Restaurant roundup: Vegan Jucy Lucys, Uptown venues and more Twin Cities openings

The new year has just begun, but plenty of restaurants have already debuted. Here are some eateries to watch:

❓ Dashfire's cocktail room, Elusive Botanical Bar, opened in Minneapolis last month with a classic drink menu and an "experiment" option — visitors get a selection of mystery cocktails and spirits.

🥐 Dahlia, one of our most anticipated restaurants of 2023, is holding pastry pop-ups at Wrecktangle Pizza and Briar Bar on Sundays. Go early — they sell out fast.

🍸 Cocktail lounge and restaurant Bar + Cart is up and running in the former Khyber Pass restaurant on Grand Avenue. The menu features around 50 alcoholic and zero-proof cocktails.

🦑 Vietnamese and Mexican tapas restaurant Chelas is now open on Nicollet Avenue. Expect a "night street market vibe," with dishes like bone marrow toast, squid and ginger chicken tacos.

🥪 Beloved sandwich pop-up Marty's Deli has finally launched its brick-and-mortar shop in northeast Minneapolis. It's now open five days a week for breakfast and lunch.

🍔 Vegan burger joint Francis debuted its restaurant in northeast Minneapolis this week after a year as a food truck. Expect plant-based Jucy Lucys, "chicken" nuggets and lots of fries.

🎉 Ties Lounge and Rooftop, which opened in a "cursed" downtown Minneapolis building last February and abruptly shut down in December, reopened as Uptown Ties in the former Uptown Tavern.

🎶 Music venue/bar/restaurant Green Room is almost ready to open in Uptown, Racket reported. The 400-capacity space will have a curated bar menu from the people behind Earl Giles Distillery.