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The Eater MPLS Heatmap: Where to Eat Right Now

Get out there and eat.

by Joy Summers
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by Joy Summers

Restaurant obsessives want to know what's new, what's hot, which favorite chef just launched a sophomore effort, etc., and more often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What is the "it" (ie, newest) place of the moment?

Thus, we offer the Eater Heatmap, which will change often to continually highlight where the food-focused crowds are flocking to at this very second. This time around, please welcome new spots Le Town Talk Diner & Drinkery, The Workshop at Union and welcome back Corner Table. Did we miss your personal favorite hot, new restaurant? By all means, let us know in the comments or email the tipline.

12/4: Added: Spoon and Stable, Red Wagon Pizza, Dong Hae Grill and Sushi, Nye's Polonaise

11/6: Added: Paddy Shack at Half Time Rec and Saguaro

10/2: Added Le Town Talk Diner & Drinkery and The Workshop at Union

9/4/14: Added Foreign Legion, Haute Dish, Libertine, The Strip Club Meat & Fish, The Third Bird

8/7/14: Added Lyn 65, Bogart Doughnut Co., Public Kitchen + Bar, Agra Culture Kitchen, CoV

7/3/14: Added Tiny Diner, Dong Hae Korean Grill & Sushi, Little Szechuan St. Paul, Tongue in Cheek, 65Smith

6/5/14: Added Hola Arepa, The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen, Lago Taco, Agra Culture Kitchen & Press, Hot Indian Foods, the newly renovated Birchwood, and the new location of Corner Table

5/1/14: Added Heyday, Brasserie Zentral, and Cook St. Paul

4/3/14: Added Hen House Eatery and BoneYard

3/6/14: Added La Fresca, Kyatchi, and the Birchwood pop-up at Verdant Tea

2/6/14: Added Day Block Brewing, Relevé Champagne Lounge, Coup d'Etat, Travail, and The Rookery

1/2/14: Added Sonora Grill, Chef Shack Ranch, The Freehouse, and Hammer & Sickle

12/5/13: Added The Mill NE, Lake & Irving, and DiNoko's Bar Zia

11/7/13: Added The Rabbit Hole, Honey & Rye Bakehouse, and Umami Dim Sum

10/3/13: Added Seventh Street Social, Eat Street Buddha Kitchen, and Union Fish Market

9/5/13: Added Umami by Travail

8/1/13: Added: Ideal Diner, Town Hall Lanes

7/11/13: Added: Verdant Tea Tasting Room, The Buttered Tin, Terzo Vino Bar, Sandcastle

6/16/13: Added: Pig Ate My Pizza, Smoke in the Pit

5/2/13: Added: Potter's Pasties, Daily Diner Frogtown

4/4/13: Added: Spill the Wine, Origami Uptown, The Sample Room

3/7/13: Added: Rincón 38, Smack Shack, Burch Steak & Pizza Bar, One Two Three Sushi

2/7/13: Added: Parka, Blue Door Longfellow

1/3/13: Added: Borough, Parlour

12/6/12: Added: World Street Kitchen, Union

11/15/12: Debuted: The Lynn on Bryant, The Left Handed Cook, Fika, Icehouse, The Gray House, Nightingale, The Kenwood, Café Maude at Loring, New Bohemia

· All Heatmap Coverage [-EMSP-]

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Spoon and Stable

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Undoubtedly, 2014 will be remembered as the year of Gavin Kaysen. Although his restaurant has only been open for a matter of weeks, Spoon and Stable has been the talk of the town since Eater announced the super star chef would walk away from New York City and open his own restaurant in our humble little City of Lakes. All food fan conversations of late begin with, "Have you been? I'm going next week/last week/tomorrow/my birthday..." It's about as much a frenzy as we steady Minnesotans can handle. The only way to get us more excited, is to make mention of "grape salad." [Photo by Katie Cannon]
211 1st Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.224.9850
612.224.9850

Also featured in:

Red Wagon Pizza Company

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Nothing cures the cold of the season like curling up by a roaring fire. Out at the edge of Minneapolis and Edina, there is a new fire burning - a wood-fire oven is drawing in pizza fans from all over. Red Wagon Pizza began by serving these crusty pies from a food truck at farmer's markets. Their commitment to caring about the ingredients and the care that is poured into their chewy, crisp crust remains, but the digs are much more comfortable than trying to eat amongst the farmer's stalls.
5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 259-7147
(612) 259-7147

Also featured in:

Dong Hae Korean Grill & Sushi

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The Korean specialties of Dong Hae are no longer only available on Central Avenue. The new downtown restaurant that's taken over the former Nami location on First Avenue. Bibimbap and kimchi pancakes have arrived in downtown Minneapolis along with the strange friend of sushi. [Photo courtesy Dong Hae Facebook]
251 1st Ave N Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Half Time Rec

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Bar food warms the bones and fortifies the soul for the long, cold winter. Jack Riebel's takeover of the newly built kitchen inside the Half Time Rec bar has been a welcome addition to the St. Paul Bar landscape. Traditional Irish dishes are remade as only this chef could. That the drink prices at this belovedly warn in bar remain in the bargain range, this is the perfect recipe for a long night of food and fun with friends.
1013 Front Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103
(651) 488-8245
(651) 488-8245

