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Axios Twin Cities Deep Dive

Picture of the Twin Cities skyline with MSP written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporter Torey Van Oot.

Axios Twin Cities Thought Bubble

Axios Twin Cities

Butcher & the Boar is back. The award-winning restaurant known for its smoked meats opens in North Loop Tuesday, Feb. 7, with a reimagined menu, new ownership, and plenty of whiskey. 

Catch up fast: The original Butcher & the Boar on Hennepin Avenue abruptly closed in September 2020 after eight years, inciting a bidding war for the rights to its name, menu and building.

Jester Concepts, the restaurant group behind Parlour, P.S. Steak and Constantine, won the naming and menu rights, giving us Butcher 2.0.  

The Butcher's Tale, a separate restaurant with different ownership, was opened in 2021 in the Butcher & the Boar's original location.

I stopped by the new place to see if the buzz was worth it. 

The location: Butcher 2.0 is only a block from North Loop's bustling Washington Avenue, but feels off the beaten path; the drab exterior (it was an office building, after all) made it easy to miss at night. 

One perk: Unlike most North Loop businesses, it has a parking lot and ample street parking. 

The atmosphere: Most of the space is decked out in black, but the wood accents, comfortable leather booths and warm glow from hanging lights make it feel cozy, not cold. 

Freestanding tables have rugs beneath for a homey feel; the enormous custom bar features a giant stuffed boar as a centerpiece. 

Though the place was packed with people, the noise level stayed low all night.

What we ordered: Don't be fooled by the reputation — Butcher 2.0's menu is more than just steak and whiskey. 

I started with the blue crab beignets, a light and savory fried dough that melts in your mouth. No strong seafood flavor: it was delicious, but my dining partner called it the "essence of crab." 

The thick slab of Braunschweiger sausage topped with onions wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing appetizer, but it made up for its looks in taste — the spice lingers in the best way, and the accompanying gruyere is a must.

Main course: We settled on a ribeye and the charred chicken. 

Steaks can be easily overpowered by their accompaniments, but Butcher 2.0 kept its focus on the meat. The cognac-mushroom cream sauce complimented the dish perfectly. 

The chicken was generously portioned and looked beautiful, but even with the creamy dill labneh…it's just chicken. 

Plus: I loved the cheesy grits topped with whiskey honey, and the roasted potatoes were crispy and well-seasoned without being a salt bomb. 

Note: Though Butcher has less-expensive sister restaurants a few blocks away, this is still a steakhouse. 

Appetizers, salads and sausages hover around $20; steaks range from $42-$80 with multiple market price options. 

My thought bubble: I am not Butcher's target audience. I rarely eat red meat, don't enjoy dark liquor, and never visited the original restaurant. 

Despite that, the luxe atmosphere, menu variety, excellent food, and quality service had me planning a date night at the bar by the time I left. 

This Butcher & The Boar may not be the first, but it stands on its own. 

Photos of two cocktails and a wooden bar.

Brandy Old Fashioned, 24 Karat Milk Punch, the restaurant's bar and the Cross Pollination. Photos: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

Butcher's cocktail menu takes a unique approach to "something for everybody." 

Each drink has three versions: The classic, the bar's spin on it, and a non-alcoholic option. 

Brandy Old Fashioned: The lack of whiskey and added splash of spiced apple bitters made this the only Old Fashioned I've ever liked. 9/10. 

Cross Pollination: Nonalcoholic drinks can be delicious, but this "Manhattan" with NA whiskey, orange and honey tasted like citrus-infused water. 2/10. 

Pearls Before Swine: This is the ultimate dirty martini. Butcher's version uses oyster-shell infused vodka, which gives the drink a seawater-like brine, a slight umami flavor and plenty of salt.

My dining partner called it the best martini he's ever had. I tried one sip and gagged. Average rating: 5/10. 

First look: Butcher & the Boar 2.0 stands on its own

The revived smoked meats restaurant opens in North Loop this week.

A photo of a black building and a photo of a plate of chicken.

Butcher & the Boar's new location; the charred chicken, cheesy grits and Pearls Before Swine cocktail. Photos: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Butcher &amp; the Boar" data-vars-click-url="https://www.butcherandtheboarmpls.com/" data-vars-content-id="0a0bdb24-e62a-453c-ac98-e4a77a691d5d" data-vars-headline="First look: Butcher &amp; the Boar 2.0 stands on its own" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.butcherandtheboarmpls.com/" target="_blank">Butcher &amp; the Boar</a> is back. The award-winning restaurant known for its smoked meats opens in North Loop Tuesday, Feb. 7, with a reimagined menu, new ownership, and plenty of whiskey. Catch up fast: The original Butcher &amp; the Boar on Hennepin Avenue abruptly closed in September 2020 after eight years, inciting a bidding war for the rights to its name, menu and building.

