a more pithy take. The overall flavor was light orange juice with ripe tropical flavors and tangerine that somewhat blended together without any strong defining notes (this was approximately beer sample 10 of 13).

THE LIGHT SIDE

Cream Ale, a year round, was probably the biggest disappointment (and the first beer sampled).

In short, it was underattenuated with more candy corn flavor than bready, creamy goodness. Sake Rice Lager, on the other hand, was a surprising standout.

They say to judge a brewery by its lightest beer. While Cream Ale disappointed, Sake Rice Lager was perfectly light and crisp with cracker, lemongrass, and light citrus notes. It was easily a definite standout. Kolsch was next in the same flight and was a perfect pairing: just as good but with a softer body and a fruity element that really pops with blueberry and strawberry notes.

THE DARK SIDE

I’ve already had Peanut Butter Porter in cans since the return, but it’s even better on draft. While you get Reese’s sweetness on the nose, the beer itself is a roasty porter built on earthy and chocolate malt tones, then with a creamy kiss of peanut butter that makes for a great body and a unique flavor in a classic beer style, almost like a dry Irish stout with a dry roasted peanut note.

Chocolate Milk Stout takes a similar approach, but with a much bigger adjunct expression. This beer is like a big, rich chocolate milk for adults. It starts sweet like chocolate milk and finishes a little more dry at the end, growing more complex instead of letting the sweetness overtake it.

Honestly, I had fond memories and it was better than I remembered. I was curious if Dry Irish Stout would be a naked Chocolate Milk Stout, as the malt bill was very familiar at this point in sampling. A classic take on the style, it has slightly more chocolate malt presence than coffee tones and while dry in style, has a touch of sweetness at the finish. It’s fine, but I’d prefer a Guinness.

SPICE, FRUIT AND SOUR

I remember Belgian Strong Ale from the original Dangerous Man and it’s a style I always try on tap when somebody makes it. The results are often hit/miss between overly sweet beers and big ABV options with a lot of yeast nuance.

This one is right in the middle. The fizzy body is perfect, but the spice notes that include cinnamon, clove, and coriander, lean a bit too vanilla – literally, which gives a big, cloying residual sweetness.

Nordic Lemon Squeeze is a fruited farmhouse ale that’s more of a pastry ale than a tart summer refresher. I pick up fermented lemon and creamy vanilla, but ultimately it’s more of a liquid lemon bar – right down to notes of a lightly carmelized crust. I’d argue it’s more fitting as a winter beer, personally.

On the sour menu, summer seasonal Watermelon Sour exceeded expectations as a clean and tart kettle sour with just the right funky lactobacillus touch for a balance of fresh, sweet, tart and a little bit sour too.

The Pride beer Rebel Rebel is a standard POG sour with a gigantic guava element, then passionfruit, then orange, plus a dose of vanilla and perhaps nutmeg, making it a sweet beer in the sour category.

NOT GROWING STALE

On two visits, the taproom and parking lot were both packed – on a weekend and a weeknight, which is a promising sign. More importantly, the beers on tap were some of the most consistent we’ve sampled in recent startups. Other than the disappointing Cream Ale, the other “misses” were largely due to palate and not imperfections. If I were to recommend a flight, it’s a tough choice with nearly half of the many taps standing out across styles.

Dangerous Man 1.0 was a hit, until life changes and circumstances changed the picture.

Dangerous Man 2.0 is off to another shining start. It’s great to have the original characters back and they were just as fun, but the new characters show just as much promise – but suited to 2026 and beyond.

Dangerous Man, 861 E Hennepin Ave #100, Minneapolis, MON-THU 2-10pm, FRI 2-11pm, SAT Noon-11pm, SUN Noon-8pm

HOT FIVE: COCKTAIL EDITION
By John Garland

5. Bangkok Shock at White Squirrel Bar | St. Paul | $11

If you head to the White Squirrel to see live music—and you should if you haven’t lately—you’ll probably see most people with a pint of lager or a simple mixer. But the house cocktail list is worth a serious look. The Bangkok Shock is found in the “barrel finished” section, and you’ll find its base of rums mellowing in a small cask behind the bar.

