Hendrix & Siena brings fresh pasta and pizza to downtown Hopkins

Editor’s note: The restaurant opened as Bar Siena but has since changed its name to Hendrix & Siena. The story has been changed to reflect the new name.

It’s hard to tell who was more excited for Hendrix & Siena, the newest addition to the Hopkins dining scene, to open.

Was it owners Rhett and Emily Roberts, who held post-holiday sneak peeks serving takeout and drinks while gearing up for opening day? Or was is the diners, who have been snapping up prime-time reservations weeks out? Let’s call it a draw.

The popular pop-up opened as a modern Italian American restaurant on Jan. 9, serving up fresh pasta, pizza and shareable plates, adding more culinary firepower to the western suburb. Inspired by Rhett Roberts’ travels to Italy, it’s the first solo venture for the chef, who is a veteran of fine-dining kitchens throughout the Twin Cities, including Vincent, 112 Eatery and most recently Petite León.

“We want [Hendrix & Siena] to evoke a feeling of sitting at the family dinner table and enjoying the presence of the people you’re there with,” the couple write on Hendrix & Siena’s website. And you’ll find familial touches throughout, from the approachable menu and dishes named for family members to the restaurant’s moniker and color palette.

Location: 1601 Mainstreet, Hopkins, 612-489-7211, hendrixandsiena.com

Hours: Tue.-Sat., 4-9 p.m.

The food: The menu accommodates both adventurous eaters and the risk-averse.

For the more cautious, starters like mozzarella in carrozza ($13), which translates to fried mozzarella sandwich, housemade giardiniera focaccia ($10) and a Caesar salad with an anchovy vinaigrette ($16) are all good bets. For the more adventurous, there’s eggplant ‘nduja bruschetta ($14), steak tartare ($16) and lemony beans ($16), a cold dish of marinated beans and broccolini showered with cheese — and a nod to chef Roberts' social media handle.

A menu of pizzas ($18-$21) range from cheese and housemade sausage to all-the-rage dill pickle and chicken tikka, which was our pick. Bits of chicken, apricot mostarda and garlic butter topped the crowd-pleasing New York-style crust; crunchy chickpeas added texture.

The seven housemade pastas are the main event. The runaway favorite at our table was the Lasagna Duefoglie ($25), a blend of wild mushrooms and creamy cheese nestled under two sheets of pasta (it’s not the traditional tall, layered lasagna) that was inspired by the first dish chef Rhett ate in Italy. The cavatelli ($21) was a close second, with “melted” butternut squash, housemade boursin cheese and nuts hitting all the flavor and texture notes. “It’s kind of like a grown-up version of mac and cheese,” our server said, which was underselling it.

The pillowy ricotta gnocchi with Calabrian chiles and honey butter ($16) was too spicy for us; the Pappardelle alla Lisa ($27), made with a three-day meat sauce that includes Peterson Farms' beef and ribs, was plentiful and flavorful. We chalked its barely lukewarm temp up to new restaurant kinks, and will eagerly try again (leftovers heated beautifully). Other dishes: cacio e pepe, a tortelli cremaschi and orecchiette with sausage and broccoli ($15-$23), as well as a chicken Parmesan and a hanger steak with potatoes and creamed greens ($25-$38).

If you save room for dessert, there’s a choice between fresh silk pie cannoli (two for $8) and a tapioca budino ($9), which was our favorite. Rounding out the post-dinner menu are affogato, fernets, espressos and a handful of apertivos.

The drinks: A well-curated list of sparklings, whites, reds and rosés available by the glass ($10-$17) or bottle ($40-$68), plus a couple of beers from Minnetonka’s Unmapped Brewing Co. ($7-$10). Cocktails come courtesy of Roberts’ former Petite León colleague Travis Serbus, who helped craft the menu. We enjoyed the Fiore (gin, basil, lime and herb-infused olive oil) and the Solstice Cosmo, with vodka, cranberry, pamplemousse, winter spices and lemon ($14-$15). There are a couple of spritzes and frozen drinks, too ($10-$14). NA offerings were a sparkling red wine ($6) and a sparkling fermented tea ($10). Side note: The glassware was on point.

The vibe: “It feels like we’re in someone’s basement, in the best possible way,” said one of my dining companions. The low ceilings and low lights combine to provide a cozy atmosphere in the intimate 70-seat restaurant. On a cold wintry night, it feels like a warm embrace.

Designer/architect Aaron Wittkamper was tasked with connecting the former Jasmine Garden restaurant and a three-bedroom apartment next door into one eatery.

To the left of the entrance is the bar, set aside for walk-ins, and several two-top tables. Look past the bar and you’ll find a snug nook with a small couch, a couple of chairs and a curtain for privacy — an ideal spot for catching up with friends. (It’s a drinks-only spot for now, our server told us.) Amid all the tables in the dining room, to the right of the entrance, is a butcher-block counter that’s workspace during the day and bird’s-eye seating looking into the kitchen come dinner.

Accessibility: The restaurant is all one level, with ample room in the dining room to navigate. The noise level was comfortable during our recent visit; we had no issues conversing on a Saturday evening. There’s plenty of street parking, too, with accessible sidewalks in front of the entrance.

Worth noting: The restaurant opened as Bar Siena, but thanks to a legal challenge from Bar Siena in Chicago, it’s now Hendrix & Siena, the owners’ twins.