Clear your calendars because the lineup for this weekend and beyond is massive and, frankly, pretty exciting. On tap, we've got a whole hog dinner starring two of the Twin Cities most lauded chefs, some out-of-country kitchen masters taking over Minneapolis restaurants, a couple beer bashes, a German pop-up, Restaurant Week and what might be the best event of the year – Oysterfest at Meritage.
Read on for the schedule of to-dos.
Thursday, Oct. 13:
4Bells Boil Fest – Say goodbye to summer with a low-country shrimp boil on 4Bells' rooftop. Get shrimp and sides for $12. More info here.
Friday, Oct. 14:
Chef's Dinner at St. Paul College (pictured below; photo credit: Jerry Holt) – The culinary arts school is beginning a new annual series with a bang, inviting local chefs Thomas Boemer (Revival, Corner Table) and Jorge Guzman (Surly Brewing Co.) to the school for a whole heritage-hog roast as the centerpiece of a five-course meal. Students will prepare the feast – and passed appetizers beforehand – under Boemer and Guzman's direction. Sample beer and wine selections are included. What else? A meat raffle! Tickets are $100. More info here.
Saturday, Oct. 15:
Fall Wine and Harvest Dinner – Upton 43 is hosting the first of a three-dinner series on Saturday with a meal inspired by chef Erick Harcey's garden in Cambridge. Read all about it here.
Surly Darkness Day – The brewery is celebrating the release of it's Darkness 2016 – a Russian Imperial stout – with a bash that involves a day full of live music, food trucks (Chef Shack, Hot Indian Foods among them) and lots of limited cask pours. More info here.
Oct. 13-15:
Mexican chef exchange: Three Mexican chefs will be in the Twin Cities this weekend, taking over the kitchens of three notable restaurants, bringing with them special ingredients from their homeland to create Mexico City-driven menus. Intrigued? Make reservations at Heyday (chef Arturo Fernandez), Monello (chef Fernando Martinez) and Sea Change (chefs Cesar Vazquez Trejo and Diego Nino).
Autobahn, a pop-up dinner at Third Bird – For three nights, guest chef Don Gonzalez (formerly of St. Paul's Forepaugh's) will prepare a five-course meal for 16 guests that will merge traditional German cuisine – inspired by his childhood travels through Germany – with the skilled preparations of his culinary training. The menu includes duck schnitzel, braised pork cheeks and strudel rolls with whipped Bavarian cream. Tickets are $75; drinks begin at 6:30 each night and dinner, at 7. More info here.
Sunday, Oct. 16:
Oysterfest (pictured above; photo credit: Tom Wallace) – Meritage's delightful annual event looks to have pristine weather once again, matching those gorgeous bivalves. Oyster farmers from around the country – I'm partial to the Island Creeks from Duxbury, Mass. – will be under tents on St. Peter Street, shucking to your heart's content. Lobster rolls, fried clams and oyster po' boys will also be available along with beer, wine and cocktails for purchase. Entry is $25. More info here.
The start of Restaurant Week – There's another solid lineup of restaurants this fall – including a handful of newbies such as Tiny Diner and Obento-Ya Japanese Bistro. The two or three-course meals at lunch and dinner range from $15 to $35. The specials end on Oct. 21. More info here.
Pizza Farm (Red Table Meats pictured below; photo credit: Renae Jones Schneider) – The folks at the Food Building are back at it again for the last Pizza Farm of the year. Read about last month's edition here. More info here.
Cookbook Swap at Linden Hills Farmers' Market – Because even the best cookbooks get old, Linden Hills is hosting a cookbook swap – bring three, swap for three, etc. – so you can get some fresh inspiration for the holidays, or just for Sunday supper. Registration is $5. More info here.
NE Brewers Block Party –For the third consecutive year, Sociable Cider Werks (pictured below; photo credit: Aaron Lavinsky) will be inviting the rich community of breweries and distilleries housed in the Northeast to come to its parking lot for a blowout of beer – Bauhaus Brew Labs and Indeed Brewing among the vendors – live music and food trucks. Wristbands are $2 or one non-perishable food item – proceeds go to the Southern Anoka Community Assistance food shelf. More info here.