Jonas Brothers hit Meteor before St. Paul concert, Centro in Roseville, and more restaurant news

More restaurant news: Centro expands to Roseville, pie season means a new walk-up bakery in St. Paul, El Meson returns and a taste of the new Lynette.

November 21, 2023 at 12:13PM
The Jonas Brothers stopped by Meteor Bar while in town for their Sunday night performance. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Where's a bro to go for a drink around town? If that bro's last name is Jonas, apparently to Meteor bar.

Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas were in the Twin Cities for a stop at the Xcel Energy Center on their "Five Albums, One Night" tour. While in town, they caught a brief moment of leisure at Minneapolis' Meteor. By all accounts the three were low-key and kind customers, ordering a total of four Secret Tigers and three High Lifes before dipping back out into the unseasonably warm night.

The brothers obviously have good taste. Meteor is an iconic bar and a jewel of the emerging Near North neighborhood (2027 N. 2nd St., Mpls., meteormpls.com). First opened in 2020 by Robb Jones, the bar operates under the tagline "Old ass bar with good ass drinks." Jones was a longtime fine-dining bartender before branching out on his own with a watering hole that's known for drawing top cocktail-making talent and having chill vibes.

Centro expanding again

Centro, the casual tacos and margarita spot from Jami Olson, is expanding into the suburbs. The restaurant, which began in northeast Minneapolis, has recently added locations on Eat Street and in St. Paul's Highland Park. The next new home for the eatery will be the former Good Earth location off Hwy. 36 — just west of Rosedale Mall. Look for a spring 2024 opening.

Vikings & Goddesses Pie Co. has more than pie. (Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Pie season heralds the opening of a new pie window

Viking & Goddesses Pie Co. has opened a walk-up window at its commercial kitchen (2036 Marshall Av., St. Paul). Now, in addition to preorders and pickups at the Mill City Farmers Market (and snagging Rachel Anderson's pastries at several area coffee shops), fans can walk up to the bakery and order a selection of pastries and pies on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find more information at vikingsandgoddessespiecompany.com.

Hector Ruiz revives El Meson

It was the restaurant where it all began. Axios reports that chef Hector Ruiz has brought back El Meson inside the same building where he operates his flagship Cafe Ena.

El Meson, originally located on Lyndale Avenue, is now serving its Caribbean-Spanish dishes breakfast through dinner near the intersection of 46th St. and Grand Av. S. in Minneapolis. There are a few seats, but the location is geared toward takeout business.

Ruiz also operates nearby Rincon 38, a tapas restaurant, and El Travieso Taqueria in Minnetonka.

We still think about the Lyn65 burger. The new Lynette will pay homage to the restaurant, which closed in 2021. (Courtney Perry, Special to the Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Get a first taste of Lynette at upcoming pop-up

Lynette, the new restaurant from Travis Serbus and Ben Siers-Rients that's coming to Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood next year, is popping up inside Petite León on Dec. 4.

Slated to open in the former Riverview Wine Bar (3751 42nd Av. S., Mpls.), the restaurant is, in part, a tribute to the much-missed Lyn65. It makes sense that the pop-up will include a few tastes that fans have missed: the burger with its tiny little onions and American cheese will be on the menu, but there also will be new tastes to try.

This is the kind of party that's better shared with friends. The more tickets reserved, the more dishes the table will get to sample. Parties of two will get five menu selections, three will get seven and parties of four get to try all 10 dishes. Tickets are on sale now for $120 each, which includes food plus three beverages. Purchase online through Resy; Petite León is at 3800 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls.

It's called the Chipotlane

Useful information for anyone heading up Interstate 35 for the holiday weekend: Chipotle has opened its first location in North Branch, Minn., and the fast-casual restaurant has a drive-thru. With an opening date of Nov. 21, the "Chipotlane" allows burrito fans to order online and pick up at the window.

St. Paul's food hall ownership is handed over to its bank

Just after the announcement that Clutch Brewing, one of the few founding tenants remaining in St. Paul's Keg & Case, would close at the end of the year, comes news that the food hall has turned ownership over to its lender. Operations of the historic Schmidt Brewery keg house, which underwent a massive remodeling to turn it into the food hall, has been in decline in recent years.

Keg & Case (928 W. 7th St., St. Paul) opened to much fanfare with anchor tenants like the fine-dining-over-wood-fire In Bloom, Revival's first all smoked-meat restaurant and vendors like the delightful cotton candy stand Spinning Wylde and Sweet Science scoop shop. All have left the building.

Five Watt Coffee continues to hold down operations most days, but a recent visit reveals little of the promise of a tourist destination and community hub that the business had originally held.

about the writer

about the writer

Joy Summers

Food and Drink Reporter

Joy Summers is a St. Paul-based food reporter who has been covering Twin Cities restaurants since 2010. She joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2021.

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