A first look at Centro's new Eat Street complex in Minneapolis

Northeast Minneapolis taqueria Centro has been in expansion mode since Day One. First there was the fine dining counterpart Popol Vuh next door, which showcased chef Jose Alarcon's hearth-cooking finesse. That closed in 2020, making way for Vivir, a cafe with a knockout breakfast burrito and whimsical pastries from pastry chef Ngia Xiong. And last year, the agave bar Escondido opened in a hidden corner of Vivir.

Now, both Centro and Vivir have made the leap to a second location on Minneapolis' Eat Street in what used to be the Wedge Table. It's a food hall-like complex that also makes room for a new concept, Everywhen Burger Bar.

This is just one stop on Centro's trajectory. Next up: Centro and Everywhen will open in St. Paul's Highland Park before year's end.

"It's always been part of the bigger picture — to grow," owner Jami Olson told the Star Tribune when the expansion was announced last winter. "The pandemic gave us a lot of time to think about things and plan the next move."

Location: 2412 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., 612-452-9785, centrompls.com. Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Thu., 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat.

The food: Customers of the OG Centro in northeast Minneapolis will recognize most of the menu. Tacos, "not tacos" and snacks run the gamut of Mexican flavor and technique, with a heavy homage to fast-food favorites.

After choosing a couple of Alarcon's tried-and-true tacos, the Centro Crunch ($10) is the obvious next stop on the menu. It's designed to mimic a popular Taco Bell delight, in which a flour tortilla is wrapped around a crispy tostada that's been stuffed with ground beef, nacho cheese and crema. Sure, you could get one at the drive-thru, but why would you when Alarcon is taking it to the next level?

Another worthy pick made for sharing would be the terrific nachos ($14). A quarter sheet pan is loaded with chips, cheese, sauces both creamy and fiery, protein of choice (go for the black beans, $2) and a garden's worth of radish, avocado and cilantro.

But Centro's greatest hits only scratch the surface at the new spot. Vivir takes care of morning visits and coffee breaks, with one of the Twin Cities' best breakfast burritos at a steal ($10 with eggs), and the signature frosted guava rolls ($5) and nutty polvorones ($1.25).

And new to the family is Everywhen Burger Bar, which is slinging smashed burgers and other fare on Xiong's expert brioche buns (burgers start at $9). I opted for the fried chicken sandwich ($12), which stars a mouthwatering brined and breaded chicken thigh. Habañero mayo, dill pickles and pickled fresnos all contribute to the happy dance of flavors. The side of fries with mayo ($4) are no afterthought, either. They lovingly pay tribute to the perfect fast food fry, that of McDonalds, which Everywhen can consider a competitor; there's a Mickey D's just up the street.

Desserts weren't available yet when we visited, but rest assured I'll be back for a slice of banana cream pie ($6) and an ice cream sandwich made out of another Vivir specialty, the masa cookie ($8).

The drinks: Vivir has your morning drinks — Intelligentsia coffee, spicy hot chocolate (another classic) and a powerfully dark fermented cacao drink. Centro and Everywhen both have cocktail lists, with many of the selections on tap and a couple of inventive nonalcoholic versions (the Palo-NO-Ma and the Not-a-Marg, both $5, were refreshing lunch accompaniments). Wine and beer are available, too.

The vibe: Shea designed the airy 15,000-square-foot restaurant as a fast-casual spot with food hall functionality. The center is dominated by a bar and to-go counter. Vivir shows off its goods in a pastry case, and Everywhen is further fleshed out with the addition of stools, where you can watch the patties get smashed on the grill. Pick your own seating, whether that's a throw-pillow-topped bench, hushed booth or a high-top near flung-open garage doors on a warm day. There's a patio facing the action on Nicollet Avenue.

How to order: Guests can order from one menu or all of them — at the same time if preferred. QR code ordering makes it easy to turn a meal here into a sampler. But if ordering from a human is more your thing, each concept has a counter, too. A 10% service fee is automatically added to every bill.