Photo by Caitlin Abrams
Tim Niver
Remember dining in restaurants? It hasn’t been a thing since, like, St. Patrick’s Day. But the good news is, that doesn’t mean we have to forgo the summer tradition of eating restaurant food on sunny patios. It just means that said patios are now the ones in our backyards, as many sit-down restos have turned into takeout joints.
Tim Niver, owner of Mucci’s and Saint Dinette, leads the pack. When COVID-19 first hit, he shut down both spots to reimagine what else they could do to survive. For Saint Dinette, that’s paying subtle homage to In-N-Out Burger by showcasing the sandwich side of their menu, like the locally famous double burger with champagne cheese. Meanwhile, his homey Italian spots have somehow become even more comforting with favorites like lasagna and family-style chicken parm on the rotating menu.
Even some chef-driven spots are getting in on the action. Go ahead and wear your flip-flops and your beach cover-up while eating grilled salmon niçoise from Gavin Kaysen’s Bellecour. Likewise, Thomas Boemer’s Revival hasn’t stopped frying perfect chicken and fried-green tomatoes. And Ann Kim’s James Beard Award–winning wood-fired pizzas at Young Joni continue to fly out the door—and onto back patios all over the Twin Cities.
Revivals fried chicken
Revival’s fried chicken makes a house call.
You can also strap on your chef’s apron with take-and-bake meal kits. Jose Alarcon of Centro/Popol Vuh has put all the taco fixings in a tin for you: Your creativity is the only limit on how it all comes together. Jamie Malone’s Grand Café offers a weekly meal kit, stocked with 12 meals for two people, including sweet instructions and even games to keep it fun. In the North Loop and Roseville, Josh Thoma of Smack Shack lets you grab jambalaya or lobster roll ingredients. On weekends, he’s been cooking the dish along with you live online. These days you can even score Red Cow’s custom burger blends, which are now available for pickup.
But maybe one of the best—and craziest—developments is how some restos are now letting you shop their pantries. The crew in Robbinsdale has launched the Travail Marketplace in an effort to support their local farms and vendors. Not only do they have kits with instructions assembled for purchase (early faves include a bison burger kit or a mushroom risotto kit) but you can buy butchered cuts of proteins, fresh produce and eggs, and some of the secret powerhouses of the Travail kitchen, like ramp butter, chow-chow pickles, smoked jalapeño vinegar, and fresh garlic oil.
Could this be the future? Monello is selling fresh pasta by the pound. And you can grab quarts of pancake batter from Al’s Breakfast. As for the maple syrup, you’re on your own—for now.
Treat Yourself
Four stops to nab the mega-treat we all deserve right now.
Photo by Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen
Funfetti cake
The Lynhall
Its personal-sized Funfetti cake is the pink, sprinkled cartoon creation of your dreams. 2640 Lyndale Ave. S, Mpls., thelynhall.com
Mojo Monkey Donuts
Weekend donuts should be mandatory right now, especially the iconic peanut-butter-and-jelly Bismark from this St. Paul staple. 1169 W. 7th St., St. Paul, mojomonkey.biz
Yum! Kitchen and bakery
The Patticake delivers dark chocolate with white buttercream. Available in slices or as a whole cake. 4000 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park; 6001 Shady Oak Rd., Mtka., yumkitchen.com
T-Rex Cookie
For those moments when the only thing that will do is a sea salt caramel chocolate chip cookie as big as your head. 525 Diffley Rd., Eagan, trexcookie.com
