Chilango will close in October and return as Lakeview Kitchen + Bar

Just a month after announcing that founding chef/partner Jorge Guzman was leaving the restaurant, Chilango’s managing partner Zach Sussman said the Minneapolis restaurant will close in early October and after a “light refresh” will return as Lakeview Kitchen + Bar, a fitting name for the eatery across from Bde Maka Ska.

Lakeview is resetting to a casual vibe with crowd-appealing menu items like Kung Pao cauliflower, grilled cheese and tomato soup bites, walleye bánh mì and more. Executive chef Colin Murray is already in the kitchen and will be stewarding the final days of the Mexican menu before launching his own creations.

The closing date hasn’t been set, but until then the extensive agave spirits are likely to be sold at an enticing discount.

Chilango opened in the spring of 2024 as a “Mex-Tex” restaurant from chef Jorge Guzman, who also opened, and subsequently left, Petite Leon. The chef drew on personal history in his ambition to showcase Mexican cuisine. In its review, the Minnesota Star Tribune praised Guzman’s “keen sense of subverting tradition without undermining it,” along with observations on inconsistency.

In mid-August, Guzman announced he was not only leaving Chilango, but the local restaurant scene.

Sussman said he’s excited about the new era, noting that he and Murray worked together earlier in their careers at Crave. “Chef Murray is such a great fit for us,” he said. “He’s all about the team, the experience, and putting out great food.”

EggFlip has been in expansion mode this past year with stands at Market at Malcolm Yards, U.S. Bank Stadium and even the Renaissance Festival. Now the popular stand with the creamy scrambled eggs and milk bread toast will open a second skyway level location, at 330 2nd Av. S., in mid-October.

Phe Coffee House draws huge lines on weekends at its Lowertown spot and it has become clear: The city is clamoring for its coffee goods. The owners have confirmed a second coffee house will open later this year at 640 Grand Av., right next to Frattalone’s. Phe specializes in latte flights, Vietnamese coffee, croffles and more.

Find a new evening pizza-centered menu in Cathedral Hill at Moonflower Pizza. The restaurant is the evening answer to the daytime French Hen Cafe (518 Selby Ave). Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. diners can find a menu of personal-sized, thin-crust pizzas with traditional and seasonal veggie toppings, plus other dishes like wings, charred Brussels sprouts with sweet potatoes and balsamic glaze and more.

Moonflower began as a pop-up during the pandemic before it hit pause for a few years. Now it’s back inside this charming neighborhood setting, where guests enter through a flower shop to get to the restaurant.

With fresh red and white awnings rolled out, there’s suddenly a new ice cream shop in St. Paul. Parkview Ice Cream Shop (898 Raymond Av.) is open Thursday through Sunday evenings in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood. The storefront is a dream of owner Andrew McNattin, who grew up in the area and named his scoop shop in honor of the Parkview Cafe, which he used to frequent with his dad as a child. They’re also scooping Bridgeman’s ice cream, which holds plenty of nostalgia for Minnesotans who grew up going to the famed diner and ice cream shops. For now, the storefront is only open as McNattin’s day job allows, but expect hours to be 4 to 8 p.m. Follow Parkview Ice Cream on Instagram for more info, including which flavors are in the case.

The Commodore (79 Western Av. N.) will open once again on the ground floor of a St. Paul condo building in Cathedral Hill. Operated by the same company behind W.A. Frost, this jazz-era bar and event space closed five years ago following a conflict with the city.

Apa Sushi will open at The Grove shopping center in Maple Grove in mid-October. The new sushi restaurant is the work of chef Sonam Nyorie, who is known for blending Japanese and Tibetan cuisines. His original restaurant, Momo Sushi, remains temporarily closed following an Aug. 30 fire. Nyorie also operates Momo Cafe in Northeast and Ama Sushi near 50th and France. The new restaurant replaces Tandoor, which relocated to 16475 96th Av. N. in Maple Grove.

Seven-year-old craft brewery La Doña Cervaceria (241 Fremont Av. N., Mpls.) is becoming a brewpub, installing a kitchen and pouring cocktails alongside their beers. The new cocktail menu includes Latin twists on classic cocktails like an Oaxaca Old Fashioned with tequila, mezcal sweetened with agave and a chipotle bitters garnish.

The kitchen addition will expand the food offerings from the tacos and burritos currently available in the tienda.

This is all good news, but the downside is that as a brewpub it can no longer distribute La Doña beer outside of the taproom due to state regulations. So, plan to take home a crowler or enjoy the brews on site alongside a slice of pizza and a fútbol match.

The national chain Parlor Doughnuts is now open at Forager Brewery in Rochester (1001 NW. 6th St.). The Indiana-based company specializes in layered doughnuts stuffed with all kinds of decadent flavors, like maple/bacon, cookies and cream, bourbon caramel and more. The menu also includes keto-friendly doughnuts as well as some made especially for dogs.