After more than a decade of pushing the envelope on cocktails, serving up a variety of modern comforts and creating a hospitable atmosphere that enticed locals to become regulars, Eat Street Social has announced it will close March 18.
Opened in 2012 by Joe Wagner and Sam Bonin, Eat Street Social (18 W. 26th St., Mpls., eatstreetsocial.com) quickly became one of the hottest restaurants in town, drawing on a deep well of bar and kitchen talent. This was the duo's second restaurant. Their first, Northeast Social, is still a thriving corner bistro. But in its early days, what Northeast Social didn't have (thanks in part to a changing of Minneapolis' liquor laws) was a bar. The Eat Street location changed that in a major way.
Eat Street Social's cocktail program was designed and manned at the time by Bittercube, a bitters-turned-consulting company led by Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz. Kosevich could often be found behind the bar, holding court or educating visitors about the ins and outs of each beverage on the menu. Sushi coolers were brought in to keep the garnishes fresh, which was revolutionary at the time.
This bar program was part of a new wave of drink culture that would propel Minneapolis into a new era of pre-Prohibition-style drinks and helped, shaping our top-shelf drinking culture.
Eat Street Social was more than just great cocktails. In addition to a special events room, soda fountain and an evolving food menu, a welcoming patio launched not long after opening.
Final service will be March 18. As they said in the parting social media message, "We're going to miss it all when it's gone."
