The June Hit List: Hai Hai, Bellecour Bakery, Chip’s Clubhouse, and More

A tropical paradise awaits you at Hai Hai, chef Christina Nguyen’s second restaurant, which started winning accolades almost as soon as it opened in 2018. Sitting on the patio, a casual space accented with sparks of Caribbean blue and turquoise, you feel like you could be beachside, lychee slushie or jackfruit sangria in hand. The cocktails — masterminded by Birk Grudem, co-owner and Nguyen’s husband — are a draw in and of themselves but also play nicely with the rock-star roster of Southeast Asian dishes: salt and pepper fried tofu, Vietnamese crepes, spicy Balinese cauliflower, beef laab lettuce wraps, crispy coconut shrimp toast. For dessert, choose from two ways to get your Vietnamese coffee fix, in pot de crème form or as a post-dinner drink, mixed with vodka, coconut, and amaro.

Diane Moua’s star has been shining brightly in Twin Cities kitchens since the early 2000s, but it wasn’t until joining Gavin Kaysen’s team at Spoon and Stable in 2014 that she attained supernova status. When Kaysen’s now-shuttered Bellecour opened, she hopped over to Wayzata, taking charge of the pastry reins. Today she’s leading the charge at Bellecour Bakery, whose pair of locations sit within the two Cooks of Crocus Hill kitchen stores. It’s a brilliant combo, allowing customers to shop, then snack on some of the state’s best baked goods, including croissants both sweet and savory, Danish, gluten-free muffins and cookies, kouign-amann, and the belle of the ball, an uber-photogenic stacked crepe cake. The café also serves salads, soups, and sandwiches, as well as a full slate of coffee drinks.

Find more information here.

There are burgers, and then there are the burgers at Chip’s. Here, the latter is an exemplar of its kind, a crispy-edged, cheese-topped, mustard and garlic aioli-adorned beef patty (or two) that hangs over the bun. But there’s also the less obvious option: a mushroom patty melt to which you can add a beef patty. Co-owners Tara Coleman and Gina Mangiameli, with Tim Leary overseeing the drinks, have pulled together a little bit of this, a little bit of that (pork belly ramen, coconut shrimp, fish and chips) to create an eclectic menu that’s a winner across the board. Keep an eye on Resy and the restaurant’s socials for special events, like last month’s taco and margarita night.

More than a decade ago, Ann Kim made her mark in South Minneapolis with this artisan pizza joint, which has been recognized across the country. Since then, the James Beard award-winning chef has launched an empire, but this family-friendly spot hasn’t lost any of its charm — or popularity. The pizzas, of course, are amazing: crispy, blistered crusts topped with an artful assortment of ingredients, like pepperoni and fennel sausage; beef short ribs and arugula; or sliced potatoes, caramelized onions, and rosemary. But don’t be tempted to skip the starters and sides; you won’t regret anything on the specials menu, or the plump Italian meatballs. Each Monday, there’s an off-the-menu pizza, frequently tied to the season. To help you plan your visits, the selections for the month are listed on the website.

Call 612-424-8338 for reservations.

If you need a reason to road trip along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi, this seasonal enterprise about an hour out of town doesn’t make a bad goal. The two pedigreed chef-owners, Carrie Summer and Lisa Carlson, amassed quite a following with their food truck before going brick-and-mortar across the border, opening this weekend-only, fine-dining restaurant. On Fridays and Saturdays, reserve a seat for the seasonal Parisian-inspired prix-fixe menu or the Tequila/mezcal tasting. Or stake a claim at the bar, where you can enjoy unique drinks and casual fare. If brunch is more your thing, stop in on Sunday mornings for counter service at the bar or grab-and-go items from the truck out front. On June 19, a Father’s Day celebration will be in full swing, with personal-sized pizzas, cocktails, wine, and dessert.

Call 715-594-3060 or email chefshack1@gmail.com for reservations.

Imagine a dish so sublime, so indelible, it stays on your mind months, even years, after tasting it. For many fans of this North Loop Italian spot, that dish is the soft eggs and lobster, served over slices of toasted bread. The creamy eggs cooked in the French style, the chunks of seafood, the tiny bits of chive garnish — all ensure that a riot would break out were it to be taken off the menu. If that dish were all that made this restaurant from husband-and-wife team Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre great, it’d be enough. But the homemade pastas, bubbly ambiance, and friendly and attentive service ensure its place on Twin Cities best-of lists.

Open and airy, with light wood accents and giant bamboo light fixtures, the dining room at this South Minneapolis stunner is vying for the best-dressed award. And now, with the arrival of warmer weather, you can opt for a seat on the patio. Or, even better, reserve the patio lounge, a greenery-enhanced oasis with couches, poufs, and hand-woven pillows, the ideal spot for sipping one of the gorgeous cocktails. The Flora and Fauna, a lightly fruity Tequila drink, arrives in a glass decorated with a swipe of real flowers, a true head-turner. Highlights from the menu, focused on Southeast Asian fare, include duck fried rice, the confit poultry rich and silky; a massaman curry filled with chunks of tender beef short rib; and tempura fried wings, redolent with basil and spices. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch owner Ann Ahmed in the kitchen (look for the topknot), orchestrating the evening.

Call 612-345-5199 for reservations.

Since opening 35 years ago, Rainbow Chinese has become an institution on Eat Street, as has its chef and owner, Tammy Wong. Not only can you find her in the kitchen, but she’s a regular fixture at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, where she sells snacks and drinks (cool down with a Communist Revolution, if it’s available: iced coffee with coconut milk and cane sugar). The restaurant has been take-out only since the pandemic started, but that hasn’t limited the size of the menu. You’ll find the same pan-fried noodles, wok-seared mains, noodle soups, egg rolls, and handmade dumplings, including Szechuan wontons, which the Star Tribune recently named as one of its iconic dishes in the Twin Cities.

Find more information here.

Similar to Tammy Wong from Rainbow Chinese, Lynn Gordan has been a force in the Twin Cities food scene since the mid-’80s, when she opened a bakery focusing on organic, yeast-free bread. This café followed in the early 1990s and has been the go-to for diners interested in natural, local, and organic fare. Service runs from breakfast through lunch and dinner — think soups and salads, sandwiches, and entrees like chicken piccata, pan-seared salmon, and blackened tempeh tacos. (The menu calls out which items are vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free.) You’ll also find a packed pastry and dessert case, coffee offerings, and a full beer, wine, and cocktail program.

Classic Thai dishes get a lot of love, and a bit of contemporary flair, at this restaurant helmed by Nuntanit Charoensit. A native of Bangkok, she purchased the space with the goal of serving the foods she and her husband, co-owner Kong Tiyawat, grew up with. That means hot and sour soup, plenty of curries (including a spicy “jungle curry” filled with a medley of vegetables and herbs), a green papaya salad, fresh spring rolls, entrees such as Thai basil stir-fry or crispy pork belly with broccoli and bean sauce, and a bevy of noodle and rice dishes. Its location just down from the Guthrie Theater makes it a prime pick when you’re headed to a show.