Barely more than a year after opening at the busy corner of Lyndale and Lake Street in Minneapolis, the Hasty Tasty is taking a break. The sudden closure is meant to be temporary, said owner Michael Veazey.
Lyn-Lake corner restaurant Hasty Tasty taking 'extended break'
The smoked meat and cocktail spot was open just a year.
January 16, 2019 at 2:39AM
The wood-fired rotisserie-focused restaurant offered internationally inspired barbecue, smoked meats and veggie-forward dishes from chef Chris Gerster, and a cocktail program from Bittercube.
Jan. 9 was its last day of service. The plan is to reopen sometime this spring.
"The brand is still alive," said Veazey, who also owns the building. "We're just taking this opportunity for an extended break during the doldrums of winter to recalibrate and rejuvenate it for spring." Veazey says he is looking for a "strategic partner" to help him grow the business and attract more customers.
In the meantime, Veazey is renting the kitchen out as a wholesale production facility. "Our smoker holds 1,000 pounds of whatever we want: meat, vegetables, grain. So we talked to some breweries about doing some collaboration there, and food trucks are interested."
Staff were informed they could come back to work when the restaurant reopens, Veazey said. "I've had an amazing staff and I hope we can team up again," he said.
A "Winter Hibernation Party" featuring cheese curds, brisket burnt end tacos and other Hasty Tasty dishes will send off the restaurant for the season on Fri. Jan. 18 and Sat. Jan. 19 starting at 5 p.m. (701 W. Lake St., Mpls,. 612-545-5899, thehastytastympls.com)
Lefse-wrapped Swedish wontons, a soothing bowl of rice porridge and a gravy-laden commercial filled our week with comfort and warmth.
