As tourists return to Duluth's Canal Park, food trucks, scoop shops follow

DULUTH – At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers would come to Lincoln Park's Love Creamery to buy 10 ice cream pints at a time.

They wanted to ensure the three-year-old shop survived, said owner Nicole Wilde, and survive it did. A second location opened in Duluth's Canal Park last week.

Love Creamery is one of a few food purveyors expanding or opening this summer in the waterfront district whose businesses, like most, struggled to stay afloat while customers stayed home during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Beloved by tourists for its shopping, dining and iconic Aerial Lift Bridge, Canal Park now flaunts a new $16 million section of the Lakewalk and crowds have returned. Joining Love Creamery, two food trucks from New Scenic Cafe and a beverage trailer open this week in Canal Park. A taco restaurant, Chachos Taqueria, is expected to open Aug. 1.

Wilde always intended to operate more than just "a little scoop shop," she said, and while the pandemic slowed her plans, the new location inside a former Subway store made perfect sense.

People wondered why she'd open another shop 2 miles from the original, Wilde said, "But it's a whole different group of people."

Each shop carries the same four core flavors, but expect a dozen others at the 366 S. Lake Av. location that are different from what the flagship store serves. On the horizon is a honeyberry ice cream made using Wrenshall's Farm LoLa honeyberries. Love Creamery, which has some vegan offerings, makes its own ice cream at each location.

If two flavors pair well together, Wilde said, "we say, 'let's try it in ice cream.' "

The food trucks and beverage trailer are found next to Grandma's Restaurant Co.'s Garden events center in Canal Park. Opening are New Scenic Cafe's mobile Airstream kitchen Scenic 61 and its new truck, Pig Pen, along with Horse Play, a beverage service from the catering arm of nearby Bellisio's Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar.

Scenic 61 moved from the New Scenic Cafe's parking lot where it operated during the pandemic while the restaurant remained closed. Pig Pen is a new truck serving gourmet hot dogs and corn on the cob, according to its social media feed. Owner Scott Graden declined to speak ahead of the opening.

Horse Play is a converted horse trailer that serves local craft beer and wine. Yard games and vintage campsite-style decor like gazing balls and pink flamingos will decorate the site, said Grandma's Restaurant Co. President Brian Daugherty.

Alex Giuliani and his developer father (who bears the same name) have long discussed opening a taco restaurant in Canal Park. The elder Giuliani owns the former residence at 329 Canal Park Drive that houses the walk-up taco restaurant, and an adjacent space that next summer will rent e-bikes and paddleboards, Canal E Rides. The younger Giuliani has honed his cooking chops at restaurants including the former 4 Bells in Minneapolis. Another cook from various Minneapolis restaurants, Aaron Maloney, is partnering with him. (Taco Taco Taco, which recently opened in downtown Duluth, is owned by the elder Giuliani's brother, Robert.) Chachos Taqueria will serve traditional tacos with some tweaks, tamales, salsas and Mexican Coke.

"Aaron and I know what we love to eat, and we research and have fun writing recipes," Giuliani said, noting the restaurant will have some outdoor seating but nothing inside. "We like to see people walking around eating tacos."

They'll be serving pork tacos and roasted corn salad at Duluth's Fourth Fest this weekend.

janah@startribune.com • 218-508-2450