Italian restaurants in the works for Minneapolis and Eden Prairie

When it comes to the idea of more Italian eateries in the metro, that's amore according to these restaurateurs who plan to dish up pastas and more to Twin Cities diners:

The Sonder Shaker in Minneapolis is shifting gears from fusion to casual Italian. Co-owner Erik Stadstad said that when they opened seven years ago, there weren't many places in the area doing what they were doing: craft cocktails and a mix of cuisines. But now that more places have opened with such offerings, they felt it was time to switch directions. Plus, this will be a way to lean into chef Nate Docken's Italian roots.

"We felt like this was a great time to make adjustments," Stadstad said.

Sonder Shaker, located on E. Hennepin Avenue on the same block as Nye's, will have its final day April 19 before the new Italian eatery debuts May 1, if all goes as planned. During the interim, they'll revamp the space. Details, including the name and menu, are still being ironed out. But what they do know is that they want the place to feel casual and welcoming.

"I can tell you we're going to be a little more focused on wine and beer. We'll still have lots of craft cocktails and will expand those offerings," said Stadstad, who co-owns the restaurant with Leo Mao and Cassidy Flannery. "We'll also have some hand-rolled pasta and other authentic Italian without extremely high price points. Approachable, let's put it that way."

As far as whether the popular Sonder Shaker burger will make its way onto the menu, Stadstad said that's up in the air. "We haven't done the final tweaks yet, but what I'll say is there's a good chance," he said.

When Campiello closed in Eden Prairie at the end of 2023, it left a vacancy in the immediate area for full-service Italian. Now, Kevin Champlin wants to fill the void. The chef/owner of Brazin' Public House, located on the opposite side of the parking lot where Campiello once was (it's now T.J. Hooligan's pub) at Shady Oak Center, plans to replace it with Kevin's Italian Bistro.

In 2023, Champlin took over the former Woody's Grille and opened Brazin' Public House. He closed that restaurant on March 23 and hopes to unveil Kevin's in mid-April.

"The main reason behind the change is to draw from a larger base. My sales reps at U.S. Foods have compiled demographics on how many American restaurants are in the market in [a 1- to 3-mile] radius and found that there were a ton of American restaurants and not much else," he said. "With Campiello gone, it opened the door for Italian in Eden Prairie."

Look for a menu that includes pastas, meatballs, sauces and dressing made in house. Eventually, he'll add handmade mozzarella to the mix.

Champlin will place an emphasis on locally and regionally sourced ingredients when possible, such as honey from Ames Farm in Delano, Amish chicken and prosciutto from La Quercia in Iowa, Wisconsin cheeses as well as desserts from Cheesecake Funk in Minnetonka. The drink program will include local producers such as beer from Surly, Bent Paddle, Lupulin and Castle Danger, and spirits from Vikre Distillery and Crooked Water Spirits. Champlin plans to source seafood from sustainable fish programs, too.

New downtown Minneapolis lunch spot

Two restaurant veterans have joined forces to bring casual Korean-influenced fare to the downtown Minneapolis lunch crowd. Food on the Fly is now up and running in the former Valentino Cafe on the ground floor of the Forum 900 building.

Chef/owner Samo Newman, along with sous chef Nate Stefanski, have designed a menu of sandwiches and rice bowls incorporating Korean flavors in which several dishes, such as smoked mesquite chicken or bulgogi sausage, also come with a vegan version.

Newman and Stefanski first crossed paths more than a decade ago when working at the former Haute Dish. Newman's résumé includes cooking in local kitchens such as Bulldog NE, Bar La Grassa, Haute Dish, Seward Co-op, Kim's and Union Hmong Kitchen; Stefanski at Travail, Kim's and Vinai.

When Newman decided to open his own place, he asked Stefanski to come on board. "He brought a lot of knowledge about plant-based vegan meat alternatives and has helped develop the vegan versions of the meat dishes that are on the menu," Newman said.

The restaurant at 900 2nd Av. S. is open Mon.-Fri. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (foodontheflymn.com). Eventually, they hope to offer a catering menu and sell their vegan meats around town.

Former Dulono's to become pizza, arcade place

It looks like the former Dulono's, which closed last year in the downtown Minneapolis Warehouse District (118 N. 4th St.), will become a Hometowne Pizza, a family-friendly restaurant and arcade, come early May, according to the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. Square-cut, thin-crust pizzas with a cornmeal base will star, while items such as wings, salads, beers and mocktails will also make their way onto the menu, according to the report. This is the second outpost for Hometowne Pizza after the one in Maple Grove; neither is affiliated with the restaurant in Hamel by the same name.

On the move

Brandon Hurley has been named Emery hotel's new executive chef. That includes Giulia restaurant, and he'll make additions to the menu as part of it.

As the former sous chef, he plans to continue the restaurant's Italian cuisine-centric program that includes pastas and wood-fired pizzas. In addition, Hurley, whose love for the cuisine began at an early age when growing up in an Italian neighborhood in Philadelphia, recently launched the Chef's Counter. The multicourse dinner takes diners on a culinary journey to a specific Italian region that will rotate on a regular basis. Eventually, new items will be added to the regular menu.

While Hurley is heading day-to-day operations, chef Steven Brown remains in his role as the hotel's culinary partner.

More outdoor eating fun

In last week's Counter Intelligence, we highlighted the opening dates of some of our favorite seasonal eateries. We're happy to report that a top lake destination, Painted Turtle on Lake Nokomis, has since announced when it will be back in business. Owner Dawn Uremovich said she's planning on a May 12 rollout for her beachside eatery that includes light bites, salads, sandwiches, ice cream, beer and wine.