Justin Sutherland plots Pearl & the Thief revival

In 2018, a downtown Stillwater restaurant with genteel stylings from chef Justin Sutherland had a brief but ballyhooed run: Pearl & the Thief closed after just seven months. At the time, Sutherland, fresh off his “Top Chef” run and “Iron Chef America” win, vowed to bring the restaurant to Minneapolis. Five years later, there’s a plan.

The Emmy Award-winning television personality will work with Restore Restaurant Holdings and Sherman Associates to open Pearl & the Thief on the ground floor of the 22-story O2 Luxury Tower that will be located at 250 Portland Av. S. in Minneapolis’ Mill District.

Like the Pearl of the past, the menu will be Southern-focused with seafood playing a starring role. Sutherland teased menu items like smoked crab risotto and Tennessee Hot octopus. The bar will be stocked deep with bourbon and whiskeys.

This time around, the space will be built for volume and sport a 2,000-square-foot patio.

“It is hands down my favorite concept I’ve created,” Sutherland said in a statement. He also said he’s excited to partner with Restore Holdings, which operates EaTo and Chloe, both overseen by chef Vincent Françoual. Françoual will work with Sutherland on this project, as well.

Sutherland also announced that the location will house the second outpost of Big E, his egg sandwich restaurant. (The other is on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. A third, in Portland, Ore., has since closed.)

This all comes on the heels of sharing his plans to launch a new concept at Golden Thyme, the cafe in St. Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood.

“After spending the last few years traveling and cooking alongside some of the greatest chefs in the world, I have been truly inspired and can’t wait to get back to leading a kitchen,” Sutherland said.

Expect Pearl & the Thief to open later this year.