But overall, it's a cool development and if Michelin keeps up the typically strong work, it'll be good news for the scene here - something to strive for. (Almost) anything that gets people fired up about improved standards tends to be good for everyone. -JN
Don't love the (apparent) exclusion of the greater metro area, which misses the point - for dining purposes, we're a metro of 3.5 million people, not a city of 428K. Also don't love the eclectic company we're keeping, no offense to Indianapolis, etc.
If you want to find a place that's doing terrific food with a lively atmosphere, usually firing on all thrusters and sometimes offering a great value, the one star spots are the thing. So, it'll be cool to see where Michelin thinks those spots are, locally.
I've personally (James Norton) found Michelin ratings to be super useful in massive cities like New York. Two and three star places are almost guaranteed to be hyper competent, very expensive and typically extremely samey and generically cosmopolitan. But the one stars are the secret sauce.
Some instantly mixed feelings on this one. Where is Saint Paul and the greater metro area in all this? And why is Minneapolis mixed in with five cities that are sort of or EXTREMELY different in terms of location / people? Feels arbitrary in that regard.
So: Minneapolis will be part of a new 2027 Michelin American Great Lakes guide, along with Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh. This is per a MeetMinneapolis press release: www.minneapolis.org/media/news-r...
An array of dazzling orange, purple, and yellow flowers grown indoors at Cheeky Harvest. Joshua Feist / Heavy Table
Burning midnight-proximate oil on two barnburner newsletters for tomorrow: A heart-rending story about beer, trauma, and survival by @louisgarcia12.bsky.social and a tremendously interesting piece on innovative indoor agriculture by @jeannelakso.bsky.social
If you don't know us: We're all about human beings talking to other human beings. We're all about good food and great storytelling. We're all about being defiantly grounded in our community and making things from scratch, with human hands, eyes, and minds. Join us: heavytable.substack.com
Plus, hit the website to check out the latest video project from Nathan Wold, a profile of Cafe Racer Kitchen in Minneapolis. We've got a teaser promo below:
A panna cotta and charred meringue from Thérèse in Minneapolis. Roseanne Pereira / Heavy Table
Great week to subscribe to the newsletter if you don't already: We've got an in-depth (and mixed) review of Daniel del Prado's new French restaurant, Thérèse. heavytable.substack.com
We have so many good food trucks in the Twin Cities but this is one of the best IMO
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A big, beefy bowl of boat noodles at Thai Boat 89 on University Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Shockingly good BBQ jerk chicken at West Indies Soul on University Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
An illustration of Heavy Table's Checklist crew receiving tom yum and a plate of herbs at Thai Boat 89 on University Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota. WACSO / Heavy Table
An illustration of the sprawling and full bakery case at Cha Yes on University Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota. WACSO / Heavy Table
This Friday morning in the newsletter: Five new reviews from the Green Line in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Thai! Chinese! African! Caribbean! University/Washington is one of the great immigrant cultural corridors and the restaurants there are fighting to survive.
Today's newsletter is free for everyone. Read "A Storm on East Lake Street" by @tangledupinfood.bsky.social , and more: heavytable.substack.com/p/a-storm-on...
Bring Me the News is maintaining a pretty good / updated list, we linked it in our newsletter today. It's at the top of our closed / closing section: heavytable.substack.com/p/a-storm-on...
Tacos on a white plate
It’s happening! @visitlakestreet.com is helping to organize a series of cash mob events to support small local businesses - first one is next week! Sign up for updates and to be notified of which Lake Street business we’ll be eating at! eventbrite.com/e/you-belong-here-cash-mob-tickets-1980574633043
Faced with staffing shortages and safety concerns, Minneapolis restaurants are holding food drives, fundraisers and serve up hot cocoa to create community.
This week we're calling for reader-submitted Hot Five briefs about food and drink from immigrant-run restaurants, food trucks, and markets. We're casting a wide net to support these cornerstone businesses. heavytable.substack.com/p/hot-five-c...
Meritage is opening a stand-alone steak frites restaurant in the to-be-announced future - in the meantime, the restaurant is offering a series of steak frites prix-fixe nights Jan. 14, 21, and 27.
Our 2025 Local Food Gift Guide is up! 80+ foods, drinks, events, pop-up cocktail bars, shops, home goods and more, right in time for the holiday crunch. And it's written by humans for humans, like everything in our newsletters. Cheers and happy holidays! heavytable.substack.com/p/the-2025-h...
