Tryg's, successor to Nora's Restaurant, being torn down for apartments

January 22, 2015 at 12:11AM
In this file photo, people gather around the fire at Tryg's Restaurant in Minneapolis.
In this file photo, people gather around the fire at Tryg's Restaurant in Minneapolis. (Colleen Kelly — STAR TRIBUNE/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Time is running out for fans of Tryg's.

Owner Tryg Truelson is closing his great-looking restaurant and bar on Jan. 31.

He's not making it easy to get in and enjoy a last meal, and a last peek at the dining room's massive fireplace. Hours are limited to 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays for the next two weekends.

The 10-year-old restaurant is falling victim to the local apartment boom. The building is being demolished this spring and will be replaced by a 164-unit apartment building.

The Truelson family has been associated with this particular Lake Calhoun address for decades. First there was Porky's drive-in (the family also owned the St. Paul branch of Porky's, which ruled University Avenue for nearly 60 years before it closed in 2011; it was replaced by senior housing). In 1979, Nora Truelson converted Porky's to cozy Nora's, and its value-minded comfort food fed several generations of Minneapolitans. In 2004, Tryg Truelson – Nora's son – demolished the restaurant and started over in a much more upscale manner. His Tryg's opened a year later.

about the writer

about the writer

Rick Nelson

Reporter

Rick Nelson joined the staff of the Star Tribune in 1998. He is a Twin Cities native, a University of Minnesota graduate and a James Beard Award winner. 

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