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Chili
Oh September, you welcome us with your promise of bonfires and football food, but as we go trip-trapping across that bridge into fall, we must first meet your challenge of our hardiness: heat on or no? We'll be reminded of our state motto (it's not chilly, you're just underdressed) as we get ready for outdoor gridiron viewing, celebrating more fried bird, and stretching those patio days as long as we can. Layer up.
Doing Good in the Neighborhood
>> September is Hunger Action month! That can be grassroots action, the way that the guys from Community Driven do it. This non-profit is all about rescuing food from grocery stores and restaurants and delivering it to food shelves, and neighborhood groups that sometimes get overlooked by the big orgs. They have a van named Laura and a bike cart named Gabby that they use to pick up and deliver food two days a week, and from May to August they rescued $83,243 worth of food that would have ended up in landfill. But they're running out of cash and could use a little donation action, you can even sign up to give $5/month and that might make it so they can add more days for pickups. It's not always about massive drives, sometimes it's about small moves that make really big impacts.
Nice To Be Out
>> Turkey leg parade! That's right, the Renaissance Fest Food Parade is now a thing! Get your tickets for the next few weekends, starting Sept. 19, and throw down your $20 per car to wind along a 2.5 mile trek through the realm, whilst snacking on turkey legs, unicorn cakes, apple dumplings, mango on a stick, soup (?) and more. No mead, quit asking.
>> Wanna watch the Vikes/Pack game this Sunday outside? Shamrock's is showing it on their patio bar (with half price wings) or Park Tavern has a big tent with screens for you. If you're cool with the indoors, maybe check out the screens at New Hope Cinema Grill which is all tables and theater seating.
>> Whiskey Inferno is throwing a little Rib Fest tonight in Savage. They'll park the big ol' smoker outside and you can amble up for takeout or grab a table for drinks and live music while you smack on wild boar ribs, tandoori lamb ribs, bison ribs, pork ribs, and whole rack of sauces. Then Saturday? Steak night!
>> Kirby, the Thumbs Cookies Mobile, will be smartly parked outside of South Lyndale Liquors tonight. Pre-order and you can have your warm little peanut butter sea salt cookies waiting for you while you peruse your weekend libations and decide if this is the weekend you try that peanut butter whiskey.
>> We're not done with corn roasts! Head over to North Loop's Thr3 Jack for some outdoor corn shucking and sucking. Free to hang out, with the Twins game blaring, and you can plop down $3/ear of corn or $10/all-you-can-eat, or go $15 for a corn/burger/beer dealio. Buckets of beer, social distancing, all the good things for a Saturday.
New Stuff
+ The restaurant that has taken the place of In Bloom in Keg & Case is now open with a changed name: Woodfired Cantina. After a Change.org petition was launched over cultural use of the original name, Elotes, owner Brian Ingram changed the name with the following statement: Our mission is and will continue to be bringing people together over quality food while serving others and giving back to the community. We have listened to concerns from members of our community over the name of our restaurant and have taken quick action to change the name to Woodfired Cantina. Our goal is to make food that brings people together. We are here to listen and learn.
+ This week, more beverage industry workers moved toward unionization. First Lawless Distilling/Stilheart Distilling, and then Fair State Brewing Cooperative recognized the unions their employees organized. FSBC is now one of the only craft breweries in the US with union representation.
+ St. Croix Chocolate Co. is back open in a new space, same town. Find some of the best chocolates in the state in the cute little town of Marine on St. Croix (maybe on your way back from the Franconia Art Park?) in a fresh new shop. Open Th-Su.
+ Bellecour Bakery at Cook's in North Loop has made it official. The bakery pop-up will continue for the long haul in the cookware and cooking school space so that the city will not have to live without Diane Moua's chocolate croissants ever.
+ CHX is the new pickup-window situation in Uptown off the side of the Pourhouse. Three guys and a whole lot of secret-recipe, hand-battered chicken tenders (with crinkle fries.)
+ B.A.D. Wingz has officially launched in the Glam Doll Donuts space. Custom chicken wings (and a few veggie wings) with sauces, snacks, street corn, and movie nachos.
Takeout + Patio + Indoors Notes
>> The French Hen Cafe has decided to add some dinner fun to their breakfast and lunch run. They have launched Moonflower Pizza a night time venture that can be found in their back-alley behind the Cathedral Hill restaurant. Pop by or order online Th-Su starting at 5pm.
>> Fhima's has changed their hours and will now be open for dining only Th-Sa. They'll continue to do takeout Tu-Sa, and you can book private events in the space when you want. And check out their new fall menu!
>> Ope! Saint Dinette has rejiggered their takeout menu again, and this time it's a GD celebration of all the things that make you say: Cripes that's good. Impossible Salisbury Steak tv dinner? Yah. Tater tot hotdish, seven layer salad, Snicker's salad? Sheesh, yah.
Closes, Cancellations, and Cuts
// With the realities of the seasonal dip coming with colder months, and the challenges of trying to keep workers and guests safe in indoor spaces, Alex and Margo Roberts have announced that they will be closing indoor dining at Alma as of November 2nd. They plan to revert to doing limited takeout for both restaurants in hopes that they can find a way to come back at full strength in the future.
// Well, Hopcat, the Michigan-based beer bar that opened in 2017 has decided to call it quits.
// We've started a list of restaurants closed since the pandemic began, and we'll keep updating it as we need to.
