Downtown Mainstay St. Paul Grill Makes a Long-Awaited Comeback Next Month

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St. Paul Grill, the classic downtown steakhouse and scotch bar situated at the foot of the Saint Paul Hotel, returns from a 19-month hiatus next month. Morrissey Hospitality’s 31-year-old iconic eatery will reopen on Friday, October 8, with familiar favorites like its cream of Minnesota wild rice soup, chicken pot pie, 28-day aged New York strip, ribeye, and filet, bourbon pork chop, and seasonal apple crisp to go along with generous martini pours and an impressive library of brown spirits. The handsome restaurant wrapped in dark wood offered $100-per-person private dining experiences this spring, but the team vowed to only reboot regular service “until we were on the other side, no matter how long it took,” says Richard Dobransky, president of Morrissey Hospitality, in a statement. The 188-seat Minnesota Restaurant of the Year that overlooks Rice Park will open with limited dinner hours to start, from Wednesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the dining room and cocktail service starting an hour earlier and later (350 N. Market Street).

St. Paul Grill/official photo

Changes coming to Sea Change’s space

The Guthrie Theater also back, but its game-changing restaurant Sea Change remains dark and could be swapped out for a new neighborhood destination to serve its growing Mill District community, according to Star Tribune, citing a call for proposals for a new restaurant partner. Decade-old Sea Change has been a launch pad for chefs who have gone on to win international recognition, including French Laundry alum Donald Gonzalez and Jamie Malone, now of Grand Cafe. The chef at the former Bachelor Farmer was tapped to help target a replacement tenant. [ST]

New sugar and fried food fixes for game day

U.S. Bank Stadium added five new local vendors to fuel up Minnesota Vikings fans this season. The expanded concessions roster includes fresh options for confetti cake cookies (Love You Cookie); bacon flights that sport six flavors (Bacon Social House); chicken strips and fries (Nashville Coop); gluten-free brownies (Original Hockey Mom Brownies); and cheeseburgers and chili dogs (Parlour Bar). [MBJ]

Where to ring in lager and lederhosen season

Oktoberfest festivities continue across the Twin Cities this weekend, when Midtown Global Market teams up with Eastlake Brewery for an afternoon of German food and accordion music (October 2, noon to 4 p.m.) and a dog costume contest, KCM egg rolls, and craft beer at Barktoberfest at InBound (October 3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.). The following weekend, Twin Cities Oktoberfest at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds features fall pours from Utepils, Sociable Ciderwerks, Waconia, Castle Danger to go along with schnitzel and bratwursts.