Afro Deli returns to Cedar-Riverside
Before Afro Deli was in downtown St. Paul, Stadium Village and the Minneapolis skyway, Abdirahman Kahin had launched his fast-casual Pan-African and Mediterranean restaurant in Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Now, "we are proud to return to our roots stronger than ever," Kahin said in a statement, with a new location about a block from the original (1810 Riverside Av., Mpls., afrodeli.com). Come for all the same favorites as the other locations: lamb gyros, chicken curry, sambusas and the iconic Somali tea.
Churn in Lyn-Lake
Side Chick, the fried chicken sandwich spot that consulted with chef Justin Sutherland on the menu, is no more. A sign posted on the building, at 3006 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., says the place has closed. When it opened last summer, Side Chick stirred up controversy over its branding, which drew criticism as being sexist. The address has seen a number of tenants in recent years, including Blue Door Pub.
Meanwhile, there's a new food establishment just up the street. Chicago's Very Own (700 W. Lake St., Mpls., chicagosveryown.org) has popcorn, cookies and "hoagy" sandwiches inspired by those from the Second City. It's currently in a soft opening phase.
Devil's Advocate is back
Downtown's gradual post-pandemic reawakening continues with the reopening of Nicollet Mall happy-hour draw Devil's Advocate (1070 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.). In the meantime, owner Erik Forsberg launched a second Devil's Advocate in Stillwater (14200 N. 60th St., Stillwater) earlier this year.
Mocha Momma's now open
The nonprofit MARCH (Mobilizing and Releasing Caring Hearts Inc.) has opened Mocha Momma's Coffee in the Minneapolis Central Library (300 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.). Minneapolis native Melanie March Leehy, a longtime community development leader, started MARCH in 1990 with ambitions to create a coffee shop to mentor urban youth. She first did that with the Dwelling in Anoka, then Bordertown Coffee in Dinkytown and now Mocha Momma's Coffee, which eventually will launch its mentorship program. Find ethically sourced coffee products, teas, local bakery items and various other breakfast and lunch options — or cater your special event. Hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.; a website and delivery options are coming soon.
Rooftop views and dinner
The Woman's Club of Minneapolis (410 Oak Grove St., Mpls., womansclub.org) has opened the sweeping vistas of its rooftop to the public for dinner. The menu includes classics like shrimp cocktail ($14) as well as burgers, pastas, sandwiches and more. Entrees top out at $28. Hours are 5:30-9 p.m. Thu.-Sat. If you're more of the daytime type, it's also open to the public for breakfast and lunch on Fridays only. Whenever you go, you'll need a reservation — call 612-813-5300 to make one.
Holiday grill kits available
Chef Gavin Kaysen's GK at Home is offering a worry-free grill kit for the July 4th holiday. Each kit serves eight and includes housemade sausages with peppers and onions (and buns), watermelon and tomato salad, white bean salad, mac and cheese, collard greens and vanilla cheesecake with roasted strawberries. Cost is $185; order at spoonandstable.com. Pickup is July 1 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Spoon and Stable, 211 N. 1st St., Mpls.
Celebrating 'The Food That Made Us'
As part of Immigrant Heritage Month, the I Stand With Immigrants initiative is bringing free food trucks to Minneapolis on June 24 at Riverside Park (2820 S. 8th St., Mpls.) from noon-6 p.m. and June 25 at the Commons (425 Portland Av. S., Mpls.) from noon-6 p.m. Called the Food That Made Us tour, the event also encourages immigrants to celebrate their heritage and share their stories with the community. Immigrant Heritage Month's traveling food truck will be on hand serving curated recipes from celebrity chefs, including Hawa Hassan and Joanne Chang; local food truck Full Belly Happy Heart will be there, too. For more information, go to thefoodthatmade.us
Like beer? Design a logo, win $5K
St. Paul Brewing (688 E. Minnehaha Av.) is on the hunt for a new logo, and looking for a local designer — and a passionate fan of both beer and St. Paul — to create a logo that reflects its personality and ties to the city. If you need a little inspiration, free brewery tours are available to interested artists. The winning designer not only gets bragging rights, but also a $5,000 prize. Find details at stpaulbrewing.com. The contest runs through July 6.
