Rustica Bakery & Cafe opening in downtown Wayzata

Big changes are coming to downtown Wayzata.

Rustica Bakery & Cafe is moving into the space currently occupied by Lunds & Byerlys Kitchen. The small-scale supermarket and restaurant is closing at the end of the month. It opened in 2014. (Lunds & Byerlys will continue to operate its full-service supermarket a half-mile away in the Colonial Square shopping center).

When Rustica takes over, the 17,000 square-foot space will be filled by a bakery-cafe (with a wine-beer menu), a large production facility, the second outlet of Rustica Cookies & Creamery soft-serve ice cream counter (the first opened last month at Mall of America) and a significant Dogwood Coffee presence.

"We have a lot of room and so we're working on all kinds of possibilities," said Rustica owner Greg Hoyt. "It's a great opportunity to facilitate growth for Rustica as both a retail bakery and as a wholesale operation."

The bakery will offer Rustica's full line of breads and pastries, and the cafe will continue to focus on the sandwich/soup format that's familiar to Rustica fans in its Minneapolis and Eden Prairie outlets.

"We're just excited to finally have more kitchen space, to allow us to spread our food wings," said Hoyt.

Hoyt added that he's still brainstorming uses for the space. Thirteen-year-old Rustica may partner with a small chocolatier, and he's looking at developing a marketplace ("I hate using that word, because it conjures up so many different ideas," Hoyt said) for selling books, periodicals and other goods. A seasonal walk-up window for soft-serve ice cream is also in the works.

The space is located in the Promenade of Wayzata, a mixed-use complex on the eastern edge of the city's downtown, which features retail shops, restaurants and residences. A hotel is opening this year.

"I've had my eye on Wayzata for a long time," said Hoyt. "I worked at Caribou in the mid-1990s, and one of the stores I managed was in Wayzata. I loved engaging with the customers, I loved the community and I loved staring at the lake. And I love what's going in on Wayzata today."

There's certainly plenty of food-and-drink activity in the area. Sushi Fix chef/owner Enkhbileg "Billy" Tserenbat is opening Baja Haus, a fish tacos-and-tequila estaurant. Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable is launching his Bellecour (with a bakery component) in March. And restaurateur Ryan Burnet (Eastside, Barrio, Bar La Grassa, Burch Steak) debuted his Crisp & Green in November.

"I ran into Ryan yesterday," said Hoyt. "He gave me a big hug and said, 'Welcome to the neighborhood.'"

Look for a spring opening. "I'd say April or May, or maybe June," said Hoyt. "You know how these things go."