The January Hit List: Mr. Paul’s Supper Club, Churchill St., Heather’s, and More

Mr. Paul’s started laissez-ing les bons temps rouler in early December, and ever since, scoring a reservation without planning weeks in advance has been like winning the lottery. They’re obviously filling a niche that the Twin Cities has been missing. Warning to those for whom the words “supper club” conjure up images of a Northwoods Wisconsin restaurant: This is not that. Rather, it’s a New Orleans cuisine-inspired experience, where the emphasis is on steak, seafood, and Creole classics. The atmosphere is festive — this is a place that wants you to celebrate — with attention-grabbing overhead lighting and a slightly tropical feel from all the greenery. The mixed drink selections are a treat, a combo of NOLA classics and more modern options, like the pecan gimlet, Creole slush, and the Cardinal Cocktail, a seasonal sipper of sparkling wine, red wine syrup, and mulling spices. Stop by at lunchtime, when a bevy of creative po’boys are available in the attached sandwich shop.

After years living in a city with a dearth of non-chain restaurants, Carly Gatzlaff decided to be the changemaker. She called on a top-notch duo — chef Johnathan Gans and Josh Hoyt, both former Bachelor Farmer pros — to bring the concept of a community-focused space to life in an old hardware store. The result is this airy, welcoming, no-reservations dining room that serves breakfast and lunch. (Rumor has it that dinner service may launch soon.) Many of the ingredients are sourced from local purveyors, and the food is deliciously uncomplicated: citrus-marinated avocado served on a slab of seeded bread from Baker’s Field Flour & Bread, a thick Wisconsin cheddar fondue paired with apple and focaccia dippers, slices of caramelized honeynut squash with honey-soaked cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds. And for a spot that currently closes at 2 p.m., the beverage list is delightfully long, with a nice selection of cocktails (with and sans alcohol), wine, beer, and cider.

No reservations. For more information: churchillst.com

Following in the footsteps of drinks-loving Minnesotans across the decades, local distillery Tattersall has jumped the eastern border to find respite from the state’s sometimes arcane liquor laws. In this case, it’s to enjoy producing as much product as they can (no caps in Wisconsin!) while serving cocktails to guests on the premises. And what premises they are: More than 75,000 square feet containing a grain-milling room (Tattersall sources from local farmers), an outdoor amphitheater, a private barrel room and other events spaces, a classroom, a patio, a store, and a restaurant and bar — where the beverage list shows off the distillery’s numerous spirits and includes nods to the area, like the cucumber vodka-based Kinni 75 (named for a nearby river) and the brandy old fashioned sweet (wouldn’t be a Wisconsin bar without one).

When a past winner of Cochon555, a culinary competition feting the head-to-tail goodness that is pig, opens a restaurant, you might expect meat to play an important role. And while you wouldn’t be totally wrong — chef-owner Karyn Tomlinson does her own whole-animal butchery on site — there’s so much more to the experience. In her and her team’s deft hands, seasonal vegetables become the best versions of themselves. Fruit lounges in a flaky crust for some of the area’s top pies. A simple swipe of butter on bread becomes a memorable moment. The same attention that’s lavished on the ingredients surrounds the guests as well, thanks to Tomlinson’s hospitality-first attitude. And while the ever-changing, $135 tasting menu may be a bit steep for many, it offers a return on investment for the community: Tomlinson culls much of the restaurant’s foodstuffs from sustainable Minnesota farms.

Call 651-340-3568 for reservations.

Having spent almost a decade as the general manager for the now-closed Lucia’s, Heather Asbury knows how to create a place that fits right into the neighborhood. Her solo venture took her to South Minneapolis and a long-empty storefront at 52^nd and Chicago, where she and architect Aaron Wittkamper worked magic to create this all-day café that caters to families just as much as it does to lunching coworkers, couples seeking a casual night out, or friends catching up over brunch. In addition to an ample menu of breakfast dishes, crepes, salads, soups, sandwiches, and heartier mains, Heather’s is stocked with take-away deli items like egg salad, mashed potatoes, and guacamole. From 2 to 5 p.m. daily, take advantage of happy hour pricing on appetizers, wine, and draft beer.

