For better or worse, 15 restaurant trends we’ve noticed this year

WHAT’S HOT

Minnesotans are famously modest, so we were happy to let national media and awards do the horn-tooting for us this year. Our restaurant scene kept bringing in big props, from James Beard Awards for Bucheron and Karyn Tomlinson of Myriel; Food & Wine naming Diane’s Place best new restaurant in the country; Vinai being picked as one of the year’s top new restaurants by Bon Appetit; and several nods for Diane’s, Vinai and Bucheron in the New York Times including one just last week (Diane’s Place has one of the best desserts of the year). We won’t say we told you so — that modesty thing — but the Star Tribune did happen to pick the three newcomers as our Restaurants of the Year back in 2024.

Places that once leaned on big-name chefs and special occasions reconfigured their concepts this year in an effort to draw in diners with a more relaxed vibe, menu and prices. Take StepChld, Kamal Mohamed’s global comforts hotspot. It closed this summer and returned as Kizzo, a more casual sports bar. Chilango and Petite Leon both shuttered, but have new, more easy-going versions in the works. And Minari added a bar menu with a lower price point at its new Pikok Lounge.

Decision fatigue is so real. That’s one reason we’re happy to see more curated multicourse dinners on menus across the metro; just let us point to a tight selection of offerings and enjoy the ride. Xelas by El Sazon in Stillwater switched to a three-course dinner (appetizer, main course and dessert) for $45, although you can still order items separately, too. Travail took a page from its flagship restaurant and brought it to ie - Italian Eatery by Travail in Minneapolis with an “ie Experience,” a $50 chef-curated, four-course menu celebrating its housemade pasta. And proving it’s never too late to try something new, instead of family-style meals, Alma now offers two tasting menus: A three-course seasonal menu ($80-$97, includes tip) and a six-course chef’s tasting menu ($140, includes tip). Now our only decision is where to go next.

Reboots can be a tricky proposition. It can either go “That ’80s Show” south or rise to the “Cobra Kai” occasion. In the restaurant world, comebacks of beloved Twin Cities concepts were alive and well. Jade Dynasty kicked the year off brilliantly, bringing powerhouses from the old Nankin and Hong Kong Noodles back into action in Minneapolis. Then came St. Pierre (also in Minneapolis), Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre’s revival combining the best of their Burch Steakhouse and Snack Bar worlds. Chi-Chi’s in St. Louis Park was another high-profile return, with the local chain serving up margaritas, chimichangas and fried ice cream once again after a 20-year hiatus.

Neighborhoods were also happy to see the return of beloved spaces: Sprinkles opened, continuing the soft-serve tradition in the historic Dairy Queen in Roseville; the Malt Shop rose again in Minneapolis’ Lynnhurst neighborhood and Graze food hall in the North Loop rebranded and reopened under the ownership of Travail Collective.

In St. Paul, the Commodore is now up and running again, bringing Jazz Age vibes back to Cathedral Hill. At Golden Thyme, veteran chef Adam Randall is now helming the kitchen and serving up contemporary fare using classic techniques. Last but not least, Lowertown welcomed back a favorite neighborhood eatery, thanks to new owners/industry veterans turning the lights back on at Dark Horse Bar & Eatery with fresh takes on the food and beverage program.

If it’s true there’s always room for dessert, then the Twin Cities has plenty to spare. As more bakeries pop up to add to the abundance of pastries and sweet treats, many are emphasizing global flavors. To name a few: Cafe de Paris (Apple Valley), Kyiv Cakes specializing in Eastern European treats (Lakeville), Zao Chinese bakery and cafe (St. Paul), Razava Bread Co. (St. Paul) serving up Middle Eastern-style breads and Papa Chuy’s, the Mexican bakery along Lyndale Avenue South (Minneapolis).

We all have our favorite sandwiches, and there’s a wave of Minneapolis newcomers with a serious crusty bread game making a strong case to make their way onto your list. At North Star Deli, it starts with custom bread from their neighbors at Patisserie 46 and goes from there with meats smoked in-house. Don’t miss their muffuletta, the closest in the Twin Cities to those from New Orleans, where the sandwich was born — and where chef-owner Pedro Wolcott once worked. At Kinsley’s Smokehouse Deli in Market at Malcolm Yards food hall, sandwiches and ingredients like house-smoked pastrami are inspired by the greats in New Jersey, where chef-owner James Adams has roots. D’s Banh Mi is all about spreading the love — not only with meat options, but a sizable list of vegetarian and vegan offerings in its interpretation of the Vietnamese sandwich. Then there’s the latest newcomer, Little Bird Delicatessen, which models itself after the sandwich culture the owners loved when living in New York.

The proliferation of noodle-centric restaurants has us spinning. On the Italian side, newcomers Liliana (Woodbury), Hendrix & Siena (Hopkins) and Minari, ie 2.0 and Stargazer (all Minneapolis) are putting their creative spins on the cuisine, joining the pasta pro ranks alongside Dario, Sanjusan, Spoon and Stable and more. Not to be outdone, Meet Up Noodle, Kinzo Udon and Cafe Yoto (all Minneapolis) are freshening up the Asian noodle scene along with the mastery of Master Noodle, now with three metro locations. So much twirling to do, so little time.

Let’s raise a glass to the increasing number of restaurants putting just as much care into nonalcoholic cocktails as they do spirited ones. From housemade shrubs, syrups, tonics and teas to alcohol-free versions of our favorite cocktails, we appreciate being able to have something besides soda water or soda when the spirit doesn’t move us. Our sober friends thank you, too.

From Minneapolis hubs to the suburbs, the metro saw no lack of red-hot places on the map to set up shop. The hottest of the hot:

It was a tough year for fans of craft breweries, who said goodbye to some award-winning beers or taprooms, including: Alloy Brewing in Coon Rapids, Wild Mind Ales, in Minneapolis, Fair State Brewing taproom, Finnegan’s (now brewed by Fulton), Dangerous Man (now under new ownership), Eastlake, 612, Burning Brothers, Able Seedhouse and Lakes & Legends in Minneapolis; St. Paul’s Tin Whiskers and Clutch breweries; Invictus in Blaine, Schram Haus in Chaska and Chanhassen Brewing. Across the state, the losses have included Mankato Brewery, Revelation Ale Works in Hallock, Fergus Brewing in Fergus Falls and Half Bushel in Litchfield.

Apparently we have to state the obvious: Restaurants count on diners to keep reservations. Several chefs have lamented the number of no-shows, which translates to lost revenue for restaurants and lost opportunities for would-be diners. It’s also why more restaurants require a deposit when making reservations. This also leads to a pro tip: If reservations appear to be booked, it’s always worth a call to the restaurant.

We understand wanting to use every available square inch, but we’ve found ourselves in seating situations a little too awkward for dinner conversation. Please have a seat before making your final design decisions. And speaking of tight spaces, with smaller tables peppering Twin Cities dining rooms, a note to kitchens and hospitality pros to please pace and clear courses accordingly. No one wants to put personal items or boxed-up food on the floor.

There’s a rise in the use of pebble ice in cocktails. But we implore you not to fill those glasses up so full with the small ice pellets. They melt so fast that, more than once, we found our drinks diluted — or the drink-to-ice ratio thrown way off. And that’s a shame when staff have put so much care and through into a great cocktail program for guests to enjoy. Rather, go easy on the pebble ice or opt for larger, slower melting ice cubes and respect the cocktail.