Diane Moua's anticipated new restaurant gets a home in Minneapolis, and more foodie news

One year after sharing the intention to open her own restaurant, Diane Moua has shared where we'll be able to enjoy her first foray into savory fare.

The thus-far unnamed restaurant will open inside the Food Building (1401 NE. Marshall St.) in Minneapolis. The address includes event space in addition to a dining room as well as some pretty cool neighbors. Lowry Hill Provisions from chef/butcher Erik Sather recently moved its operations inside, and there's hope that there might be some collaboration.

When she first announced the restaurant, Moua said, "This is going back to my roots. Not just Hmong flavors, but also French and savory food."

The Food Building began as a collaborative space from prolific restaurateur and whiskey brand founder Kieran Folliard. It has historically housed small food businesses as well as a restaurant. The last restaurant to operate within it, Kieran's Kitchen, shuttered last year with initial plans to rebrand and open in the spring of 2023.

Moua isn't ready to share her timeline just yet, but we're one step closer to tasting what the James Beard Award nominee has up her chef's jacket sleeves.

It only seems like lake days have wound down for the season. There are plenty more opportunities to enjoy a day around Bde Maka Ska thanks to the return of its pavilion on Oct. 20. Inside is a counter serving Pimento Jamaican Kitchen's spicy comforts, a self-serve beer wall and a small retail space selling goods from more than 20 mission-driven BIPOC vendors. With the late-in-the-lake-season start, Pimento (3000 Bde Maka Ska Pkwy., Mpls., pimento.com) plans to remain open year-round.

The owner of 801 Chophouse, the chain steakhouse with a Minneapolis location on Nicollet Mall, has announced it has purchased the former McCormick & Schmick's restaurant at 800 Nicollet Mall. The site will be home to 801 Fish. The seafood branch of the company's restaurants has two other locations, in Denver and St. Louis. According to its website, the Minneapolis site is expected to open in November.

Alex Roberts' beloved fast-casual restaurant Brasa is now open at 1728 Mainstreet in Hopkins. It's the fourth Twin Cities location for Brasa's signature rotisserie chicken and iconic green sauce, pulled pork and rice and beans. Roberts has slowly grown the company, first opening on E. Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis in 2007, and St. Paul in 2008. A third location joined in southwest Minneapolis in 2020. Go to brasa.us for the full menu. Roberts and his wife, Margot, also operate Alma restaurant, cafe and hotel as well as Alma Provisions.

Pivo, the restaurant and bar that replaced Wilde Cafe at 65 SE. Main St. in St. Anthony Main, has closed. The restaurant shared the news via social media Monday writing, "We poured our heart, soul, and lots of money into this venture, but unfortunately we couldn't make it work financially. Our last day was October 15, 2023."

The restaurant and bar opened as Pivo in January, saying that the word "pivo" translates to beer in 78 languages. The menu and remodeled bar that made its debut this summer focused on pilsner and foods that paired with it.

SK Coffee is going to open a third coffee shop (its first is in Vandalia Tower in St. Paul; the second opened in Minneapolis' Whittier neighborhood earlier this year). Notably, it will be in a former skyway Caribou Coffee in downtown Minneapolis' 50 South Sixth Building, reports Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. And it might be a trend. Another downtown Minneapolis Caribou, in Fifth Street Towers, is set to become a Blackwater Coffee & Cafe, an expansion of a Maple Plain-based shop. (Blackwater is also planning to open a location in Minnetonka, at 11210 Wayzata Blvd.) Downtown Minneapolis Caribous are becoming rare, according to the Business Journal. In the past year, the chain went from 12 to four locations.

Downtown St. Paul's Mi México Querido has expanded to Minneapolis. The spot for tacos, enchiladas and more takes over the former Dumpling space at 4004 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The St. Paul skyway location, at 444 Cedar St., opened in June, taking over the La Loma location in the Town Square Complex. It's open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.

Minneapolis' North Loop has a new place to get a late bite. Flora Room, the cocktail bar beneath Porzana (it's in the former Marvel Bar), has launched a food menu to go with its tropical-inspired drinks. The menu is Japanese-inspired, and includes temaki-style hand rolls, a fried chicken sandwich, a cheeseburger and karaage popcorn chicken. Food is served nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight. A speakeasy-style bar, you'll have to go around the back of Porzana (200 N. 1st St., Mpls.) to find the unmarked entrance to Flora Room.

There's only one White Castle still standing in Minneapolis since the Lake Street location of the chain closed on Oct. 7. It was a "tough decision" to close the 45-year-old outlet, the company told the Business Journal. But you can still get your slider fix at the northeast Minneapolis location, 600 Central Av. NE., and at nine other metro-area locations.

The all-natural cotton candy brand that launched as a stand at Keg and Case Market and became a hit at the State Fair has closed its Union Depot brick-and-mortar shop at 214 E. 4th St. in St. Paul. "As we pull back our retail operations, we are looking forward to a reimagined future that lets us continue our mission to bring whimsy and joy to our community," Spinning Wylde's proprietors wrote on social media. The shop's last day was Oct. 15. Stay up to date on future events and pop-ups at spinningwylde.com.