James Beard finalist Jorge Guzmán to open second Minneapolis restaurant

Let's get the bad news out of the way. Urban Eatery, which for more than 12 years has anchored the ground level of the historic Beach Club Residences (formerly the Calhoun Beach Club) on Bde Maka Ska, is closing mid-October.

Here's the bright side: Jorge Guzmán, the chef/owner behind the three-star Minneapolis restaurant Petite León, is moving in.

Guzmán, with partner Zach Sussman, is opening Chilango in February 2024.

The restaurant will offer "elevated 'Mex-Tex,'" according to a release. Guzmán will meld the culinary influences of his upbringing in the Yucatán with "the familiarity and versatility of Tex-Mex, presented in Guzmán's trademark style of creating 'wow' dishes that remain exceedingly approachable."

The name comes from Guzmán's birthplace; Chilango is the word for someone born in Mexico City.

"By calling it Mex-Tex we will be more Mexican forward, but we will most definitely have influence coming from the 'Tex' side of things," Guzmán said. "The food is going to be bold, full of flavor, and playful."

He is still developing the menu, but promises sheet pan brisket nachos will be among the offerings. The bar program will highlight tequila, frozen drinks and Mexican beers.

Minneapolis architecture and design firm Nelson is remodeling the space, adding custom murals from Mexican artist Rodrigo Oñato, objects from Guzmán's travels and "plenty of patina." The 100-seat patio will also get a new look that's inspired by the beachside restaurants in Merida, where Guzmán grew up.

The ownership is separate from Petite León's. Sussman, a former marketing vice president for Kaskaid Hospitality and the co-founder of Brick x Mortar social club and workspace in downtown Minneapolis, partnered with Guzmán after messaging him on Instagram.

"Jorge had been posting about a new concept he wanted to launch, and as a huge, long-time fan of his food, I reached out to see if he needed any help," said Sussman. "He responded saying he would be interested in meeting, and we hit it off right away."

Sussman had been involved in the opening of Urban Eatery and stayed in touch with Urban Eatery operating partner Farzad Freshteku. When Freshteku told Sussman Urban Eatery was closing, Sussman recommended Guzmán take over the space.

"We've had a great run at Urban Eatery, and it was important to me that we found an operator to steward the space into a new era," said Freshteku, who is staying on as minority partner in Chilango.

Follow Chilango's progress at chilangomextex.com.

In the meantime, there's another new way to experience Guzmán's culinary prowess. He has designed the menu at the new northeast Minneapolis cocktail bar Steady Pour. The menu features tapas-inspired small plates.