As if owning your own restaurant wasn’t risky enough, many have been so negatively affected by closing due to the COVID 19 coronavirus, that they ended up closing for good. It’s always sad to see our neighborhood favorites go, but with so many at once, we’re definitely feeling the pain. We sure hope as things get back to “normal,” some of these restaurants will come back with a vengeance and re-open, but only time will tell. Here are the Minneapolis food spots that have hung up their aprons and said their goodbyes.
One of the toughest closures for many may have been the North Loop favorite, Bachelor Farmer, and it’s adjoining speakeasy, Marvel Bar. For just shy of a decade, it became one of the best cafes in the city. Loved by locals, they had even hosted former President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden. Needless to say, it quickly staked its place on the map. The speakeasy-themed Marvel Bar stood behind a “secret” purple door. It was home to those looking for a cool, secluded spot to have incredible cocktails by some of the best bartenders in the city. We hope to see more of owner Eric Dayton’s ventures in the future, though.
Having been a few different restaurants, 4 Bells turned over the gorgeous Loring Park space into some of the best seafood spots in Minneapolis. Their website technically says it’s closed indefinitely, so fingers crossed we see a re-open or re-imagining as restaurants begin to open up and allow more and more people inside.
Not many people could pull off a Mexican wrestling-themed restaurant. Still, Angelo and his team at Bar Luchador sure did, for a successful 5 years. Located near the U of MN campus, Bar Luchador was able to become a go-to lunch, dinner, or drink spot for many. They even earned the title of Best Margarita, which is no easy feat! Sadly the uncertainty of their future led to them throwing in the towel (there’s a shameless wrestling pun in there somewhere). Keep your eyes peeled for what opens in that precedented spot in the future.
What opened as a coffee shop in 1987, eventually moved to the prominent Lyn-Lake intersection as a gastropub with a small coffee bar, and added delicious brunch, lunch, dinner, and beers on tap. Aptly called Muddy’s 1.0 and Muddy’s 2.0, decades of memories were shared in both locations and will be sorely missed. But don’t worry, Paddy and Sarah still own and manage Dark Horse Eatery in St. Paul, which just opened up their patio for outdoor dining on June 1st.
It looks like you’ll have to drive to Burnsville to get your White Trash burger fix. This is not very far, but the walkable Burger Jones near Bde Maka Ska walking trails has had to close its doors for good. Having been a staple in the area for many years, the loss of local poutine is tragic. Still, thankfully it can live on in their other location. Maybe more will come down the road, but for now, head to the suburbs for some Burger Jones.
The ever-popular corner of Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue in Uptown has hosted several unsuccessful restaurants throughout the years. Finally, Fig and Farro upheld the spot for the last few years. On top of offering a much needed vegetarian and vegan menu in the neighborhood, they also partnered with TreesForTheFuture.org, and for every customer served, they planted a tree. Since its inception, they’ve planted over 70,000 trees! So they are happy to have left a legacy to the neighborhood and we hope to see them doing great things in the future as well.
The very first coffee shop in North Loop — back then, it was called the Warehouse District — opened in 1991. That shop was good old Moose and Sadie’s. What started as a perfect little coffee shop, became one of the best local lunch spots in 2005 with the help of chef Susan Muskat. As a staple in the area for almost 30 years, it’s hard to say goodbye to this gorgeous cafe.
If you’ve ever taken a drive down Lyndale Avenue South, you have probably seen the adorable vintage Egg and I billboard taking up half of their small little parking lot between 28th and 29th st. They’ve served up classic breakfasts to the neighborhood for decades, so it’s definitely sad to see them go. But, their St. Paul location will live on!
El Burrito Mercado in St. Paul continues to thrive as a decades-old family business. When the owners retired, they passed the reins on to their children who continued to run the business and even opened El Burrito Minneapolis in the old Pepito’s space on 48th and Chicago. Their patio is officially open. If you are looking for some authentic Mexican food, and some of the best tacos around, give El Burrito Mercado some love.
As restaurants begin to re-open at half capacity, or outdoor dining only, make sure to support those local, small, and family-owned establishments. Those are the ones that put their heart and soul into their businesses and have taken a risk to do what they love while serving all the residents of the Twin Cities. Eater Twin Cities has been keeping us up to date with any and all restaurant closings up to now, so check that out for more up-to-date info.
Live in any of our Bigos properties in downtown St. Paul? Be sure to support the restaurants nearby, or order delivery from any of these establishments currently serving takeout and delivery while they work on re-opening.
As life continues to shift and change, so do you! So, if you’re looking for a change of pace and are interested in some of our properties in and around the Twin Cities, check out our available units here.