Brasserie Zentral

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As Eater's national critic Bill Addison discovered while he was in town, Brasserie Zentral boasts many dishes for different moods. Feeling forlorn? The speck spaghetti is the ultimate comfort. Optimistic? Hit that sumptuously crusted schnitzel with a spritz of lemon and know the sun will shine even brighter tomorrow. On the run? Just tuck into the cabbage and duck confit salad that will only take a couple of minutes to devour. Months after opening, this place remains a hot reservation to get.
505 Marquette Ave A, Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 333-0505
(612) 333-0505

Nye's Polonaise

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We're sad to see the old spot go. Thankfully, we have plenty of time to toast this Polish slice of living history before they close the doors next year (when it will most likely be razed for a skyrise apartment people.) Order a plate of pierogi's, an extra dirty martini and pick out a song to sing at the piano while there is still time. [Photo courtesy Nye's Facebook]
112 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 379-2021
(612) 379-2021

Also featured in:

Heyday

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From year end accollades to the annoucement that front of house man and partner Lorin Zinter is exiting the restaurant, we can't stop talking about Heyday. Luckily, with seasonally cozy cocktails and the spectacular and creative dishes from Jim Christiansen, diners are still buzzing about this Lyn/Lake spot. [Photo by Joy Summers]
2700 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 200-9369
(612) 200-9369

Corner Table

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When other chefs around town are asked where they are eating, the answer seems to always be: Corner Table. On any given weeknight you might find Ann Kim, Gavin Kaysen or Zen Box Izakaya's John Ng at the counter enthusiastically digging into the culinary delights of chef and co-owner Thomas Boemer. [Photo by Joy Summers]
4537 Nicollet, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 823-0011
(612) 823-0011

Also featured in:

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Spoon and Stable

211 1st Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Undoubtedly, 2014 will be remembered as the year of Gavin Kaysen. Although his restaurant has only been open for a matter of weeks, Spoon and Stable has been the talk of the town since Eater announced the super star chef would walk away from New York City and open his own restaurant in our humble little City of Lakes. All food fan conversations of late begin with, "Have you been? I'm going next week/last week/tomorrow/my birthday..." It's about as much a frenzy as we steady Minnesotans can handle. The only way to get us more excited, is to make mention of "grape salad." [Photo by Katie Cannon]
211 1st Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.224.9850
612.224.9850

Red Wagon Pizza Company

5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Nothing cures the cold of the season like curling up by a roaring fire. Out at the edge of Minneapolis and Edina, there is a new fire burning - a wood-fire oven is drawing in pizza fans from all over. Red Wagon Pizza began by serving these crusty pies from a food truck at farmer's markets. Their commitment to caring about the ingredients and the care that is poured into their chewy, crisp crust remains, but the digs are much more comfortable than trying to eat amongst the farmer's stalls.
5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 259-7147
(612) 259-7147

Dong Hae Korean Grill & Sushi

251 1st Ave N Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55401
The Korean specialties of Dong Hae are no longer only available on Central Avenue. The new downtown restaurant that's taken over the former Nami location on First Avenue. Bibimbap and kimchi pancakes have arrived in downtown Minneapolis along with the strange friend of sushi. [Photo courtesy Dong Hae Facebook]
251 1st Ave N Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Half Time Rec

1013 Front Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103
Bar food warms the bones and fortifies the soul for the long, cold winter. Jack Riebel's takeover of the newly built kitchen inside the Half Time Rec bar has been a welcome addition to the St. Paul Bar landscape. Traditional Irish dishes are remade as only this chef could. That the drink prices at this belovedly warn in bar remain in the bargain range, this is the perfect recipe for a long night of food and fun with friends.
1013 Front Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103
(651) 488-8245
(651) 488-8245

Brasserie Zentral

505 Marquette Ave A, Minneapolis, MN 55402
As Eater's national critic Bill Addison discovered while he was in town, Brasserie Zentral boasts many dishes for different moods. Feeling forlorn? The speck spaghetti is the ultimate comfort. Optimistic? Hit that sumptuously crusted schnitzel with a spritz of lemon and know the sun will shine even brighter tomorrow. On the run? Just tuck into the cabbage and duck confit salad that will only take a couple of minutes to devour. Months after opening, this place remains a hot reservation to get.
505 Marquette Ave A, Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 333-0505
(612) 333-0505

Nye's Polonaise

112 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
We're sad to see the old spot go. Thankfully, we have plenty of time to toast this Polish slice of living history before they close the doors next year (when it will most likely be razed for a skyrise apartment people.) Order a plate of pierogi's, an extra dirty martini and pick out a song to sing at the piano while there is still time. [Photo courtesy Nye's Facebook]
112 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 379-2021
(612) 379-2021

Heyday

2700 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
From year end accollades to the annoucement that front of house man and partner Lorin Zinter is exiting the restaurant, we can't stop talking about Heyday. Luckily, with seasonally cozy cocktails and the spectacular and creative dishes from Jim Christiansen, diners are still buzzing about this Lyn/Lake spot. [Photo by Joy Summers]
2700 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 200-9369
(612) 200-9369

Corner Table

4537 Nicollet, Minneapolis, MN 55419
When other chefs around town are asked where they are eating, the answer seems to always be: Corner Table. On any given weeknight you might find Ann Kim, Gavin Kaysen or Zen Box Izakaya's John Ng at the counter enthusiastically digging into the culinary delights of chef and co-owner Thomas Boemer. [Photo by Joy Summers]
4537 Nicollet, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 823-0011
(612) 823-0011

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