3 new ice bars, the return of Walkin' Dog, the closure of Salut, and more restaurant news

The Minnesota Ice Maze was no match for this mild (so far) winter. But restaurateurs know how to roll with the punches. With nary a snowbank in sight, Apostle Supper Club (253 Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, apostlesupperclub.com) has opted to erect an entire inflatable igloo. Inside the structure there is expected to be an ice bar, assuming the weather stops topping 40 degrees. Outside, there will be fire pits on the patio and more festivities.

Red Wagon Pizza Co. has powered on with its annual ice bar ahead of its usual installation. The bar is now up and running outside the Armatage neighborhood pizzeria (5416 Penn Av. S., Mpls., redwagon-mpls.com).

And the ice bar at Rosalia makes its return Jan. 4 with a cocktail selection stocked with Italian fernets, amaros and aperitivos. Fire pits and heaters (and pizza, of course) will keep everyone warm. (2811 W. 43rd St., Mpls., rosaliapizza.com).

There promises to be a flurry of activity in Minneapolis' downtown and North Loop in the coming months.

First: A new coffee and tea shop is now open in downtown Minneapolis, courtesy of the proprietors behind Soul Bowl, Gerard and Brittney Klass. C.R.E.A.M Cafe — it stands for "coffee rules everything around me" — takes over part of the former Smith & Porter space at 428 S. 2nd St. Barista-brewed coffee drinks and flights, shaken teas, breakfast and lunch are on offer Sundays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And that's not all from the Klasses. Coming in early 2024 to the same address is Klassics Kitchen + Cocktails. We're promised more information about that soon.

Meanwhile, chairs, lights and flooring are all fair game for a refresh at the nearly 10-year-old Spoon and Stable. Shea Inc. is behind the physical update of the North Loop still-hot spot, which will close from Jan. 27 to Feb. 12. The goal is to make the place "more welcoming than ever," according to an Instagram post from the restaurant. But even chef/owner Gavin Kaysen's food might get a new look. The post continues, "... we're refreshing the way we think about our food and service, while staying true to the Spoon and Stable you know and love." But will there still be pot roast?

Former owner Dave Magnuson had said the April 2023 closure was "due to the renovation of the Northstar food court, and also a family decision." At the time, Northstar had offered Walkin' Dog a space to return to after the renovation, "but after much thought, we declined their gracious offer to return."

A new development in Edina just got a new burger joint. Locally grown chain My Burger has opened its ninth store at W. 77th Street and Hwy. 100, in Pentagon Village (4945 W. 77th St., Edina). This is the fourth new My Burger since 2019, and CEO John Abdo has designs on doubling the company's growth in the Midwest in the years ahead. In Edina, expect the usual burger joint fare, including burgers, fries and malts.

Also coming to Edina: the location of the next Hope Breakfast Bar from Sarah and Brian Ingram, opening mid-April in Centennial Lakes Plaza on France Avenue. The all-day breakfast restaurant is hard at work building out a new location in Woodbury, too. The original St. Paul Hope Breakfast Bar began with promise of breakfast food, coffee drinks and cocktails with a message of hope. Diners can fill out prayer cards, and a small portion of sales feeds into the Ingrams' Give Hope nonprofit. The other Hope Breakfast Bars are in Eagan, St. Louis Park and inside Gillette's Children's Hospital in St. Paul.

It's time for Jellybean and Julia's to grow. The restaurant that had already outgrown a food truck is now moving out of Anoka and into Coon Rapids. With expanded square footage and the opportunity for a full bar at 2501 Coon Rapids Blvd. NW., the restaurant's owners said via social media that the move was necessary for growth. It's a homecoming of sorts; the owners, Koli Fyten-Swap and Cory Swap, met at this spot back when it used to be Grumpy's. The goal is to open by this spring and there will likely be a Kickstarter to help make it all happen. In the meantime, with the demands of the move, the labor-intensive barbecue production will wind down at 530 W. Main St. in Anoka. The menu will still be stacked with wings, burgers, sandwiches and the other hearty goods the restaurant is known for up until moving day.

And the new owners of the iconic Galaxy Drive In plan to turn the St. Louis Park landmark into Wells Roadside, a dog-friendly burger joint also serving ice cream, beer and wine, our business desk reports. Craft & Crew Hospitality acquired the retro spot, once planned by the founders of Famous Dave's and Rainforest Cafe to be a pizza place. They will model their new concept after Gott's Roadside in California. They hope to open the restaurant (3712 Quebec Av. S.) in the spring and will feature a four-season pergola. It will be Craft & Crew's seventh restaurant.

The limited-time menu starts Jan. 12, with two seatings per night. The $175 tickets must be booked in advance at Resy, and beverage pairings from BIPOC producers will be available to purchase at the dinner. During Waníyetu's run, Owamni will not have regular lunch or dinner service, and walk-ins will not be accepted. (Owamni is at 420 S. 1st St., Mpls.)

The dinner is an introduction, of sorts, to NATIFS, the education and food relief nonprofit that acquired Owamni last fall. Ten percent of ticket sales will go to the organization.

"Winter is the season storytellers bring light into our lives, and to be a good storyteller, you need to break new creative ground," Sherman said in a statement. "That's what we're doing with our Waníyetu menu. This more elevated menu gives our culinary team the opportunity to push boundaries, showcase the ingredients from our amazing Indigenous producers, explore the rich and diverse flavors of North America, and demonstrate the heights Owamni can reach with our service and creative capabilities. Each dish will tell a story, each flavor will carry a history, and together, we will be narrators of this culinary tale."

Salut Bar Americain, the Parasole-owned French bistro at 917 Grand Av. in St. Paul, will close Jan. 8. Gift cards will be honored at other Parasole restaurants, including Manny's and Pittsburgh Blue, as well as the Salut in Edina (5034 France Av. S.), which remains open.

It was an Irish goodbye from Bull & Wren (200 Water St., Excelsior), which quietly closed Nov. 20. The three-year-old Irish gastropub posted a sign on its door announcing the closure, and news that new ownership will be launching another venture there this spring or summer.