Photo shared by Christina Nguyen on December 04, 2025 tagging @naomi.marie__, @nathanmiller612, @rubyscher, @holaarepa, @birksg, @chefjholig, and @haihaimpls. May be an image of text that says 'AS SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, I.C.E. PAID US A VISIT AT AREPA YESTERDAY. OUR GM NAOMI & TEAM MEMBERS FOLLOWED OUR ICE PROTOCOL PERFECTLY, THE AGENTS LEFT & NO ONE WAS DETAINED. tO WHOEVER NEEDS THIS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO I.C.E. (1/5)'. christinanguyenmpls 11h We had an ICE scare yesterday and even though we’re afraid of the repercussions of being vocal, we feel that it’s also important to inform people that this is right at our front door. ICE is not some far away boogeyman. They are here right now, spreading fear in our community. We’re so grateful to our entire staff and their bravery. They did the right things and couldn’t have dealt with this situation in a better way. We are grateful to our community activists that came to support us from @miracmn @litosonlake and Monarcha. We hope that if you find yourself in the same situation, that you find these resources helpful. Peace and take care of each other ❤️
Photo by Christina Nguyen on December 04, 2025. May be an image of text that says 'IF I.C.E. COMES TO YOUR RESTAURANT: UNLESS THE AGENTS HAVE A SIGNED JUDICIAL WARRANT, THEY CANNOT ENTER A PRIVATE AREA LIKE THE KITCHEN WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION EVEN IF THEY LIE AND SAY THY DON'T NEED A WARRANT, STAND YOUR GROUND AND INSIST THAT YOU NEED PAPERWORK (2/5)'.
Photo by Christina Nguyen on December 04, 2025. May be an image of text that says 'IF I.C.E. COMES TO YOUR RESTAURANT: HAVE OTHER STAFF OR PEOPLE PRESENT RECORD THEM AND EVERYTHING THEY ARE SAYING. (PEOPLE DOING UNLAWFUL THINGS HATE BEING CAUGHT IN TH ACT) YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to REFUSE SERVICE & YOU CAN ASK M tO LEAVE YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY IF THY DON'T HAVE A WARRANT. (3/5)'.
WE ARE HEARTBROKEN THAT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN THE TWIN CITIES ARE BEING TARGETED AND TERRORIZED BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING USED AS POLITICAL PAWNS AND IT'S APPALLING. REGARDLESS OF THEIR LEGAL STATUS, THERE ARE SO MANY LATINOS & SOMALIANS WHO ARE AFRAID OF BEING DETAINED DUE TO MISTAKEN IDENTITY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY MIGHT NOT GET DUE PROCESS & A FAIR TRIAL. THEY WILL JUST END UP IN DETENTION CENTERS & A LEGAL PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A BLACK HOLE. WE STAND IN SUPPORT OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, WHO ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS COUNTRY. WITHOUT IMMIGRANTS, AMERICA IS NOT THE SAME PLACE. STAY SAFE OUT THERE & TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. LOVE, HOLA AREPA & HAI HAI (5/5)
ICE raided a James Beard award winning restaurant & because the chef/owner was prepared, left emptyhanded:
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New video just dropped: Ichigo Tokyo Crepes of Minneapolis. Free for all over on Substack, cheers and bon appetit! heavytable.substack.com/p/mia-oi-of-...
Your help is necessary for us to stay open. Lunch hour isn’t what it used to be; it’s experiencing a slowdown and we need help from the community to stay afloat. If you’re in the area please stop by for lunch or food to take home for your family. Thanks for reading this and please take time to help your favorite Lebanese deli stay in business for another 50 years!!
Y'all go eat some food at Emily's Lebanese!
And if you missed it, here's editor @jrnorton.bsky.social talking about Chi-Chi's 2.0 on @citycasttwincities.bsky.social: twincities.citycast.fm/podcasts/pur...
Heavy Table contributor Roseanne Pereira talks Moona Moono in Uptown over on City Cast Twin Cities: twincities.citycast.fm/podcasts/oh-...
Lina Goh and John Ng of Zen Box Izakaya. Dale Yasunaga / Heavy Table / File
Ramen from Zen Box Izakaya. Dale Yasunaga / Heavy Table / File
Zen Box Izakaya is closing Nov. 22 after 21 years in business, citing road construction and the pending sale of its building.
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Exterior photo of Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
A blue bowl of fried ice cream covered in whipped cream and caramel drizzle from Chi-Chi's in Saint Louis Park. Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Tomorrow in the newsletter: Chi-Chi's 2.0. Huge buzz! Surprisingly challenging reservations! Can this reanimated dinosaur survive in a modern environment absolutely stuffed with terrific Mexican and Mexican-inspired dining?
