Food trucks tend to congregate on key downtown Minneapolis streets. Now they're following the same pattern when they go the brick-and-mortar route.
O'Cheeze (ocheeze.com), the three-year-old enterprise that specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches (in all their buttery, gooey, toasty goodness), is the latest to land a permanent berth.
Co-owners and spouses Haley and Tony Fritz just signed a lease on the skyway level of the Baker Center's Roanoke Building (705 Marquette Av.), next door to fellow food truckers Vellee Deli and Green + the Grain.
The space will include seating for 30 and feature an expanded menu, one that will start with grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches (think huevos rancheros-style grilled cheese, and other egg-boosted ideas) as well as a larger lunch menu: twice as many soups and sandwiches, and a wider range of dairy-based desserts, including cheesecakes, flans and custards. The target opening date is early June.
On the horizon
The second iteration of Crisp & Green (428 Washington Av. N., Mpls., 612-545-5120, crispandgreen.com), restaurateur Ryan Burnet's health-focused fast-casual restaurant, is scheduled to open March 9 in the former Sapor Cafe and Bar space.
March 15 is the opening date for Bellecour (739 Lake St. E., Wayzata, 952-444-5200, bellecourrestaurant.com), the French restaurant and bakery by Spoon and Stable chef/owner Gavin Kaysen.
The original Colossal Cafe (1839 E. 42nd St., Mpls., 612-729-2377, colossalcafe.com) is moving. On March 31, father-and-daughter co-owners John and Elizabeth Tinucci will close their tiny restaurant, with plans to reopen this spring at a larger space — with a patio — at the former Pilgrimage (2403 E. 38th St., Mpls.). Although plans haven't been formalized, the Tinuccis have a new concept in the works for the 42nd Street building.
The restaurant project that Lyn 65 (6439 Lyndale Av. S., Richfield, 612-353-5501, lyn65.com) colleagues Ben Rients and Jose Alarcon announced last fall? It has a location: a 100-year-old building (712 15th Av. NE., Mpls.) across the street from Indeed Brewing Co. And a name (well, two). Popol Vuh will be the 56-seat upscale Mexican restaurant (wood-fired grill, and a bar emphasizing mezcal and, hopefully, Mexican wines), and the casual Central at Popol Vuh will be what Rients describes as "a honky-tonk with tacos and oysters, perfect for the neighborhood." October is the target opening date.
