5 new restaurants to know about — and what you should order

Feeling a bit preoccupied this winter? Understandable. Between the headlines and the snowbanks competing for attention, it would have been easy to overlook the churn of restaurant openings in the Twin Cities.

But while we were all busy, several new spots quietly opened, each offering a fresh new reason to step back outside. Here’s the rundown on five new Twin Cities restaurants, and what to order when you get there.

After building a devoted following as a pop-up run by a crew of Travail alums, Dahlia has settled into a permanent home in northeast Minneapolis. The bakery shares space with MN Nice Cream — laminated pastries by morning, soft-serve each afternoon. Over breakfast and lunch, the Dahlia team can finally turn out savory dishes hot and fresh in-house, while still offering the creative pastries that made their pop-ups a hot ticket.

Location: 807 NE. Broadway, Mpls., eatatdahlia.com

Hours: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Thu.-Sun.

Food: We could wax on about our favorite pastries, but the key with Dahlia is never to get too attached. Just like in their pop-up days, certain flavors are fleeting. A knockout French onion Danish from a few weeks ago has already cycled off the menu (though we hope it’ll return). Luckily, you can count on a caramel morning bun or a classic sourdough croissant, plus a brown butter chocolate chip cookie to hold things down. Prices for pastries start at $7 and go up to $11.50 for the labor-intensive strawberry yuzu almond twice-baked.

Then, there’s the hot food. The English muffin is the place to start: A thick baked egg is topped with Muenster and Calabrian chili aioli and served on one of the tangy-squishy house-made muffins (starts at $13). Other mains include a croissant breakfast sandwich ($13), smoked salmon toast ($12), Italian sandwich ($19.25), plus soups and salads.

Beverages: The beverage list covers the basics, from espresso ($3.50) to latte ($6.25) and everything in between. A handful of signature lattes, starting at $6.75, currently bring in the flavors of black sesame, matcha-strawberry-yuzu, and brown butter-chocolate chip.

Vibe: The space is colorful and compact, with primary color platters for pastries. Murals showcase abstract ice cream images on one wall, a sunny-side-up egg on the other. With a single row of mostly high-top tables facing the counter and a small grab-and-go case, things are a little tight, but happy and bright.

Getting there: Find Dahlia on the cobblestone northeast street that leads toward Centro and Indeed Brewing. There’s street parking on Quincy, but skip the intimidating-looking private lots. Drive past the building, enter the lot on the right and loop behind — there’s a free parking area designated for Dahlia. (Sharyn Jackson)

While Steady Pour has been shaking up great drinks since 2020, the entirely revamped food program comes courtesy of its new culinary directors. Chefs Tony Gao and Mike Yuen have built a following with Jook Sing, a Chinese American pop-up that riffs on classic dishes with an invigorated perspective. The duo took Steady Pour’s owners up on their offer to put down roots and implement a new food program that complements the beverages. The result is a balance between casual cocktail den and exciting bites that are drawing in a whole new customer base.

Location: 2125 Hennepin Av. E., Mpls., steadypour.com

Food: The menu is familiar enough to anyone with a favorite Chinese takeout order. From crispy, sweet-spicy General Gao’s chicken to the crab rangoon dip inspired by spinach-artichoke dip but with wonton crisps standing in for bread, dishes we know are tweaked for modern tastes. Gao and Yuen’s signature stunner might be the beef chow fun. Rice noodles are layered like a potato pavé, with a salty, beefy sauce that is a must-order.

Beverages: Cocktails balance approachability with serious know-how, like the Rum Rabbit Run. The egg-white-frothy mix of pineapple rum, brandy, rye and fresh citrus juice is a little tropical vacation in the middle of a Minnesota winter.

For nondrinkers, there’s an equally thoughtful collection of NA beverages built from complex flavors that are utterly crushable, including the Last Waltz. A mix of cranberry juice, sage, honey and lemon, it’s a robust, adult beverage that doesn’t have to try so hard to be liked.

Vibe: Steady Pour is located at the back of an industrial brick building on E. Hennepin that feels like an under-the-radar cool kid hangout. A bar and several lounge-y seating spaces work for intimate date nights or casual group get-togethers where friends drift in and peel off throughout a long evening.

Getting there: Because the location is outside the restaurant density, there is so much parking you’d think it was a suburb. It’s also right off a bus line and near a bike path. There are stairs to get in the back and an accessible entry at the front of the building. (Joy Summers)

Location: 3916 W. 50th St., Edina, nomahifi.com

Hours: 5-11 p.m. Wed.-Thu., 5 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.

Food: Small plates that are meant to be shared, from pork-filled gyoza topped with sesame crackers to charred Japanese eggplant layered with umami-bomb flavors and textures with miso marinade, spicy sauce and a crunchy topping. Dessert is sticky-savory buttered toast coated in honey that’s topped with a scoop of ice cream and garnished with shaved black truffles. It’s the most expensive dish at $25; most prices hover above the mid-teens.

Beverages: Beverage director Megan Luedtke always creates fresh beverages with fun garnishes that defy expectations and dig deep into the ingredient lists. The Kuromi is made with Toki and Akashi Ume (plum) whiskey and blood orange juice with a finish of silky matcha tea and white wine cold foam.

There’s also a nice selection of wines by the glass and three house-made NA mixed drinks.

Getting there: Parking around 50th and France is always an adventure, where one is rewarded for knowing where the lots are located. Metro transit will get you near and then it’s just a quick walk through the outdoor mall complex to the door. There is an accessible elevator next to the stairs. (J.S.)

Restaurateur and chef Kamal Mohamed knows how to spot a trend and find a way to connect with Minneapolis eaters. For his newest restaurant, he teamed up with Yon Hailu to open the skyway’s newest sandwich shop. It’s already a popular midday stop for workers, with steady orders that often sell out by the time it closes for the day.

Location: 733 Marquette Av., Suite 223, Mpls., paperboydeli.com

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Food: The base of every great sandwich is great bread. Hailu’s freshly made schiacciata achieves that necessary balance of plush interior and crunchy crust before building made-to-order Italian-inspired flavors for bites that level up familiar tastes. The mortadella is sliced to order and topped with gooey stracciatella and pistachio cream. Tuna is seasoned with zippy Calabrian chili oil and olives and eats like an afternoon on the Amalfi coast. Prices are around $15-$17, with chips and canned sodas available to round out the meal.

Getting there: Find PaperBoy in the skyway level of Baker Center. Grab a sandwich for deskside dining or a picnic in the nearby IDS Center Crystal Court. (J.S.)

Luom Bronko Do has resurrected Chelas, his Asian Latin tapas restaurant from yesteryear. This time around, Do is running the restaurant solo (previous business partner Timmy Truong was busy with Vinai at the time), and the eatery is now based in Blaine instead of south Minneapolis. Renamed Chelas X, the concept still touts an ambitious menu with familiar fare, which is great news for fans of the original Chelas.

Location: 1250 126th Av. NE., Blaine, @chelasx_blaine on Instagram

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tue.-Sun.

Food: Grazing the menu is the most fun way to eat. For starters, the bone marrow topped with fish roe ($23) is a good call for a decadent first bite; the clams in curry sauce ($18) is also a delightful, albeit lighter, starter option.

Beverages: Sake, wine, beer and NA options. From prosecco and sauvignon blanc to zins and cabs, the wine selections are varied. Happy hour is all day Sunday, in which wines are $2 off; beers are discounted $1. (Regular prices for wine are $6-$16, beer $5-$10)

Vibe: Pink and white florals float from the ceiling, murals depicting scapes of Vietnam line the walls, and white, high-gloss tables come together for a contemporary, playful and transportive space.