Get Your Board and Bowling Games Set

Punch Bowl Social, West End

Private karaoke rooms, boutique bowling, old-school arcade games, board games and a diner menu designed by Hugh Acheson are slated to open in the Shops at West End in November. The company already has seven Punch Bowl Social locations opened nationally. The giant room will have tons of ways to entertain including shuffleboard (both table top and floor) foosball and more. They’re calling the 8 bowling lanes “boutique” bowling, since it’s a smaller scale. All the food is scratch made from recipes from Top Chef star judge and James Beard Award winning chef Hugh Acheson. The “Southern oriented” diner fare has such trendy dishes as a nitrate-free, sustainably raised bologna salad with green olive tapenade and “superfood” grain bowls and a Waygu cube steak with mushroom gravy and a side of kale.

Beverages will all lean heavily on the craft terminology, both in spirits and beer.

The room is 24,000 square feet, so that is a lot of seats. If you’re looking for strictly eating, the diner area will seat 150 seats, but the full menu all over the facility.

The Grand Opening party is scheduled for November 12.

The Creamery Cafe

Co-op Creamery is ready to make a comeback as The Creamery Cafe. Seward Co-op, that owns the nearby restaurant has hired Katie Nielson, previously of Sea Change and The Third Bird as the new executive chef and Tim Johnson, formerly of Haute Dish, as the manager.

The new menu will have vegetarian selections and ethically sourced meat options, like a rotating burger. Plus, there will be several grab and go options.

The cafe reopens on September 12.

Herbie’s on the Park

The new sports bar inspired by hockey legend Herb Brooks is just about ready to open. They’re calling it a social house and will open inside the Minnesota Club building at 317 Washington Street right by Rice Park in St. Paul.

Expert general manager Aaron Johnson, who was part of the all-star team who opened The Strip Club, will oversee the front of house and chef Tim Kovacs of the Marquette Hotel and Basil’s Restaurant will run the kitchen.

The restaurant will serve tavern fare for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The bar has a stellar cocktail line up planned along with carefully selected craft beer taps and a thorough wine list.

Herbie’s on the Park will open September 24.

J. Selby’s

Food is fuel and there’s no question that the better fuel you put in these meat sacks we’re operating, the better they run. That’s the conclusion that doctor behind the new plant-fueled restaurant taking shape on the corner of Selby and Victoria in St. Paul. (It’s adjacent to the old Lee & Dee’s spot where Tori Ramen will soon open.) This is Matt Clayton’s first foray into the restaurant world, but he has faith that there’s a derth of great eateries catering to vegans. He’s brought in chef Rick Berdahl to run the kitchen. So far, Facebook preview dishes include quesadillas with vegan cheese served alongside tater tots, beer battered tofu and zucchini fritters.

Our first impression is that this looks like a lot of fried stuff, actually. Hopefully, huge salads and fresh produce are on the way, too.

Look for an opening some time in November.