The 8 fall restaurant openings we’re most excited about

Every year, as the calendar flips to the chilly season, restaurant owners race to open the doors of their new spaces before the snow falls. This year is no exception, with a burst of fresh openings on the way.

Among them is the first stand-alone location of Ono Hawaiian Plates, where Warren Seta and wife Jess Kelley will get to ride the wave of their latest ode to their native state. Seta said finishing touches are underway and an opening date is just around the bend, in late November or early December.

The North Loop location, at 337 Washington Av. N., will allow them to continue to serve top sellers such as chicken katsu, kalua pork and kalbi short rib plate lunches as well as poke bowls, but there will be much, much more.

In the evenings, starting at 6 p.m., they plan to offer a paina menu, which Seta said loosely translates to party menu. At Ono, that will mean shareable platters with dishes like garlic fried chicken and Hawaiian-style whole fish with ginger-cilantro pesto as well as baby back ribs with Ono’s signature house-made guava barbecue sauce.

“In Hawaii, you go out and have drinks and big platters of shareable foods, mostly protein-centric,” he said. “We want to bring a piece of ourselves, how we lived in Hawaii, how we liked to eat, what foods we liked to eat. And hopefully people in the North Loop will love it, too.”

Amid a backdrop of murals depicting beaches in Maui, where Kelley used to fish and surf, and scenes of Oahu, where Seta grew up, the space will also host a tiki-themed Mai Tai bar of “tropical frou-frou drinks with umbrellas just for fun,” Seta said.

Ono’s new freestanding operation is full circle for the two, who started the concept as a pop-up before opening a counter at the now-closed North Loop Galley food hall. They continue to run a counter inside United Noodles grocery market (2015 E. 24th St., Mpls.).

Where: 241 Fremont Av. N., Mpls., animalesbbq.com

When: Grand opening weekend Oct. 23-26

The food truck once stationed at local breweries gained a cult following for its barbecue and burgers. Now Animales has a permanent home, where they can play super host in more ways than one.

Chef/owner Jon Wipfli will get to flex his culinary muscles even further beyond the grill and smoker. Light bites, handhelds and salads will now be part of the food program. We’re already eyeing dishes such the shrimp po’boy and the green spaghetti with charred poblano cream sauce. The sprawling space will also feature a kids play area designed by an artists collective and double as a music venue.

Wipfli said it’s a great next step for Animales, which rolled out as a food truck in 2018. “I’m really excited for my staff. We don’t have to drive and move around the city,” he said. “Food trucks can be brutal and chaotic, prone to weather events and other things beyond your control.”

When: End of October

Hide Tozawa of Okome House is highlighting even more ways to enjoy rice and fish (and other fillings). While at Okome House the focus is on onigiri, or stuffed rice balls, Nokko will center its menu on temaki, or the rolled-up cones of sushi that are rising in popularity. Other small plates and nontraditional dishes will be part of the mix, along with sake and Japanese cocktails. While plans have been delayed since spring, Tozawa says he is “shooting for the end of this month” for the opening.

Where: 3749 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls.

When: Late October-early November

Longing for a neighborhood with great sandwiches, gelato scoops and pup treats, Alison and Steve McMullen decided to build it themselves. Little Bird Delicatessen is quickly taking shape inside the former Abang Yoli. Steve, the former chef at Porzana, has been diligently working to source the best bread as well as good things to layer inside of it. The couple already have a following around the Twin Cities with their Little Bird premium gelato, which they’ll stock by the scoop in several flavors at the deli. Little Bird Delicatessen is aiming to be the kind of place Kingfield neighbors can walk to with the whole family in tow and leave with plenty of tasty bites. Follow their progress on Instagram.

When: Mid- to late November

Ever since chef Gavin Kaysen opened his first restaurant, his Soigné Hospitality group has proven to be a powerhouse in the local food world. His popular French bistro concept Bellecour always held a lot of promise, but it’s been a journey. From bistro-bakery to bakery in a retail shop, Bellecour is about to enter its third evolution as a pastry shop in Edina and a day-into-night neighborhood eatery in the North Loop. “This is the kind of food I love to cook the most,” Kaysen said of his plans for the new places. We expect to be sipping bubbly and ruminating on salad Niçoise before the holidays. Not one to sit still, Kaysen is also opening the Merchant Room inside the Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort in Naples, Fla., in November.

Where: 5401 Penn Av. S., Mpls., saturdaydumpling.com

When: End of November

The viral dumpling shop, which grew from a pandemic pop-up to a northeast Minneapolis restaurant and a food stand at Market at Malcolm Yards, will head south as it opens its next stand-alone location in the former Café Ceres space in the Armatage neighborhood. Co-founder Peter Bian said the team aims to open by Small Business Saturday, bringing their signature dumplings and Szechuan Chicken Caesar sandwich on scallion focaccia to the new spot. The expansion fulfills their long-held plan to reach more neighborhoods with approachable, fast-casual fare.

When: Early December

The newest outpost of the pizzeria from the Daniel del Prado restaurant group is expected to make its St. Louis Park debut before the holiday season. Taking over the former Revival spot in the Texa-Tonka shopping center, the restaurant will sport similar menus to the original Linden Hills Rosalia and the Northeast location, which opened earlier this year. That means woodfire-cooked pizzas, roasted veggies and dips. In addition to the usual, there will also be gluten-friendly dough available. Something else to look forward to: There are plans for a gorgeous patio next spring. (For those keeping track, the always busy del Prado also just announced plans to open the upscale French brasserie Thérèse in Edina. We’re looking forward to that, too.)

Where: 10700 Bloomington Ferry Road, Bloomington, pigatemypizza.com

When: December

The Robbinsdale team behind Travail and Nouvelle is adding the south metro to its portfolio with a new Pig Ate My Pizza in Bloomington. Planned for a converted former gas station, the restaurant could open by the second week in December, co-owner Mike Brown confirmed. The menu will build on what’s new at Robbinsdale’s recent Pig Ate My Pizza redux, including a stronger emphasis on pastas, alongside signature PAMP dishes and pizzas, plus craft beers brewed by Andy Goettsch’s team. The restaurant will be open for dinner on weekdays and all day on weekends.