A rising star in the Twin Cities pizza scene is about to get even brighter.
Wrecktangle, the popular Detroit-style pizza joint, to open third location in Minneapolis
The food-hall success will have a stand-alone restaurant in Lyn-Lake and a mission to boost other businesses. Plus, more pizza news.
Wrecktangle, the Detroit-style pizza darling of two food halls, is planning to open a stand-alone restaurant in early 2022. And it's bringing the food hall model with it.
Co-owners Alex Rogers, Jeff Rogers and Breanna Evans are planning to use the sizable space at 701 W. Lake St. in Minneapolis to help incubate other food businesses — a kind of rotating food hall for their culinary peers.
"We started in the Galley food hall and it was the only reason we are still in business, because they were able to offer us something that is really low-risk and relatively high-reward," said Jeff Rogers. "One thing we would like to implement in the new spot is the opportunity for other people to do the same kind of thing, just because we are so grateful for that, we want to share what we learned."
Also on the docket is a bar, where mixologist Jeff Rogers can display his talents, and a market for take-and-bake pizzas, fresh breads and other locally made provisions. The team will also utilize a smoker that was installed two restaurants ago, when it was the Hasty Tasty.
That address, at the corner of Lake Street and Lyndale Avenue S., has almost had a revolving door of tenants in recent years, including Falafel King and, most recently, Prieto, which moved farther south in Minneapolis.
But to the Wrecktangle team, it already feels like home.
"Finding the building itself was frankly very lucky," said Alex Rogers. "Spaces in food halls are not necessarily the largest." In the new building, "we are able to have a full-size kitchen to flex our culinary muscles, where we can grow."
The area is also meaningful to the team. Evans worked at restaurants in Lyn-Lake for years, and said the district, which was hit hard during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd, is their home base.
"Seeing the damage to Lake Street and our neighborhood where we live and play and shop and exist, it's just heartbreaking," she said. "We want to not only bring something back to it, but something more than just a restaurant that we own. It's a collaboration."
When it opens, Wrecktangle will serve lunch and dinner, with a walk-up window for late-night orders. It might also do early morning coffee. Delivery — which is not offered at the other two locations — won't be available, unless the team finds a way to bring it in-house.
The menu is expanding, too, with larger pizzas, a variety of breads, smoked toppings, vegetables and deli-style options for the market. The owners have some partners in mind for the micro-food hall aspect; stay tuned for announcements as the opening approaches.
In the meantime, Wrecktangle is located at North Loop Galley (729 Washington Av. N., Mpls., northloopgalley.org) and the Market at Malcolm Yards (501 30th Av. SE., Mpls., malcolmyards.market).
Given Wrecktangle's rapid success at both locations, a brick-and-mortar only seemed natural, the team said.
"Of course it was a goal," Evans said. "The biggest goal was to have our own place and live out our dreams for us and our friends. We didn't think it would happen so quickly, especially during a pandemic."
In other pizza news ...
EaTo (305 Washington Av. S., Mpls., helloeatompls.com) has opened for indoor dining.
The multi-concept Italian pizzeria, restaurant and market, overseen by chef Jamie Malone, with drinks by 3Leche, had only offered patio dining since its August opening. A wine shop curated by sommelier Scarlett Carrasco is still to come.
EaTo is open 4-9 p.m. Wed.-Thu. and 4-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.
Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks (tonomn.com) announced it is opening a fourth location in Woodbury.
Since 2019, chef Antonio Gambino has been slinging Philly-style cheesesteaks and pizzas inspired by a Sicilian recipe, first in Maplewood (3088 White Bear Av.). The fast-casual restaurant expanded last year to St. Paul, taking over the former St. Clair Broiler (1580 St. Clair Av.), and opened a location in Coon Rapids (3500 124th Av. NW.) in May 2021.
Look for the Woodbury spot (437 Commerce Dr.) in January 2022.
And, after years of inquiries from customers, Pizzeria Lola (5557 Xerxes Av. S., Mpls., pizzerialola.com) is now making a lot of Minnesotans happy by offering housemade ranch on the side. Get some at lunch or dinner, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Thu. and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.
The 23rd installment of the beer fest will take place Oct. 12 at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis.