The Cafe Culture of Ramadan’s and the Magic of Croffles

In this edition of The Heavy Table’s Tap newsletter, we check out a cafe where Egyptian culture is central, and a business where croissants meet waffles.

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The Tap is the Heavy Table’s ongoing biweekly account of noteworthy Minnesota restaurant openings, closings, and future openings. Please send any tips to editor@heavytable.com. All dates are approximate based on best information available; opening dates, in particular, tend to shift around a lot.

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority is now the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opened August 7, 2026.

Side Door at Dexter’s Food Hall (partially open) ■ A Daniel del Prado mini-food hall is on its way, including Rose Sushi, Daq Daq (Korean fried chicken), and Lucia’s (pizzas and salads). Lucia’s opened August 6, 2026.

Tasca Madrid, 173 Western Ave. N., Saint Paul ■ Tapas, vermouth, paella, and other staples of Spanish tavern dining will come to the former Handsome Hog space in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of Saint Paul. Soft opening/bakery opening in progress as of July 19, 2026. (Watch our video profile of founder Alberto Blanco.)

Haraz Coffee House, 3001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis ■ The former Iron Door on Lyndale Avenue is now a new location for the Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chain Haraz Coffee House. Opened late June, 2026.

Asia Village at Northtown Mall, 398 Northtown Dr, Blaine, Minn. ■ A new Asian-inspired food court owned in part by the team behind Eden Prairie’s successful Asia Mall is now open for business. Opened June 13, 2026. Reviewed in the June 19, 2026 edition of the Churn.

Radish Farm Stop, 5357 Penn Ave. South, Minneapolis ■ Radish Farm Stop is a year-round, consignment-based farm stand that combines the qualities of a farmer’s market, grocery, and coffee shop. Opened June 13, 2026. Profiled in the June 12, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Sweet Lou’s Meats, 6318 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, Minn. ■ Craft sandwiches, whole-animal butchery, and a breakfast program set this new spot apart from just about everywhere else in the metro. Opened May 27, 2026.

Bauhaus Brew Labs ■ An avant-garde Northeast Minneapolis brewing stalwart, Bauhaus Brew Labs is calling it quits citing changing consumer tastes and supply chain challenges. Closing June 28, 2026. UPDATE: The Star Tribune reports that Bauhaus will reopen, purchased and run by ABV Technology, which helped Bauhaus develop some of the area’s best-tasting n/a beers. (I remember blind taste testing Bauhaus beers vs. the ABV tech n/a equivalents back in 2020 with the Growler magazine, and our crew getting about 50/50 in terms of guessing which was which.)

Borough ■ More than a decade of upscale party fare in the North Loop comes to an end with the closure of Borough; Jester Concepts will turn the space into the resurrection of Revival. Closing June 27, 2026.

El Tejaban and Lito’s Burritos (Richfield location) ■ The closure of this Richfield Mexican food mainstay and the massively popular Lito’s concept comes down to trauma and financial damage inflicted by Operation Metro Surge, according to an MSP Mag interview with Miguel Hernandez, the owner of Lito’s. The Lito’s in Minneapolis remains open. Closed June 18, 2026.

Red Cow (2626 Hennepin Avenue South) ■ The closure of the Hennepin Avenue location of Red Cow highlights the continuing struggle for the health of Uptown (and its surrounding neighborhoods, if you want to be technically correct about it.) Closed June 1, 2026.

Tay Ho ■ An old-school Vietnamese favorite on University Avenue, Tay Ho may well have served the best bun bo hue in the metro. Closed May 28, 2026.

Downtowner Woodfire Grill ■ After nearly 40 decades of business, an oak grill Saint Paul staple is shutting its doors. Closed May 17, 2026.

Square Roots, 2708 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, ■ The former DuNord-run New Orleans-inspired spot in the Coliseum building on East Lake Street will reopen as an Afro-Creole restaurant helmed by Jared Brewington (Official Fried Chicken). The restaurant’s 501(c)(3) status is unusual and marks it as a social enterprise. Square Roots features an affordable menu, an all-Black management team, and an educational residency program for aspiring restaurateurs; MSP Business Journal has the full story. Opening Summer 2026.

Bean & Bear Bagels at Ursa Minor Brewing, 202 S. 26th Ave. West, Duluth, Minn. ■ Freshly made bagels and bagel sandwiches will anchor the menu at this new shop. Opening Summer 2026.

Inti Kitchen and Bar, 4537 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Corner Table/Revival location will start serving Indian and Tibetan fare later this year. Opening August 2026, although website and social media has been quiet.

Martiya, 3030 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis ■ The owner of the pioneering East African fast casual chain Afro Deli is branching out to a new spot that will offer a family style fusion riff on Somali fare. Opening August 2026.

Bill’s Bait Shop, 3101 42nd St., Minneapolis ■ The former Chicago Taste Authority will turn into the latest outpost in the Centro empire, a freshwater fishing-focused casual eatery with a menu including trout dip, walleye sandwiches, smoked chicken, and more. Opening August 2026.

Tiki Tom’s Thai, 1601 West Lake Street, Minneapolis ■ Sushi, Thai, AND Chinese-American food are all on the menu at this ambitious new Lake Street eatery opening in the former Pinoli space. Opening Summer 2026, but web presence has been frozen for months.

