The Minneapolis Winter Restaurant (and Bar!) Preview

sushi

Christmas, and all the stress it brings with it (Santa won't care that his year’s cookies are sugar-free, will he?!?!?!), is right around the corner, and the last thing you need to worry about is what cool new restaurants and bars are about to drop. Which’s why we took the liberty of doing the worrying for you, and found seven badass eating and drinking establishments (including a sushi spot, breweries, food trucks, and more) opening this Winter: 

Sonora Grill dish
Sonora Grill

Name: Sonora Grill Longfellow
Opening: Coming Soon
Why You Should Care: The only thing that blows about Sonora’s maiden, Midtown Global Market locale is that it’s more taco stand than taco-resto, which means -- most critically to us -- that you can’t get any beers there. Further East on Lake in the former Molly Quinn’s space (which’s currently in the throes of a MAJOR facelift), their second-coming’ll be fully boozed and beered and continue the tradition of serving the hands-down best tacos in town.

sushi thrillist

Name: Kyatchi
Opening: December
Why You Should Care: It turns out that not all sushi is super nice to the fish it comes from, so the cats at Nicollet Ave’s Kyatchi (Japanaese for “catch”) are dropping their purist Japanese menu in favor of “sustainable seafood” harvested under the guidelines of the MN Zoo Fish Smart and the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Programs and in concert with local suppliers certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. In addition to all the feel-good fish, the SoMi shop will also serve Japanese grilled meat and veggie skewers, donburi rice and veggie bowls, small plates, and Japanese hot dogs.

The Warming House dish
The Warming House

Name: The Warming House
Open Now
Why You Should Care: The swarm of food trucks that overpopulates DT streets during the Summer is gone, leaving a brave few mobile eateries to peddle their typically warm-weather menus to frozen patrons; a problem the folks at The Warming House hope to remedy by dropping a selection of seasonably hot “drinking chocolates” ranging from a plain classic to the Dark Horse w/ dark chocolate, and Verdant Tea rooibos chai, along with some popsicle-inspired “marshmallow skewers” like classic s’mores, and more. 

 Lyn 65 Kitchen & Bar pizza
Lyn 65 Kitchen & Bar

Name: Lyn 65 Kitchen & Bar
Opening: January 2014
Why You Should Care: Sure, Lyn 65 Kitchen & Bar is tucked into the Mpls edge of Richfield, but the classical-American-dishing 70-seater is the first solo-effort from long-time Alex Roberts understudy at Restaurant Alma, Ben Rients, and aside from 10-plus flat-breads and daily-efforts at affordable entrees for two, dude will be offering complimentary soft serve for dessert.

thrillist cocktail

Name: coup d'etat
Opening: January 2014
Why You Should Care: The fellas behind North Loop figurehead Borough and Parlour Bar are headed ever-so-slightly South into Uptown for their next effort on the ground-floor of a shiny new apartment complex. The 300-seat jam will sport indoor and outdoor spaces and a "modern approach to classic flavors" with entrees ranging from fish to meat to veggies, and a Jesse Held-designed cocktail program that follows suit.

Day Block Brewing Co beers
Day Block Brewing Co

Name: Day Block Brewing Co
Opening: January 2014
Why You Should Care: The first brewpub to hit DT Mpls since, err, Rock Bottom opened back in the day, Block’s taking over the former Spill The Wine digs (inside the -- go figure -- Day Block building) on Washington and cooking up a pizza-centric menu to go with their common man-focused, seasonally rotating six beer selection.

thrillist martini

Name:Hammer & Sickle Vodka Bar
Opening: February 2014
Why You Should Care: What once was Kinsen Noodles on Lake and Lagoon will soon be Hammer & Sickle, a vodka-focused bar with an Eastern Euro slant from the team behind The Lyndale Tap House. More than 60 vodkas along with a hefty selection of caviar will be had individually (or in flights), and regular menu items will include stroganoff, pierogies, and Russian-style BBQ skewers… which presumably means said skewers wear those funny hats with flaps over the ears.