When W.A. Frost & Co. (374 Selby Av., St. Paul, 651-224-5715, wafrost.com) reopens on April 22, there will be a new chef, new menu and new decor.
Executive chef Peter Drinan came to St. Paul by way of Brooklyn and Buenos Aires, where he founded several restaurants.
"We came for Christmas and decided to stay," he said. "Even amid a pandemic, there's so much to love about the Twin Cities — and in particular, the food scene here."
Drinan has created a new menu, but said he's kept some of the traditional favorites.
The restaurant, which has added large windows and more open spaces, will reopen in phases, starting with dinner and bar service Tuesdays through Saturdays. Weekend brunch starts May 8, and lunch and daily service begins June 1.
Frank's Levee Tavern is now open on the second floor of Cossetta (211 W. 7th St., St. Paul, 651-222-3476, cossettas.com). The casual bar features Italian street food and pub fare, including meatballs, a porchetta sandwich, wings and focaccia, along with a full menu of craft cocktails, wine and beer. Cossetta's says the name is a nod to patriarch Frank Cossetta and to the old days of visiting taverns "on the Levee," which was considered St. Paul's Little Italy. Frank's is open Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m.
Josefina (739 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-208-9568, josefinawayzata.com), chef Daniel del Prado's pizza- and pasta-focused newcomer, will debut its dining room on April 14, serving dinner daily. Until then, takeout is available.
Last week, Tullibee (300 N. Washington Av., Mpls., 612-468-0600, hewing hotel.com), the first-floor restaurant at the Hewing Hotel, served its first dinner in more than a year. Chef Nyle Flynn is starting slowly, with dinner service on Friday and Saturday (5 to 11 p.m.) and breakfast and lunch service is coming soon.
At Petite León (3800 S. Nicollet Av., Mpls., 612-208-1247, petiteleonmpls.com), chef Jorge Guzmán will offer dinner in his dining room for the first time since the restaurant opened in November. Dinner service will start April 9 and follow a Wednesday through Saturday schedule. Takeout continues to be available Wednesday through Sunday.
Barrio (235 E. 6th St., St. Paul, 651-222-3250, barriotequila.com) reopens on April 8 and will operate Tuesday through Sunday.
Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre's three restaurants — closed since the start of the pandemic — will reopen this month for takeout. Bar La Grassa (800 N. Washington Av., Mpls., 612-333-3837, barlagrassa.com) will open April 21, Snack Bar (800 N. Washington Av., Mpls., 612-383-2848, snackbarmpls.com) will open April 28 and 112 Eatery (112 N. 3rd St., Mpls., 612-343-7696, 112eatery.com) will open April 29. All will serve dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
Also returning: Meritage (410 St. Peter St., St. Paul, 651-222-5670, meritage-stpaul.com), where co-owners Russell and Desta Klein are opening their dining room and sidewalk cafe for dinner, Thursday through Sunday, starting April 29.
Open season
Seasonal restaurants are also emerging from their winter slumber.
Sea Salt Eatery (4825 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., seasaltmpls.com) opens in its Minnehaha Park home on April 16.
Clays Galaxy Drive In (3712 Quebec Av. S., St. Louis Park, 952-277-7777, claysgalaxy.com) opens April 16.
For day-trippers, the Harbor View Cafe (314 1st St., Pepin, Wis., 1-715-442-3893, harborviewpepin.com) is serving lunch and dinner Friday through Sunday. Thursday lunch and dinner starts on April 29.
And owners Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer are opening their Chef Shack Bay City (W6379 Main St., Bay City, Wis., chefshackbaycity.com) April 23, serving a multicourse dinner Friday and Saturday evenings in the dining room and operating their food truck on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
