Bardo latestclosing fueled by pandemic

A Minneapolis bistro-turned-hot-dog-spot is the latest restaurant casualty of COVID-19.

Bardo (222 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls.) announced Sunday on social media that it would end its run that night after more than three years in the neighborhood.

"Friends, it is with a heavy heart we announce, tonight we close our doors. We thank you for every opportunity," said the brief note, alongside a photo of chef/co-owner Remy Pettus.

The Star Tribune gave Bardo 3 ½ stars in 2018, calling it an "exciting newcomer" that paid "copious attention to detail" on its "tightly edited" menu.

The restaurant switched gears partway through the pandemic, rethinking its high-end approach and instead offering a takeout-friendly hot dog menu called BardoG.

Meanwhile, some restaurants are closing temporarily to weather the winter.

Lord Fletcher's, the longtime Lake Minnetonka steakhouse and waterside hangout, is taking the season off.

Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge has been perched on the lakeshore in Spring Park since 1968. The last day of service, until next spring, will be Oct. 11.

Folly Coffee, a small-batch Minnesota coffee roaster, is offering a behind-the-scenes look at the roastery at the new Folly Coffee Tasting & Tour Room (4290 Park Glen Road, St. Louis Park, 612-297-7888, follycoffee.com). The 30-minute tour ($12, weekends only) culminates in a guided coffee tasting. There's no cafe service or takeout on site, but you can pre-order beans to go.

"Follow our chicken across the road" is the clever tagline of Bap and Chicken's new food truck, the Bapmobile, serving Korean-American street food around the Twin Cities, in owner John Gleason's effort to pivot during the pandemic. Look for its latest location at bapmobilemn.com or stop in at the brick-and-mortar Bap and Chicken (1328 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-333-0929, bapandchicken.com).

Lake City Sandwiches (2551 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., lakecitysandwiches.com) is a new sandwich spot from the team behind Nightingale. It's offering sandwich pickup and delivery daily 4 p.m. to midnight. Sandwiches (smoked ricotta, albacore tuna, lamb meatball, etc.) come on housemade focaccia with sustainably farmed meats. There are salads, matzo ball soup and housemade chips, too. Fifty cents from every sandwich goes toward a charity that changes monthly.

Chef Alejandro Castillon's Lake-and-Lyndale taqueria Prieto closed its Lake Street location Sept. 12, but is moving to a new location in south Minneapolis in October. At the new space (4751 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., prietotaqueria.com), Castillon is switching to more casual counter service and adding a ceviche and raw bar.

The Johnson family behind BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul is opening Bricksworth Beer Co. (12257 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville), with food by Angelo Pennacchio, chef-owner of the now-closed Bar Luchador, and beer by Steve Snyder, a brewer formerly of Fair State. Detroit Style steel-pan pizza, wings and salad will be on the menu.

Bull & Finch Pub is taking over the former Jake O'Connor's space on Excelsior's Water Street (200 Water St., 952-246-1030, thebullfinchpub.com). Look for craft cocktails, beer and "pub classics with a modern twist," such as fish and chips, burgers and mussels.