If restaurant awards were given for “best reuse of space,” this St. Paul charmer would be a shoo-in for a top prize. The brewpub/dining room/coffee bar is built out of a former fire station that dates back to 1885. The giant paned glass doors that used to open for the arrivals and departures of the fire trucks now offer an indoor/outdoor experience during nice weather. Even though that might not be now, the interior, with its rustic red-brick walls, café tables, and high ceilings, is a light-filled destination for a winter’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the morning, Marc Heu pastries are available alongside mainstays like quiche and biscuits and gravy. Lunch and dinner bring a slate of shareables (fries, mussels, baked Camembert), sandwiches, burgers (a doozy of a double-decker), and entrees. Oh, and drinks — don’t forget those, especially the A-Side-Car: a seasonally pitch-perfect blend of Cognac, Tattersall orange crema, maple syrup, and lemon juice.

If you’re not aware that the Twin Cities has a mezcal tasting room, you’re not alone. Escondido popped up rather quietly last year, taking over what had a been an unused private dining room. And it’s been humming under the radar since then, mostly due to its small size and, until recently, reservations-only policy. The experience is the baby of Todd Mulhair, agave master at Popol Vuh, now Vivir/Centro. He honed his spirits know-how through annual visits to Mexico, during which he traveled the country exploring producers and learning about distilling techniques. He shares his wealth of knowledge Wednesday through Friday evenings with groups who book a two-hour tasting — and, since November, with anyone dropping into the lounge on Saturday nights, which is open for walk-ins. Bonus: You can order items from Vivir and Centro to snack on while wending your way through your flight.

More information here.

The award-winning margaritas have always been a big draw at Tinto — especially during their daily happy hour (3-6 p.m.), when you can nab one for $6. There are also specials on beer, wine, and a selection of nibbles. The food is all about the Latin flavors that are a passion for owner Rebecca Illingworth Penichot, who was born in Mexico City. It’s ideal comfort food for winter: about six different tacos, a hearty red mole pozole, chilaquiles, lomo saltado (marinated flank steak), pernil (braised pork shoulder), and more. Definitely don’t skip past the botanas, aka snacks or appetizers. The ropa vieja — slices of sweet plantain topped with chipotle-braised beef, queso fresco, a spicy aioli, pickled onion, and cilantro — is an addictive blend of savory and sweet, with a touch of heat. Like what you tried? Pop into the mercado next door and pick up some of the homemade tortillas, hot sauce, chips, and salsa, as well as meals you can heat up at home.

The pandemic dealt a big blow to a lot of downtown businesses, including this crafter of sweet treats located above Hell’s Kitchen. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending: Angel Food moved into the rejuvenated Texa-Tonka Shopping Center in September. Everything fans loved about the original is still there: the must-eat-one-now cupcakes, the eggy crullers, the chunky scones, the letter-shaped doughnuts (order in advance), and a variety of other doughnuts in fun flavors. But they’ve expanded, offering even more goodies and installing a java bar that uses beans from a fellow St. Louis Park denizen, Folly Coffee. Heads up: If you’re coming for the Dough-Naparts, croissant-doughnut mash-ups, come early; they sell out quickly.

This year, the Broder family is marking a huge milestone: 40 years of being the area’s go-to destination for Italian food, including made-in-house pastas, sauces, meats, cheeses, pizza, lasagna, and other prepared foods. They started with a café and market, then 12 years later added this pasta bar across the street. After all those years, it’s still a hot spot, pulling in those looking to dive into one of more than 20 risottos or noodle dishes, such as squash-stuffed ravioli in a sage butter sauce, rigatoni with hot sausage, pappardelle with lamb and eggplant, or penne puttanesca. Wine offerings take you on a tour of Italy, stopping in regions such as Veneto, Sicily, Piedmont, Friuli, and Tuscany. And while you might think you’re too full for dessert, we challenge you to say no to one of the three-bite cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles.