Restaurant news: Centro owner opening a new kind of dive bar in Northeast

Crack open a Hamm's and welcome Bina's to the neighborhood.

The new bar, a twist on the classic dive bar, is from Centro Restaurant Group and will open early next year. Named as a tribute to owner Jami Olson's grandparents, Bina's will occupy 2,800 square feet at 1404 NE. Quincy St. in Minneapolis, right next to Olson's first restaurant, Centro. Come next summer, fans can sip cans of beer next to tables enjoying pitchers of margaritas.

"When the space became available, we jumped on it," Olson said in a statement.

The beverage menu will offer everything from Hamm's, PBR and local beers to agave spirits and cocktails on tap.

Plus, Minnesota's favorite dive bar charity gambling, pulltabs, will be sold onsite.

Food will come from an abbreviated menu from sister restaurant EveryWhen Burger Bar, along with dive bar staples like mozzarella sticks, fried pickles and more. Unlike most dive bars, this one will use the same QR ordering system used by Centro and EveryWhen.

Decor for the former office space and barbershop will be a mix of antiques with refined and playful touches. The restrooms are getting some Christmas-themed dolling up and the room will prominently feature the work of local artists.

Follow their progress on social media at @binas_mpls.

Litt Pinball Bar will open inside the old Liquor Lyle's at 11 a.m. on Oct. 11, with a grand opening and the first tournament on Oct. 14. The original E. 26th Street location will close Oct. 5 to allow for time to move all the games over to the new digs.

In a video announcement posted to social media, Litt gave fans a little preview of the extensive remodeling they've done to the building (2021 Hennepin Av., Mpls.; littpinballbar.com). New booths, a big bar and a thorough cleanup and cleanout even includes giant windows overlooking Hennepin Avenue. (That would have been unheard of in the Lyle's era.) There is a preserved sign from the old bar in the bathrooms.

The new, bigger Litt has a small parking lot out back, a bigger kitchen for expanded food offerings, more beer taps and space for even more games — there will be 40 on opening day.

In 2017, Litt opened as Tilt Pinball Bar, a locally owned spot to sip beer and play pinball. The idea was met with an enthusiastic following — so enthusiastic that the space would often fill to capacity.

This spring came a name change, after a company that owns a broad trademark on the world "tilt" came knocking, interrupting plans to move with the need to rebrand.

But now fixtures are installed and the time to warm up those flipper fingers has come. On Oct. 14, we pull back the plunger on a new arcade bar.

There's just a little more than a month left to enjoy the serenity of Vann. The Spring Park restaurant announced via social media that its last night of service would be Oct. 29. The restaurant opened in July 2019 by chef/owner Erik Skaar. Skaar's use of fresh seafood with Scandinavian and Japanese techniques and flavors was always ambitious and garnered praise. In 2022, Star Tribune's critic Jon Cheng awarded the restaurant two and a half stars, recommending the restaurant and saying, "I marveled at the way Skaar uses yuzu kosho, a type of fermented chile paste made from the zest and juice of yuzu, in a sauce as vibrant as green goddess."

That same year, Skaar was a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest.

In its statement Vann said, "We are endlessly grateful for everyone who spent an evening with us."

Vann, at 4016 Shoreline Dr., Spring Park, is open Wed.-Sun. from 5-10 p.m. Find the menu and more information at vannrestaurant.com.

Martes Tacos is officially open inside Market at Malcolm Yards (501 30th Av. SE., Mpls., malcolmyards.market). On the menu are, predictably, tacos with fillings that include barbacoa, carnitas, chicken roja, chipotle sweet potato and more. Plus there are nachos that can be topped with meaty options or esquites.

The food hall also has a slew of events coming up, including a weekend Bloody Mary Walk, Oktoberfest bash, a Halloween party with paranormal experts and more. Get all the details on their website.

The burger days are numbered out at Hackamore Brewing Co. in Chanhassen. The Salsa Collaborative has been operating an extended pop-up at the new brewery, but the party will come to an end Oct. 30.

Owners Nikki and Brian Podgorski aren't saying yet where they'll next be serving their irresistible burgers (not necessarily salsa) and more.

Hackamore Brewing (18651 Lake Drive E., Chanhassen, hackamorebrewing.com) has been hard at work building out its own permanent kitchen. The brewery by Zac Gleason opened earlier this year.

After 48 years, South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, a hub for special bottles and local products, is closing Sept. 30 and moving to new, bigger digs just two blocks south. With the new space comes room for some enhancements. The shop is currently hiring meat and cheese enthusiasts and we are rubbing our hands with gleeful sandwich anticipation. The new space, at 5500 Lyndale Av. S., opens Oct. 4.

Moto-i is celebrating World Sake Day and its 15th anniversary with movie showings and food service open until midnight on Oct. 1. Moto-i is at 2940 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., moto-i.com.

The Liquor Exchange (2821 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., liquorexchangemn.com) is also getting in on the Sake Day excitement. Its first event celebrating the spirit, with more than 40 beverages being poured, will be on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

Food writer and best-selling author Alison Roman is embarking on another leg of her tour, and this time Minneapolis made the cut. "An Evening with Alison Roman" is coming to the Varsity Theater (1308 SE. 4th St., Mpls.) on Nov. 9. The show starts at 8 p.m., but doors open at 7 p.m. For those not familiar with the Varsity, know that the bulk of the seating is standing-room only, so plan and arrive accordingly. Tickets are $135; find them and more information at varsitytheater.com/shows. Roman is the author of "Sweet Enough," "Nothing Fancy" and "Dining In."