The September Hit List: All Saints, Martina, Bricksworth Beer Co., and More

Since the restaurant opened its doors in late 2021, the All Saints culinary team has built a reputation as vegetable whisperers, bringing out the best nuances of the seasonal produce that passes through the kitchen. Take the green tomato salad, a beautiful homage to summer with plums, goat cheese, and pistachio butter. Or the salt and pepper oyster mushrooms, which are lightly tempura battered, fried, and paired with a scallion dip. Or the charred cucumbers laid on a bed of whipped ricotta, then topped with chilis and crispy garlic. While vegetables may rule here, meat and seafood aren’t afterthoughts, and you’ll find contemporary approaches to short ribs, pork chops, duck confit, and chicken. The place can get busy, so make sure to have a reservation in hand, especially on the weekends.

Eight years after closing the beloved Modern Cafe, known for its contemporary takes on meat-and-potato dishes, owners Jim and Patty Grell are back. This time, they’re focusing on the drinks side of things, with “just enough snacks” added on. That means wine, a selection big enough that you’ll find something interesting but won’t feel overwhelmed — and most are available by the glass or bottle. While the majority hail from France or Italy, you’ll find picks from Argentina, New Zealand, and the U.S. popping up here and there. (Deal alert: All bottles are 25% off on Wednesdays.)

It also means beer and cocktails, like the intriguing Apricot old fashioned or punny Fauxca Cola (rum, amaro liqueur, and cherry). Those snacks? They lean into the comfort food legacy: a sloppy joe, a pimento cheese sandwich, grilled bread — made using the goods from next-door neighbor Aki’s BreadHaus.

More info here.

Come for the empanadas (or cinnamon-speckled calamari, or charred Brussels sprout salad, or [insert any appetizer here FTW]), stay for the impressive selection of pastas and largely wood-fired mains — and come back on the weekends for brunch. There’s no such thing as too much Martina. The space is all about blending a light industrial feel with rustic chicness (just look up at those shiny silver ceiling pipes peeking through woven wooden slats) that works just as well for special celebrations as it does a casual night out.

Moreover, the open kitchen lets you watch the crew do their nightly dance, sending out plates and platters of waiting-for-its-closeup food. (The savory churros you see all over your feed? They’re made from potatoes and served with ketchup and spicy mayo.) The bar gives the kitchen a run for its money in the “look at what I can” do department, shaking and stirring up colorful drinks bedecked with flowers and greens and dehydrated fruit slices — which taste even better than they look.

Fans of the colorful containers of Baba’s hummus stocked in grocery fridges around the Twin Cities (and Midwest) will be happy to learn the brother-and-sister-owned brand has just opened up a casual restaurant with a super cute vibe. Giant windows overlook Lyndale Avenue, adding even more light to the already bright dining room. A vibrant pastel wave mural runs throughout the space, and rattan bell pendant lights dangle over a variety of seating options — stools at the coffee bar, a few couches, two- and four-tops.

There’s also a side room with a banquette and counter seating looking out at the patio. The hummus bowls (the truffle + mushroom combo has been a big hit) come with the irresistible pita puffs for sweeping up all the goodness. (You can purchase some from the small market on your way out.) There are also coal-fired flatbreads and falafel. Baba’s has the makings of a great morning space, too, thanks to a variety of coffee drinks, like a rosewater latte and the Palestinian Nitro, which sports a turmeric honey foam.

More info here.

There might never be a true winner in the smackdown between thin- and thick-crust pizza, but Bricksworth is doing its best to move the needle in favor of substantial and chewy. Their rectangular, Detroit-style pies stand an inch or so high and load on the toppings. Aloha Friday calls out to pineapple-on-pizza lovers, throwing in some pepperoni, banana peppers, sriracha, and chili flakes as well. The Happiest Meal is an open-faced homage to the classic cheeseburger, complete with sweet pickles and special sauce. (Sub Impossible ground beef if that’s your thing.)

Those dough-based delights might cause you to overlook the wings — either boneless and bone-in, available in about a dozen flavors — but that would be a mistake. Pair them with one of the brews that the team is known for, like the double dry-hopped New England IPA or another rotating tap.

More info here.

Tacos and tequila are a winning combination — and this upscale Latin restaurant in the 50^th and France area has plenty of both. If you like your tequila straight up (single or as a flight), you’ll be faced by about 100 choices, from entry level to connoisseur. Mixed with fruit and other flavorings? Another 10 or so of those in margarita form. Then you get to the tacos, boasting fillings like pork carnitas, chipotle-marinated shrimp, ancho-crusted seared ahi tuna, and black beans and grilled vegetables. A classic, can’t-go-wrong choice would be to start with the made-to-order guac or chips and trio of salsas, but more adventurous eaters might want to kick things off with a plate of snapper ceviche or beef tenderloin anticuchos, beef skewers with aji amarillo (yellow chilis) and a tangerine vinaigrette. For dessert? Churros, of course.

There’s still time to appreciate one of the perks of this popular Prior Lake restaurant: its daily happy hour on the patio. (If the weather’s not cooperating, you can also take advantage of it in the bar.) For two hours, tap beers are $4, house wines are $6, and a handful of cocktails are $9. Food specials, such as nacho fries, a chicken quesadilla, and barbecue sliders, can be had for under 10 bucks, with a burger plus beer/wine/NA bev combo weighing in at $13. The menu expands tenfold in the dining room. It’s perfectly acceptable to go casual with one of the pastas, a bowl of seafood chowder, or a plate of tacos, but if you’re tempted by one of the steaks, don’t hesitate — they get a lot of raves for being perfectly seasoned and cooked. If you feel like you can’t eat one more bite, the mini cheesecakes, the pistachio crème brûlée, or the double-decker carrot cake will convince you otherwise.

Before settling down in the southwest quadrant of Edina, the wife-and-husband team of Jyotiee and Andy Kistner pursued their dream to bring regional Indian food to Minnesota by setting up shop at a local farmers market and other temporary spots. Then they opened a food truck that still roves the metro. Earlier this year, they upped the table stakes by adding this brick-and-mortar restaurant, serving the food that Jyotiee grew up eating in the Indian state of Maharashtra (where Mumbai sits).

Favorites from the truck that have made the move include one of the most well-known Marathi dishes, vada pav: vegetarian street food consisting of a spiced potato patty topped with chutneys and served in a dinner roll. There’s also the puffed rice dish, bhel puri, featuring crunchy chickpea noodles and tamarind, green, and spicy garlic chutneys. Other small bites, more street food, rice bowls, and wraps round out the menu.

More info here.

Stop here for one more quintessential summer experience before the leaves fall. This takeover of the former Dari-Ette Drive-In focuses on classic fare and nixes the car-side service. Instead, order from the window and grab a seat at one of the picnic tables or get cozy in your car.

As the name suggests, burgers are the main savory attraction here, crafted from patties made in-house and piled with your choice of goodies, including cheese, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. On the side? Crispy onion rings, crinkle-cut fries, or cheese curds. When your mind turns to sweets, don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s sign; it’s no ordinary ice cream they’re scooping here. Instead, it’s rich, dense, creamy gelato in flavors like salted caramel or pistachio. There’s also a selection of sorbets, shakes, and malts to linger over as you enjoy the waning days of summer.

Heads-up: Tongue in Cheek is not a vegan restaurant — but it gets so many accolades for its non-meat-and-dairy dishes that you might think so at first. The Vegasm is a fan favorite and changes regularly. One week it could be dan dan noodles with tofu, the next gnocchi with a smoked tomato sauce. Everything else that can be made vegan in marked with a “V” on the menu. There’s even a four-course herbivore tasting menu to rival the carnivore version (both available with a drinks add-on). But if it’s meat or seafood you want, you’ll definitely find plenty, from a pork belly and salmon banh mi to fried chicken buns to the daily market fish.

The restaurant also offers brunch — get this — five days a week, a rarity. Sign on for the $35 extravaganza (you’ll get a non-alcoholic beverage, a cocktail or other adult drink, two “teasers,” and an entrée) or order items like braised pork eggs benedict or the omelet of the day à la carte.