Gambino’s, 512 N. Robert Street, Saint Paul ■ The owners of the rapidly expanding Tono’s Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks are opening their first full-service venture in the former Black Sheep Pizza location on Robert Street. Supposedly Opening Summer 2026, but online presence is outdated.

Vuka Flame Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken ■ A South African restaurant featuring 48-hour-marinated grilled chicken will take over the long-time It’s Greek to Me spot at Lyn-Lake. Opening Summer 2026.

Maison Rose, 981 Sibley Memorial Highway, Lilydale, Minn. ■ The former I Nonni space in Lilydale will find new life as a project from the team behind Patisserie 46 and Rose Street Patisserie. The new endeavor will combine production facilities, classroom space, and a bakery/cafe. Opening Summer 2026.

Arch and River ■ The married couple behind B’beri Desserts is taking over the former Owamni space at Water Works Pavilion and bringing Afro-Caribbean-inflected brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert-bar service along with them. Opening Summer 2026.

Clémentine, 614 W. 54th St., Minneapolis ■ Jasmine Weiser Kaysen (formerly of Edwards Dessert Kitchen; we profiled her June 22, 2022) will bring pastries made using French techniques and global ingredients to South Minneapolis. Opening Fall 2026.

Marrone’s, 4250 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ Wood-fired pizza will anchor the latest project by Steven Brown (St. Genevieve and Tilia). Opening 2026.

Saffron, 165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis ■ The acclaimed restaurant Saffron will return in the former Young Joni space in Northeast Minneapolis. Chef Sameh Wadi says onsite capacity (woodfire ovens, no fryer or traditional stove) means that the menu will evolve from its previous standards. The Star Tribune previewed the project in early January.

Steak Frites by Meritage, location TBD ■ A spinoff restaurant from Meritage, slated to be located in a suburban location with a $32 per person fixed price menu including bread and butter, salad or soup, steak or mussels and unlimited fries. Opening yet to be announced. For more, read the Jan. 9, 2026 edition of the Tap.

Ate Ate Ate, 1178 Burnsville Center, Burnsville, Minn. ■ Yet another Asian-focused food hall is coming to the metro, anchored by the Asian food store Ensom Market. The spot is giving some Market at Malcolm Yards vibes. As per the press release: “The 13,320 square foot location will be home to a diverse roster of nine food vendors, plus a bar and beer pull wall, an event space, and regular entertainment offerings.” The project is spearheaded by Akhtar Nawab, a Michelin-awarded chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. Opening delayed. Star Tribune has a story on the mall and its tribulations.

Jujube, 1100 2nd St S., Minneapolis ■ A unique Asian/Central Texas barbecue crossover will bring dishes including classic brisket and Peking duck to the former Izzy’s space overlooking Gold Medal Park. Texas Chef Jake Johnson (with experience at Animales, Kim’s, Bachelor Farmer, and others) will lead the culinary side of this Saturday Dumpling Company-owned sit-down dining experience. Opening late 2026.

Blue in Green, 1500 N. 44th Ave., Minneapolis ■ The former Get Down Coffee Co. will become a bistro with a soulful edge, offering dishes like curry chickpea stew, sweet potato cornbread, and Hawaiian barbecue sandwiches plus a wine program. Opening 2026.

ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ by Owamni, 2601 Franklin Ave., Minneapolis ■ Sean Sherman is branching out from Owamni - in a big way - this summer by opening a combination restaurant, commissary kitchen, and office headquarters in the former Seward Co-op Creamy space on Franklin Avenue. The restaurant, ŠHOTÁ, will focus on Indigenous barbecue concepts, which means (in part) pre-colonial meats such as venison, turkey, and bison taking the place of mainstays such as pork, chicken, and beef. Profiled in the January 10, 2025 edition of the Churn. Opening 2026.

Tim McKee Restaurants at The West Hotel, 167 N. First St., Minneapolis ■ A basque-inspired charcoal-driven restaurant and a Mediterranean bakery will be part of a new North Loop hotel in the former Commutator Building operated by Salt Hotels. Opening 2026.

Americana, 5036 France Avenue S., Edina, Minn. ■ A joint project of restaurateur Ryan Burnet and chef Daniel del Prado, Americana will move into the former Cocina del Barrio space and start serving mid-20th Century-inspired American fare. Opening late 2026.

At a first glance, it seems like a typical Twin Cities coffee shop: walls lined with Nordic-style blonde wood paneling, chocolate croissants and layer cakes in the pastry case, a customer sipping an iced matcha latte as she taps away at her laptop. But take a closer look, and you’ll see that Ramadan’s Egyptian Coffee House proudly lives up to its name. Large photographs depict the country’s past and present: a camel in front of the pyramids, the towering skyscrapers and urban sprawl of Cairo. The menu includes Middle Eastern specialties like Arabic coffee and kunafa. And perhaps most importantly, it’s open late.

“Cairo is a city that never sleeps,” says Ali Mohamed, who has been helping his cousin, cafe owner Ramadan Hussein, get things up and running. “We’re accustomed to staying up late, so personally, I’m disappointed in cafes here that close early, like at noon or the afternoon.”

Given the recent Twin Cities arrival of Yemeni chains including Qahwah House, Qamaria Yememi Coffee Co., and Haraz Coffee House, Mohamed and Hussein initially considered opening a franchise location. “But the problem with a franchise is that you have to stick to their food items, their drinks, even their music playlist,” Mohamed says. “We wanted to go the route of the Egyptian culture, which has a lot to offer.”