The trends we spotted this year at Twin Cities restaurants
Among them: Creative drinks, great service and stellar soundtracks.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
December 15, 2024 at 12:00PM
It’s OK for a drink to take a little time. With the abundance of nuanced spirits and NA products lining shelves, it’s very much appreciated when the experts spend time crafting an ideal sip. After years of kegged, bottled and quick pours, it’s nice to watch a spoon twirl around some ice while the dilution does its good work. Cocktails and bartenders are worth the time and effort that goes into building greatness. This year has brought a wave of professionals to the forefront, and their creations are exciting. It’s not just the classics done with a tiny twist, but also new concoctions that dabble in uncommon ingredients that make the discovery of great beverages a joy once again. (Joy Summers)
Return to service
“Listen,better.” There’s a fantastic episode in the FX series “The Bear” that centers on the redemption of a main character, who finds himself learning the art of great restaurant service. In a rousing pre-shift speech, he urges the new staff to read minds, anticipate needs and, above all, listen to the needs of the dining room.
Talking about great restaurant service is always a challenge because the best in the business are masters of adding to the dining experience without overtaking it. There’s no doubt we lost a legion of expert listeners when the pandemic temporarily closed the door on the industry. It’s taken a beat for the new guard to become fluent in anticipating diners' needs, but this year we’ve been delighted to see rooms of smiling diners and bars lined with people who are heard, witnessing the almost silent return of this beautiful art form.
While we might not always say it in the moment, we’re grateful for every folded napkin, replaced set of silverware and expertly explained menu item. The hard work has not gone unnoticed. (J.S.)
Uptown revival
Now that the major construction phase along Hennepin Avenue has wrapped up, we can celebrate having unfettered access once again to the gem of a Minneapolis neighborhood that has given us a high concentration of original and varied eateries. The Uptown area has seen many changes over the years, and through thick and thin, its independent business and entrepreneurial spirit hasn’t changed. In the restaurant world, it’s given us the likes of Isles Bun & Coffee, the Uptown Diner, Rinata, Namaste, Nico’s Tacos, Barbette, Lake & Irving and Black Walnut Bakery — just to name a few. (Nancy Ngo)
Sound systems
Restaurants have long relied on music to set a mood, but this year several businesses went even deeper into the stacks to build a music experience that’s every bit a part of the evening as what’s poured in glasses or placed on plates. Punk isn’t usually a fine-dining pairing, but at Dario, chef Joe Rolle’s dishes are more distinctly his with the fast and dirty guitar soundtrack that hums through the dining room. Conversely, an evening at Small Hours was swathed in velvet Carole King vocals that stretched out languidly as the entire album played through. The sound isn’t an enhancement, the sound is part of the experience. (J.S.)
Chains embrace the Twin Cities, and the Twin Cities embraces chains
This was the year that chains noticed the Twin Cities as a market ready to embrace the sweet stuff. Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours, both South Korean-born bakeries, opened their first and second Minnesota locations in 2024, respectively. Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe, which got its start in Texas, also opened a second location, at the Mall of America. On the savory side, we welcomed more outlets of Dave’s Hot Chicken, which has ties to the family of former Golden Gopher basketballer Kris Humphries. Steak and Ale, the chain that once was, chose Burnsville for its first comeback; expect more of those beloved salad bars to land in the Midwest soon. And just recently a revival of the Mexican chain Chi-Chi’s was announced. Its first locations will be in Minnesota, where the chain was born. Meanwhile, homegrown “Minne-chain” restaurants expanded prolifically this year. We said hello to new locations of Red Cow, Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, Treats, Hope Breakfast Bar, Nashville Coop, MyBurger, Centro, Punch Pizza, Cafe Ceres and Mother Dough Bakery. (Sharyn Jackson)
Suburban dining takes a step up
Eaters in the suburbs are hungry for great restaurants, and restaurant owners in the city have taken notice. We saw a host of openings beyond the edges of the Twin Cities’ urban cores, from Wayzata to Woodbury and everywhere in between. Plus, we scoured fast-growing and farther-flung suburbs for great eats, from Waconia to White Bear Lake. Jester Concepts, long a Minneapolis-heavy restaurant group, opened Starling in Edina and Parlour in Excelsior. Minnetonka got a new Heather’s. Wayzata welcomed Eloise. The team behind El Sazon brought Xelas to Stillwater. And there’s more to look forward to in 2025, with the Lake Minnetonka area slated for additional openings, a Pig Ate My Pizza in Bloomington, and a couple of new spots in Rogers. (S.J.)
And there’s more ...
The year 2024 saw plenty of other hot trends in the food and drink scene. Among them:
- It seemed every time we turned around, a new sports bar was opening, from the much-celebrated A Bar of Their Own to Beckett’s.
- Restaurateurs also welcomed their enterprising colleagues by offering their spaces — Picnic, Oro by Nixta, Spoon and Stable, Travail, Bûcheron and Bar Brava among them — for pop-ups so these up-and-comers could test drive their concept and menus.
- We also saw noticeable changes in restaurant hours, with a new post-pandemic normal settling in. And there was more. While Monday nights have often been considered a day of rest for the industry, 2024 saw no lack of options — including for diners seeking fancier, full-service spots that in the past could be a scarcity. That’s thanks to the likes of P.S. Steak, Bar La Grassa, All Saints, Kahluna, Estelle and more holding court on Mondays. But check hours closely; many are choosing another weekday to rest.
- It’s been a great year for night owls. Not only are more and more longtime restaurants staying open later, but new places — such as Barcelona and Ava in the North Loop — are hosting late-night hours right out of the gate.
- Oh, and happy hour/bar menus are also making a comeback, with both newcomers and veteran restaurants — Hai Hai, Hola Arepa and Bûcheron among them — joining the scene. Cheers to that. (N.N.)
Diane’s Place shares the chef’s exquisite take on the classic Hmong food she grew up cooking.
