Faced with staffing shortages and safety concerns, restaurants hold food drives, fundraisers and serve up hot cocoa to create community.
More from Eat & Drink
3 places to get iconic Minnesota chicken wild rice soup
Our unofficial state soup brims with pride and rich comfort.
January 12, 2026
When the news is too much, find solace in these 10 local spaces
Music, art, nature, beauty all showcase why we live in the Twin Cities.
January 11, 2026
The 5 best things our food writers ate around the Twin Cities this week
Comforting soup, saucy fried chicken sandwiches, paint-your-own cookies, a twist on a sashimi wrap and small-town barbecue are among our favorite bites.
January 9, 2026
Tom Holland’s first Minnesota visit includes a Target stop to hype his NA beer brand
Dry January marks the Spider-Man actor’s sobriety anniversary and a chance to highlight the retailer’s expanding wellness offerings, which include his Bero beer.
January 8, 2026
St. Paul building housing W.A. Frost restaurant faces foreclosure
The Dacotah Building as well as a Summit Avenue mansion are both properties of developer John Rupp, who cited an administrative error as a reason for the foreclosure suits.
January 8, 2026
A new restaurant critic, a new meaning for star ratings
Here’s what to expect from Star Tribune restaurant reviews, including what the stars mean and how they’re earned. And yes, you should go to a 1-star restaurant.
AuthoredRaphael Brion
AuthoredRaphael BrionJanuary 8, 2026
Saffron reopening in former Young Joni space in northeast Minneapolis
Chef Sameh Wadi and his brother Saed Wadi have bought the building, confirming plans to reopen the influential restaurant later this year.
January 7, 2026
You really should eat more beans. Here are 3 recipes to get you started.
Cooking dried beans makes hearty meals more affordable and delicious, although canned will do in a pinch.
January 7, 2026
When one taco stand closes, another opens at Graze Food Hall
Berto’s by Travail will replace Nixta’s taco outpost Tixtli. Plus new pizza at Bauhaus, new lineup for El Sazon’s gas station dinners and more restaurant news.
January 6, 2026
Restaurant openings and closings in the Twin Cities
What's open, what's closed and what's still to come in the Twin Cities and beyond.
January 5, 2026
Waconia Brewing Co. will shut down this month, remains for sale
The popular Main Street brewery’s founders announced a Jan. 31 closure amid ongoing hopes of finding new buyers.
January 3, 2026
5 NA picks for an easier and tastier Dry January
The experts at St. Louis Park’s Westside Wine & Spirits give their picks for unique sips without the alcohol.
January 2, 2026