The cocktail comes out as yellow as turmeric with a heady aroma of whole spices. The sip begins with a wallop of rum but quickly subsides into a creamy peach flavor. Then the Thai tea kicks in, leaving the finish tannic and dry, with a leathery aftertaste of anise and cloves. This is a tiki drink for people who don’t like tiki drinks.

4. Almost Famous at Mothership Pizza Paradise | Minneapolis | $16

The bar at Mothership is giving adult pizza party vibes. Alongside a list of Italian favorites like spritzes and negronis, their summer cocktail menu is a variety pack of juice boxes for 40-year-olds. Their Jungle Bird is full of watermelon. I’m ordering their tropical take on a Last Word.

Almost Famous is a neon orange coupe complete with a Speedo-clad pool boy clinging to the rim. That color is likely the result of red Aperol plus yellow pineapple juice. The mezcal is so mellow you hardly notice it, but yellow Chartreuse gives the drink a botanical edge. It’s the only thing stopping you from gulping it like Fanta.

3. Bay-O-Wulf at Loon Liquors Cocktail Room & Pizzeria | Northfield | $10.75

Last fall, Loon Liquors vacated its windowless warehouse on the edge of Northfield in favor of a sunlit building just steps from Division Street. They’ve installed larger stills and a gas-fired oven, in which the same local, organic wheat that makes their spirits is now making pillowy pizza crusts.

Their cocktails have also improved since the move. I could drink far too many of the Bay-O-Wulf, an aquavit sour with the tartness of lingonberry making it seem like a pastry from a Norwegian bakery. It’s the dry earthiness of bay leaves in the simple syrup that keeps everything in balance.

2. Baited Fate at Lost Fox | St. Paul | $15

Step off the light rail at the eastern end of the Green Line and you’ll be at the door of Lost Fox, a space that’s a coffee shop in the front, and cocktail party in the back.

The Baited Fate is built on pastis, the absinthe-like spirit that tastes like a hot summer day in an unsexy part of France. To combat the intense licorice flavor, they add carrot juice, lemon juice, and ginger liqueur—a blistering trio of sweet, sour, and warming spice.

And to finish, some deep-blue dots of olive oil infused with spirulina powder that dapple the surface. It’s like carrots that have been braised in lemon butter with a couple pods of star anise.

1. Nightshade at The Vermillion | St. Paul | $16

I’m not finished with garden cocktails yet, because I’ve found the final boss of dirty martinis at The Vermillion, the cozy sidebar annex of the Iron Ranger on Grand Avenue. She comes in a pale shade of gooseberry yellow, with a plant-based aroma you can smell from a distance.

It has the requisite olive brine mixed with vodka and dry vermouth, but it’s the addition of tomatillo puree that gives the drink its name and signature savoriness. I think this is what alcoholic salsa verde would taste like. It’s vegetal, salty, dry, and boozy, like the exact middle ground between a martini and a bloody mary.

SALIENT SUDS
Drekker now sold in select Targets

Drekker is now selling its Ectogasm and SMoL brands at select Target stores.

The full list of stores where it’s available can be found here.

THE TASTING ROOM
IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Barrel-Aged Malört by CH Distillery | The underbelly of Chi City

When I gather with a coterie of craft-beer-drinking friends for a beer share of super rare, expensive, and top-of-the-line beers, my Iowa buddy makes us do one thing: take a shot of Malört.

Once the burning tire, cheap plastic, bitter, yak-face-inducing shot is down, we can commence.

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Since that tradition began nearly a decade ago, I have come to respect Malört for what it is; I don’t hate it. I’ve had a great lager aged in a Malört barrel from Mikerphone, I’ve had some fun memories tied to the shots, like tricking a bachelor and bachelorette party to imbibe with “Chicago’s finest” spirit.

“You lied to me,” my cousin espoused that evening.

“I did,” revelling in my deception.

And then I announced to the room the Malört taglines like, “Tonight’s the night you fight your dad,” or classic, “Malört, these pants aren’t going to shit themselves.”

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