Alex Roberts Drops Details on Cafe Alma and the Hotel Going In Above It

It's been over a year since we first heard about James Beard Award winning chef Alex Roberts' plans to take-over the former coffee shop space next to his essential Minneapolis Restaurant Alma. In today's Star Tribune critic Rick Nelson has an extensive conversation with Roberts about the upcoming project (and his other restaurants, Brasa.) Here's the Cliffsnotes version of all the juicy details he spilled:

• Construction really and truly, most probably will begin in April. That gives us a Mid-October projected opening.
• The cocktail zoning for the space has been changed: that means full bar. Fancy cocktails will be on the menu.
• The cafe will be serving brunch and dinner daily. Full service will be available at the tables. There will be a bar for laptops and working/studying, plus pastries for grab and go.
• The kitchen is carefully considering bakery ingredients, right down to the flour. Roberts has really studying the basics of flour and the impact of sourcing the grains, milling it with the goal of putting the wholesome qualities back into bread.
• The very few hotel rooms above the restaurant will be designed to feel more like a cozy room to let than a faceless/nameless corporate locale.
• Restaurant Alma is not being left out. The restaurant will close briefly (at an undetermined date) for a little refresh. That means no more duct work looking like Super Mario Bros are going to run through at any give moment.

• A Conversation with Alex Roberts Part 1, Part 2 [STRIB]
• All Cafe Alma Coverage [EMPLS]