Uptown's Arts and Rec reopens as Uptown Collab, but there's still minigolf

After being open less than a year, Arts and Rec is now Uptown Collab — or UpCo. The multilevel restaurant, bar, rooftop and minigolf course inside Uptown's Seven Points mall reopened last week after getting a full rebrand, new names for its restaurants and several large-screen TVs.

The kitchen has been taken over by Kamal Mohamed of Nashville Coop and StepChld. He'll oversee the menu for both the main-floor restaurant, Leila's, and rooftop bar, Beacon.

Beacon reopens with promise of smashburgers, ceviche, tacos and salads. Downstairs, Leila's is leaning into the eat-and-watch vibes with a menu that allows Mohamed to play with cuisines and expectations, like a vegetarian curry with gochujang spice and Ethiopian beef tacos. All are snacks for devouring while watching the televised event of your choice.

Also look for an expanded theater space called Upstage, and August Bar, a speakeasy that includes a cocktail menu with local favorites (think Black Walnut Old Fashioned from Bradstreet Craftshouse).

Reservations are open for dining inside, mini golf and an upcoming drag brunch. Uptown Collab is at 3001 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., uptowncollab.com.

The fresh Italian beauty of Jo Seddon's Gia is coming to Minneapolis for a limited time. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays through late June, Seddon will be at Cavé Vin (5555 Xerxes Av. S., Mpls.) serving up a three-course tasting dinner from 5-9 p.m. The prix fixe menu is $48 and includes the same seasonal fare that fans have come to expect when dining near Lake Waconia. Reservations are available now; find more information at joseddon.com/gia.

Local business owner Brian Yi is bringing Paris Baguette's bread and pastries to 7855 Elm Creek Blvd. in Maple Grove, the international chain's first local outpost. The company aims to "reestablish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community around the world." The menu includes cakes, pastries, salads and sandwiches.

Originally opened in 1966, the restaurant (8390 Lofton Av. N., Stillwater, gasthausbavarianhunter.com) closed in 2021 when the owners retired. They held out for someone to purchase the property and return it to its original glory, and new owner Jimmy Martin is committed to running the restaurant with the same decor, uniforms, beer and food as before.

The long-dormant Haute Dish restaurant is finally getting a new tenant, according to the North Loop neighborhood association. Public Domain is now under construction, and owner Stefan Van Voorst expects to open the cocktail bar in a couple of months. At Public Domain (119 Washington Av. N., Mpls.), there won't be bartenders with a menu. Instead you'll find cocktail specialists, who will talk through what guests prefer and then craft a tailor-mixed drink just for them.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Minnesota State Fair is hosting its Kickoff to Summer with more than 30 vendors slinging all the best deep-fried, on-a-stick goodies at the fairgrounds. Favorite fair vendors, including Mouth Trap cheese curds, Que Viet, Ball Park Cafe and more, will be open and selling food and beer. There's also music and events to entertain the whole family. The event goes from 4-9 p.m. May 25-26, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. May 27-28. Tickets are still available; cost is $12.50 online (with fees) and $15.50 at the gate. Get more info and tickets at mnstatefair.org.

More gorgeous evenings inside the Minneapolis Institute of Art are on the calendar as more dates have been added to its Mia After Dark series, which combines food and wine experiences with priceless works of art. There are two ways to enjoy this special event. Art & Dining After Dark includes a multicourse dinner from chef Jamie Malone of Paris Dining Club with wine pairings by Bill Summerville and a private, curator-led tour of the exhibit (remaining dates for the Caravaggio exhibit are May 24 and June 14); tickets are $375. Art & Wine After Dark includes a private curated walk-through of the exhibit and wine tastings and small bites from Paris Dining Club. Cost is $125; remaining Caravaggio dates are June 20 and July 25). For a full schedule and tickets, go to new.artsmia.org.