Pop-up Gia finds a home in former Cave Vin in Minneapolis

Gia is moving off the lake and into a beloved Minneapolis neighborhood restaurant address full time.

Chef and co-owner Jo Seddon shared the news with the Star Tribune: "Gia is finally going to have a permanent bricks and mortar home!" The restaurant, which ran as a seasonal pop-up at Sovereign Winery overlooking Lake Waconia, will offers fresh, seasonal cooking inspired by travels in Italy and southern France.

Seddon, originally from London, walked away from a career as a doctor and into the kitchen as a professional chef. She cooked locally at Bellecour before launching Gia as an outdoor eatery.

Now, she and co-owner, chef Lisa Wengler will open Gia early in the new year at 5555 Xerxes Av. The address had been home to Cave Vin for 22 years, before the restaurant closed in October. Gia had popped up at the restaurant earlier this year and the setting suited the modern Italian eatery.

If all goes well, an opening could come as soon as January 2024. Keep tabs on the progress at giampls.com.

The Dairy Queen on Ford Parkway in St. Paul has closed to make way for the newest location of Dave's Hot Chicken. Franchised by the Humphries family, which includes former NBA player — and Timberwolves team member — Kris Humphries, the location (1959 Ford Pkwy.) is one of 16 planned for the metro area. A remodel is underway with an expected opening in early 2024. The state's first Dave's Hot Chicken opened in at 1805 Plymouth Road in Minnetonka this summer with a menu of spicy fried chicken fingers in various configurations and an array sides.

The newest Punch Pizza is taking shape nearby Costco in St. Louis Park's West End. The beloved local Neapolitan pizza chain announced plans to open in the suburb back in April, but we've spotted signs of life that the newest home to those toasty, thin crusts is quickly becoming a reality.

Jinx Tea closed its tea bar in Minneapolis, but the good news for fans is that the company is going all in on ready-to-drink beverages. Co-founders Jennifer Wills, Chris Eilers and Sam Eilers are hard at work bringing cans of their refreshing elixirs to store shelves across the metro area and beyond.

Now that we're officially in the season of trying to pack in as many friend dates as possible, it's a good time to schedule a lunch. St. Paul Brewing (688 Minnehaha Av. E., St. Paul, stpaulbrewing.com) is expanding its hours and beverage lineups with a food menu that includes pizzas and shareables. Beverages on tap include beer, hard seltzer and a large selection of kombucha.

Happy hour doesn't have to mean being three martinis deep after work. Earl Giles, the gorgeous distillery and taproom in northeast Minneapolis, has introduced Canna Club Happy Hour on Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. through the end of the year on its Mezzanine, overlooking the plant-filled main floor. Sip THC-spiked beverages and enjoy open mic night. No reservations necessary. Earl Giles is at 1325 NE. Quincy St., Mpls., earlgiles.com).

The last Synergy Series dinner of the year at Spoon and Stable will bring in Chicago chef John Shields of Smyth and the Loyalist (and Alinea and Trotter's before that). Shields will cook with the Spoon and Stable team for two sold-out dinners on Dec. 7 and 8, although there is a waitlist for the optimists. On the more affordable end, Shields will sit down with hospitality coach Alison Arth at noon on Dec. 8 at the Four Seasons to discuss his career. Tickets, only $10, are still available.

On Dec. 11, chef Jorge Guzmán and Petite León welcome chef Lamar Moore to the final Friends with Benefits dinner of the season. Tastes of the south will be on the menu and the dinner will benefit Horn Barbecue in Oakland, Calif., which recently experienced a devastating fire. The all-inclusive tickets are $150. For more information and reservations, go to petiteleonmpls.com/friends-with-benefits; Petite León is at 3800 Nicollet Av., Mpls.