Please consider this permission to eat hot dogs for breakfast. It’s officially patio wine and cheese for dinner season, and seeing that Saturday is National Rosé Day, go ahead and Day Drink Pink. Follow what draws you and head to a city bar, a river town bar, or a lakeside bar.
NEWS
\\ Downtown Thursdays are a thing for fun lunch! The Downtown Council has launched a new party time social hang from 11:30a – 1:30p on Nicollet Mall at 9th on Thursdays this summer. Look for themed fun (yesterday was Garden Bash, but plan ahead for Roller Disco days), food trucks, additional outdoor seating, and those good city times. If all goes well, who knows: they might get rid of buses altogether and let you cocktail crawl up and down the mall.
OPENS
+ Whitey’s in Stillwater is now open as Howard’s Bar. Local musician Caroline Smith, along with her cheffy husband Andrew To, have repurposed and reopened the venerable bar spot. Eater’s Justine Jones reports that the bar menu will have wings, a Cobb salad, smoked fish dip as well as fresh pasta, a burger made with Peterson meats and more. No cocktail menu, this is still a corner bar with rail drinks and pull tabs. Not saying there are jello shots, but I’m not NOT saying it.
+ The Painted Turtle opens on Monday in the former Sandcastle spot on Nokomis. Beach goers will happily snack on classic sliders, beer battered walleye, hand battered curds, and chipotle rubbed duck wings. They’ve also got popcorn and cold sandwiches for grab ‘n’ go, but unfortch no beer, for this season at least.
+ Hope Breakfast Bar in Eagan is now open with their third location, off Diffley Road.
+ And it’s true! Hello Pizza has finally reopened their dining room for eating in. Cop a squat 4 p.m., W-Su.
COMING SOON
>> Justin Sutherland is teaming up with Grandview Lodge to open up the newest iteration of his Northern Soul restaurant at The Preserve golf club. This summer it will launch on the outdoor patio and within the existing clubhouse restaurant with smoked brisket, Carolina pork BBQ sandwich, chicken-fried ribs with Cry Baby Craigs hot honey, and the like.
>> Eden Prairie Center is getting four new food/drink vendors.
- Near the theater, two Japanese concepts will split a huge restaurant space with Gyu Mai offering table-grilled meats and BBQ as a full service spot, and Ichiddo Ramen offering noodles and snacks in a fast-casual environment. Look for a December opening.
- Where’s the Flour? (WTF) will relocate from their Northtown Mall location. The gluten-free cafe offers everything from cheese curds and chicken sandwiches to wings and burgers. Plans are to open July 1.
- And Café Viola is bringing Lavazza fueled coffee drinks, plus wraps and sandwiches to the lower level sometime this month.
>> Slice Pizza announced their fourth coming location, at the Mall of America.
AGENDA
// Open Streets kicks off the 2023 run with a stroll and roll down E. Lake Street on Saturday. OF COURSE you’re going to stop by the Midtown Global Market because of all the goodness and you want to say hi to Manny. But there’s also a ton of great food stops by Mercado Central, and really, up and down this whole street.
// Warm up for next weekend’s Pride Party with a few starters this weekend. Pride or Die at Modist Brewing is a free party with drag shows, live DJs, beer releases, new THC seltzers, and food trucks. Lakes & Legends starts their Pride Market Series this weekend with a full roster of local, LGBTQIA and BIPOC-owned businesses.
// It is National Rosé Day on Saturday and you should be at Rosé Fest, but if you can’t make it this year you have some other options. Sovereign Estate winery in Waconia is releasing their Regatta Rosé on Saturday. Dress in pink to win a prize, enjoy $5 tasting flights, and just photo-op all over the place. Smack Shack is celebrating all weekend with a good sloggin’ deal: half dozen East Coast oysters and a bottle of Whispering Angel Dry Rosé for $49.95. And Schram Vineyard, also in Waconia, is celebrating with their four different bottlings: Blush, Syrah Rosé, Sparking Rosé, and Laketown Rosé. Get in on a $10 tasting or a $5 perron shot of wine.
// But if it’s not pink wine, maybe it’s the 14th annual St. Paul Summer Beer Fest you’re looking for on Saturday. Held on the fairgrounds in the International Bazaar this outdoor craft beer fest features over 50 breweries along with live music, great snacks, and a silent auction benefitting the YMCA of St. Paul.
// It’s the 65th annual Deutsche Tage this weekend in St. Paul. If you are over Oktoberfesting, give this chiller fest a try: all of the Paulaner und Spätzel, none of the potential for snow. Admission is free to the Germanic-Institute grounds, but your beer wristband will run $5. Jimi the Polka Pirate is waiting on you.
// Forgotten Star is launching their monthly night markets of summer on Saturday. The Fridley brewery will host local vendors selling vinyl, vintage, jewelry and more. Ring Toss Twins will be spinning vinyl all night and the Saturday Dumpling Co will be there with dumplings.
// I can’t get behind this hard enough: Trash Film Debauchery at Dark Horse Bar on Wednesday (and then more places all summer). Trylon has teamed up with Lagunitas and the Trash Film kids to bring some bad movies to great bars. Dark Horse will host a screening of Tammy & the T-Rex (hi Denise Richards and Paul Walker), there will be beer specials to numb the insanity, but there’s also a great whiskey list to really fuel your best commentary.