Smack Shack owners opening new North Loop restaurant in 2023

Local restaurateurs Josh Thoma and Kevin Fitzgerald are doubling down on their efforts in Minneapolis' North Loop with a second restaurant.

The duo, which owns Burger Dive, Smack Shack and the Lexington, announced Monday that their yet-to-be-named restaurant will open next summer. While we don't know a name, here's what we do know:

The restaurant, located in the former Alliance Francaise (113 N. 1st St., Mpls.), will have an emphasis on tequila. Chef Nick O'Leary, who's now at the Lexington, will run the kitchen. A menu is still being developed, but look for dinner and weekend brunch.

Minneapolis design firm Shea will bring a modern look to the restaurant's interior, which is three stories and about 10,000 square feet. The ownership team also is working with the city to maintain the building's historical integrity.

"We've been wanting to open an elevated tequila bar for a long time," Thoma said. "While the pandemic may have put a pause on our progress, we're thrilled to finally get the process started and can't wait to share this exciting new concept with everyone."

Thoma and Fitzgerald are also taking the tequila concept on the road, opening a restaurant in the new Lloyd Companies' Steel District project in Sioux Falls, S.D. The South Dakota project also will include a Burger Dive and an "elevated seafood concept." That, too, is set to open in 2023.

To follow the progress, visit nololovestequila.com or follow them on social media at @nololovestequila.