There's a lineup of store-bought jams ladled into crystal glassware on the back bar of the new Luna & the Bear restaurant. Keep that in mind — they're going to feature heavily in this experience.
Luna & the Bear is the new restaurant inside the former Eat Street Social just off Nicollet Avenue S. in Minneapolis. The space has been given a light refresh, with an emphasis on light. What was once a den of cocktails is now a sun-dappled, all-day eatery with an upscale selection of drinks on the menu.
Light gray paint, vintage-styled new furniture and distinctive wallpaper have brightened the dining room that's still flanked by oxblood-colored booths.
Named for two beloved dogs, the restaurant has been erroneously described as dog-themed. That's not the case, but the two pooches do have a couple of majestic portraits hanging in the dining room, and the patio is dog-friendly. (Minneapolis doesn't allow dogs inside dining rooms.)
Luna & the Bear is the fifth restaurant from partners Eli Wollenzien and Deacon Eells, who also operate two Coalition restaurants (Excelsior and Minneapolis), the south Minneapolis bar Buster's and Red Sauce Rebellion in Excelsior. Here's what to know before you go — and what's with the jams.
Location: 18 W. 26th St., Mpls., 612-886-3081, lunaandthebearmn.com.
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.-Fri., and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat.-Sun., when brunch is available.
Cocktails: The bar is stocked with a beautiful selection of gins in addition to the usual liquor lineups. Guests have the option of building a cocktail ($13) with a specific gin along with a variety of savory-edged store-bought jams like a Spanish pepper jelly, a lavender-laced berry flavor and more. The varieties are displayed on the back bar for a visual show and tell before ordering.
Other drinks are versions of classics, like a spirit-forward daiquiri with pineapple guava syrup ($14) or a rye- and bourbon-spiked Old Fashioned.
For nondrinkers, there is an option to mix jam into soda water along with the usual coffee and soda selections.
The food: It's not all jam, but the condiment plays with the savory foods, as well. Onion marmalade sweetens the burrata appetizer ($18), mixed berry jam takes the edge off the pickled jalapeño poppers ($14), and pickled berry jam enlivens the endless summer salad vinaigrette ($15.50).
A selection of burgers dive into decadence with toppings like roasted pear and truffle butter and Brie ($16). The Bear sports bourbon-braised pork belly, pickled jalapeño, sweet chili aioli and cheddar cheese. We tried the Luna burger, which dips into the jam theme with a gooshy sweet onion marmalade, smoked Gouda, preserved tomato and aioli ($16).
Of course, there are menu items that are free from sweet preserves, like the chimichurri steak sandwich: sliced beef medallions on a hoagie roll with raw onion, tomato, blue cheese and a small swipe of the herb sauce ($16.50). There's also a monster of an Iowa-style pork tenderloin sandwich that looked impressive as it was paraded past.
Getting there: Parking is not for the faint of heart. There is street parking on both sides of 26th Street and a few more on Nicollet and the one-way Blaisdell Avenue, but it's not always easy to slide into a free spot. The restaurant is very close to a bus stop, though.
For accessibility, there are no stairs entering or inside of the eatery.
Acoustics: We visited on a quiet day and the volume was at a minimum.
