Clancey’s Is Bringing a Revamped Menu to the Former Grand Cafe Space

It was big news last February when Axios Twin Cities reported that Kristen Tombers, owner of Linden Hills butchery and sandwich shop Clancey’s Meats & Fish, had bought the former Grand Cafe in Minneapolis’s Kingfield neighborhood. But details at the time were scarce, other than that a remodeling permit for the 1926 building referred to Tombers’ business as “Clancey’s Restaurant” — which seemed to suggest that Clancey’s might expand beyond its classic sandwiches, soups, and deli meats.

Today, October 25, Clancey’s announced it will open at its new Grand Avenue location on November 1, and indeed with a bigger menu. In the morning, Clancey’s will serve breakfast sandwiches, coffee, to-go snacks and small dishes, and desserts — an evening dinner menu will feature rotating hot entrees, plus new stews and soups. Alongside Clancey’s classic sandwiches and meats, expect new plant-based dishes. There’s a plan to add beer and wine, too: Customers can linger with food and drink in the dine-in seating area, something the old Clancey’s could never squeeze into its small footprint. The original Upton Avenue location will close today.

Clancey’s has big shoes to fill in the former Grand Cafe space: Dan and Mary Hunter opened the first iteration of the Grand Cafe, a cozy neighborhood spot rooted in rustic French cuisine, in 2006. In 2017, chefs Jamie Malone and Erik Anderson stepped into the space and reimagined it as a vintage Parisian bistro — Malone earned two James Beard nominations for her work at the restaurant, before stepping away in 2020 to focus on Paris Dining Club, her meal kit service. Clancey’s plans to honor the building’s long history in the neighborhood. “We want to continue the legacy of all the years that 3804 Grand was a gathering place,” Tombers said in a press release. “We’ve kept the original flooring, gorgeous high ceiling, and even some of the dishes that Dan and Mary Hunter might’ve shared with us.”

Clancey’s Meats & Fish

Miss Pie & Mighty? Grab a slice at the Lexington starting next month

Pie & Mighty was a south Minneapolis favorite for luscious pies — from lemon raspberry icebox to coconut cream — before it closed its Chicago Avenue shop in July of this year. But good news: Co-owner Rachel Swan has teamed up with the Lexington to bring her pies back onto the local dining scene. Starting this November, find seasonal pies served by the slice on the Lexington’s dinner dessert menu. (Note that the Lexington is reintroducing dinner service on Mondays and Tuesdays starting November 7.) Keep an eye on Instagram for updates on exactly when pie will appear on the menu — Pie & Mighty also has a newsletter on its website.

Details emerge on Vincent Francoual’s new restaurant

The Pioneer Press reports that Vincent Francoual’s upcoming Twin Cities restaurant — which was first reported on by Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal in August — will be named Chloe by Vincent, after Francoual’s daughter. The restaurant has found a home in the Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District hotel on Third Street, not far from the Guthrie Theater. Chloe by Vincent’s website promises “a casual French restaurant that serves the food French families relish” and “shareable dishes served in an unstructured, no-stuffy-rules attitude.” Look for an early December opening.