Vincent Francoual is returning to downtown Minneapolis with a new casual French restaurant

Vincent Francoual is back in downtown Minneapolis.

The notable chef will open a casual French eatery at 700 S. 3rd St., conveniently adjacent to the Canopy by Hilton hotel. The menu will lean into Francoual's countryside roots in southwestern France and will open with dinner service; breakfast and lunch will be added later.

Francoual has teamed with Restore Restaurant Holdings, a new group that includes restaurateur Erik Forsberg of the Devil's Advocates and Dan Kelly's, as well as the group's co-founders, attorney Dennis Monroe and his son, Matthew Monroe. The Monroes also own and operate downtown Minneapolis Italian restaurant and market EaTo, where Francoual is cooking as he gears up for this next endeavor.

"What we're most excited about is that this is really the first new concept under this umbrella [Restore Restaurant Holdings] and it bridges our partnership with Erik Forsberg, an amazing person, restaurateur and visionary," said Matt Monroe. "We have a unique approach and truly believe in downtown. This will hopefully be the first of many projects together."

Francoual ran his eponymous Vincent A Restaurant for 14 years before shuttering it at the end of 2015. A native of southwestern France, he entered vocational school at age 14, then immersed himself in the rigors of the European resort circuit before landing in a pair of four-star Manhattan restaurants in the 1990s: Lespinasse and Le Bernardin. Francoual arrived in Minneapolis in 1997 to work at the famed un deux tois and opened Vincent A Restaurant in 2001. During its era, the restaurant racked up numerous accolades, including a 3 1/2-star review from the Star Tribune 12 years into its run.

In recent years, he's worked primarily at a country club outside of the general public's access, but earlier this year he partnered with a new restaurant company and teased that a return was imminent.

The lease on the new, unnamed 3,000-square-foot restaurant, which takes the place of Bacon Social House, has just been signed. More details will be available closer to the opening, expected later this fall.