Hospitality titans team up on new Minneapolis bar, and more restaurant news

The masterminds behind two hospitality businesses at the top of their game — Travail and Meteor — are launching Stargazer, a tiny cocktail bar that’s sure to be a big draw in an already popular part of Minneapolis.

“Our realization is that we kinda miss the old bars,” said Travail co-owner Mike Brown. “Bradstreet, Marvel Bar,” that were part of a wave of cocktail bars in the 2010s responsible for a boom of drink-making talent, menus with a scholarly depth and the novelty of spherical ice cubes.

At the forefront of that era was Robb Jones, who began as a curious flavor builder in cocktail glasses and ascended to beverage director for leading restaurant groups before he decided to go smaller, opening the James Beard Award-nominated dive bar (but better), Meteor in Minneapolis.

“When we were thinking about building this thing we said who could create this bar with us?” Brown said recalling a conversation with his Travail chef/owners Bob Gerken and James Winberg. They all said Robb Jones would be the dream. A chance encounter between Jones and Winberg sparked interest.

The venture is part of a new partnership with all four owners, with Jones also stepping into the role of beverage director at the Travail restaurant group. (Meteor will carry on, as usual.)

Stargazer (1304 NE. 2nd St., Mpls.) will occupy the former growler pickup space at Dangerous Man, currently the empty room next to Vinai. The bar will fit about 40 guests and two bartenders. (Also on that block: Oro by Nixta, Young Joni and the Anchor Fish & Chips.)

“Connecting with people is what we do,” said Brown. The Travail Collective is known for pushing boundaries and interactive experiences. “Whatever we were doing, it was bringing you into our world.”

Christian Dean Architecture, who also handled neighbor Vinai’s interior, has been tapped to design the space.

“The vibes will be cosmic escapism,” said Jones. “We’ll surround ourselves in the atmosphere and surround ourselves with each other. That’s why there will be no reservations and it’s not too exclusive. Cocktails will be accessible for everyone.” That means affordable and also subverting expectations of what a fancy cocktail bar can be.

There will be classics, but with interesting or premium ingredients. One top-shelf drink Jones has been playing with includes a vintage (all from the same harvest) Armagnac, Cocchi and a new rye from Suntori for a Vieux Carré. There will also be excellent, affordable and perfectly made daiquiris. The cocktail menu will be organized by spirit for ease of ordering. Drinkers can go deep into learning about the ingredients, or just enjoy a favorite done well.

And there will be snacks. For those who remember Travail’s small-bites space the Rookery, it will be reminiscent of that experience. The world’s fanciest corn dog or a caviar spread with Jamón Ibérico chips wouldn’t be out of line.

The crew is putting together the space and expects to open later this fall.

The sound system is installed and all the bottles have been brought to temp: Small Hours, the new Minneapolis hi-fi wine bar from sommelier Sarina Garibović and songwriter/musician Sam Cassidy, is almost ready to open.

When we spoke with the duo this spring, they laid out their plans to create a room where the acoustics and music are as precisely crafted as what’s found inside the wine bottles they share.

“There will be a delicately curated record selection and we’ve acoustically treated the room — which means there are a lot of technical details to make it sound nice,” said Cassidy.

Garibović has been compiling this wine list in her brain for years. She’ll tell the stories of each wine poured to anyone who would like to better know what’s in their glass.

Storytelling through wine and music begins Sat., Sept. 21, at 5 p.m. 2201 NE. 2nd St., Mpls., smallhoursmpls.com. Hours will be 4-11 p.m. Wed.-Thu., 5 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.

The owner of Maison Margaux, Fhima’s and Mother Dough will add a new address to his packed restaurant lineup. David Fhima will open what he’s calling “a little taste of Palermo” in a space that includes the former Red Sauce Rebellion on Excelsior’s Water Street. His next project will include an upstairs espresso bar in the mornings and a subterranean bar. Major renovations are just getting going and the unnamed restaurant isn’t expected to open until some time next year.

It’s been a rough ride for Vellee. The fusion food truck turned restaurant has been struggling to make it since opening its Northeast location two years ago. The spot has been plagued with road construction woes, and after a rent struggle the restaurant closed its three locations and made a last-ditch plea for help via crowdfunding.

“Nordeast was our lifeline, and now it’s gone. We took a million-dollar gamble — our own hard-earned cash, no handouts, no safety nets. If you’re not ready to risk it all, you don’t want it bad enough,” owners William Xiong and Joyce Truong wrote on Instagram.

With the intention to fight for their dream, the duo are reopening Vellee Deli in the downtown Minneapolis skyway in hopes of survival — or at least to exit in a blaze of glory. “You better believe it’s going to be one hell of a finish!”

Turns out you can’t pay your rent in hot dogs. At least not when the rent raises “higher than a ball at Wrigley Field.” After 20 years of slinging hot dogs in honor of the Windy City, owner Rob Dubnecay will close Chicago’s Taste Authority restaurant at 3101 E. 42nd St., Minneapolis.

Dubnecay and his brother opened the restaurant in this location in 2004. Ten years in, they expanded to an old train car on W. 7th Street in St. Paul; that location closed in 2019.

The final day for those all-beef hot dogs with the nuclear relish is Sept. 21.