Restaurant news: Pie & Mighty and Bunny's in Northeast have closed

Pie & Mighty, the little pie shop near the corner of 36th Street and Chicago Avenue, has closed. Owners Karen "Ratchet" Mattison and chef Rachel Swan announced Monday that its final day of business was July 3.

The spouses started Pie & Mighty as a way to make and spread joy through pie. Despite having zero experience in the pastry arts, Swan was determined. She studied with other pie makers and combed through cookbooks, testing and retesting what would become their signature crust: a butter and lard mixture with a smidgen of salt that was light, flaky and sturdy enough to hold August's juiciest peaches.

The business began as a newsletter subscriber perk that moved through a few iterations before landing on Chicago Avenue. The bright shop was decked out with a slow-turning pie case, smiling faces and hand-painted signs promising pie and joy. They were ready to open on March 14, 2020 — Pi Day. And then the pandemic hit, forcing them to keep pie operations outside. Months later, George Floyd was murdered just blocks away.

The little pie shop that could continued to do its best, but Swan has always been frank with customers, through the weekly Pie Loop newsletter, that it had been a struggle. On July 4, they announced the shop had closed.

"Our resilience is low in the face of the pandemic, the supply chain, rising costs, equipment and facility surprises, and the ongoing choices we must make every week just to keep operations stable," the announcement read in part.

However, in typical Pie & Mighty fashion, there will still be fun. Subscribers will be notified soon about a "FUNeral," one more chance for pie and to purchase a small piece of the shop. Or big pieces — the mixers and other equipment will be sold. too.

Canton Restaurant, a Burnsville mainstay for more than 40 years, quietly closed last month. "Sorry that I didn't post about our closing earlier, but we are just a mom and pop operation ... and didn't want to be overwhelmed," read a message on their Facebook page. "It happened anyways, we were flooded with food orders (and love) like we've never seen." The restaurant (12111 12th Av. S.) has been in the Wong family since 1983, when Harold Wong bought it for his family to run. Arthur and Lai Wong took over in 1995.

Another beloved brand has announced a closing, this one from Bunny's Bar and Grill — no, not the octogenarian St. Louis Park establishment, but its northeast Minneapolis counterpart, which opened in the Keg House (34 13th Av. NE.) in 2016. "After 5 1/2 years we have decided to shut our doors permanently, effective immediately," the proprietors wrote on Facebook. "We have loved being a part of the nordeast community and want to thank everyone for their patronage! Please come visit us at our St Louis Park location, it's only 8 miles away!"

The Bar Brava (1914 Washington Av. N., Mpls.) you know and love is switching gears, announcing on social media that its last day of full service is July 8. But it's not going anywhere, and instead is unveiling what they called Brava-Lite. The natural wine bar will serve wine and snacks on weekdays and pop-up events with guest chefs on weekends. Follow them on Instagram (@barbravamn) for updates.

The North Loop Galley food hall has a new tenant. Kawae, which serves ramen, broth-less mazemen and rice bowls, is helmed by U graduate Tuan Hoang, who studied as an apprentice chef under one of Japan's top chefs, Kenji Sakamoto. The stall opened Tuesday at 729 Washington Av. N.

Get a sneak peek of Slice Pizza's second location at Midtown Global Market (910 E. Lake St., Mpls.) on July 9 from noon-4 p.m. before owners Adam Kado and Hosie Thurmond officially open at noon on July 20 — with an expanded menu. The duo's first location (519 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls.) opened last summer, specializing in New York-style pizza. All slices are $5 or less, but full pies are available, too.

Tous les Jours, a South Korean-based cafe, is bringing its French- and Asian-inspired pastries to Minnesota, specifically a strip mall in Richfield (6601 Nicollet Av. S.). The state's first store joins more than 70 in the U.S. The bakery serves breads, macarons, sandwiches, smoothies and more. Look for a late 2022 or early 2023 opening.