Food and Drink

Axios Twin Cities, anchored by Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Audrey Kennedy, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard

Don't resign yourself to a sad sandwich at the gate. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has over 140 concession options across the two terminals for every kind of traveler.  

Here are some of our picks for airport eats. Be sure to check hours online.

🍽 For breakfast, lunch and dinner: Five new venues opened in the redesigned G concourse, including Poppy's Bagels, Crisp & Green and an expanded 165-seat bistro and bar Mill City Tavern. 

💺 For the one staying close to their gate: MSP ASAP offers delivery from roughly 15 airport restaurants, like Blue Door Pub, Smack Shack and Republic Bar, to passengers, no matter where they are. 

🌅 For the one with an early flight: Angel Food Bakery in Terminal 1, Concourse E opens at 5am with freshly made donuts from the bakery's St. Louis Park location. 

🍔 For the one who wants local flavor: Food Truck Alley in Terminal 1, Concourse E features Twin Cities restaurants Holy Land Deli and Red Cow.

🍺 For the one in need of a beer: Stone Arch in Terminal 1's MSP Mall partners with the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild to keep around 30 local brews on tap. 

⌛️ For the one running late: If you're really short on time, Farmer's Fridge vending machines dispense freshly made salads, grain bowls and wraps. 

Plus, its app has a list of each machine's inventory so you don't waste time wandering. 

Editor's note: This story was originally published in December 2021 and updated February 2023. 

Your guide to dining at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

Catching an early flight or want to stay close to your gate? Check out these top picks for airport eats.

A large restaurant in the center of the airport, with people eating at round tables. An orange sign reads Stone Arch.

Stone Arch in Terminal 1 is one of MSP's most popular restaurants. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

Don&#x27;t resign yourself to a sad sandwich at the gate. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has over 140 concession options across the two terminals for every kind of traveler. <ul><li>Here are some of our picks for airport eats. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Be sure to check hours online" data-vars-click-url="https://www.mspairport.com/airport/eat-shop-relax" data-vars-content-id="2f2ca2c2-4fbc-447e-b11b-ec3196802b19" data-vars-headline="Your guide to dining at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.mspairport.com/airport/eat-shop-relax" target="_blank">Be sure to check hours online</a>.</li></ul>

For Black History Month, we're sharing some Black-owned businesses to support year-round in and around the metro.

Looking for more? Search the Minnesota Black-Owned Business Directory by category and location.

Chicago's Very Own for hoagies and popcorn, Slice for pizza, Wendy's House of Soul for eggrolls, Breakfast Bar for brunch, Breaking Bread Cafe for affordable breakfast food, Trio for plant-based soul food, The Red Sea for Ethiopian cuisine, Sammy's Avenue Eatery for sandwiches, Taste of Rondo for soul food, Nashville Coop for fried chicken, STEPCHLD for an upscale date night, Lutunji's Palate for cobbler, Sweet Heaven by NNE for custom cakes, Cheesecake Funk for gourmet cheesecakes and 2 Scoops Eatery for ice cream.

The Dripping Root for freshly made juices, Palmer's Bar for drinks and live music, Heal for herbal drinks and elixirs, The Get Down Coffee Co.,  Rafiki Coffee and Cafe, FORREAL Coffeehouse and Golden Thyme Coffee and Cafe for caffeine, Du Nord Social Spirits for craft liquor,  and Cobble Social House for cocktails.

Roseline's Place for boutique candles, Fit 1st Running for running shoes, Black Garnet Books for books by authors of color, Mind's Eye Comics for comics and graphic novels, Elsa's House of Sleep for furniture, 5buluoz for men, women and kid's clothing, Gigi's Flair Emporium for pins, Angie's Hats for custom headwear, MN Black Box for "treat yourself" gift boxes, Lip Esteem for cosmetics and Mother & Mai for candles.

Malobe for natural hair services, House of Gristle for catering, #FACE for lashes and skin care, Deja Hodges for professional photography, 3P Boxing for 24/7 workouts, Efoe's Creatives for graphic design, The Party Girl for event planning, Supa Auto Detailing for mobile detailing, DZ Lawn Care for snow removal and landscaping services and Bouquets by Carolyn for flowers.

What are we missing? Send your picks to audrey.kennedy@axios.com and we'll add them to the list. 

This story was originally published February 2022 and updated February 2023. 

45 Black-owned businesses to support in the Twin Cities

From vegan soul food to comic books, check out these growing businesses.

Illustration of a Black woman's hands holding the city of Minneapolis.

For Black History Month, we&#x27;re sharing some Black-owned businesses to support year-round in and around the metro.<ul><li>Looking for more? <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Search the Minnesota Black-Owned Business Directory" data-vars-click-url="https://mnblackbusiness.com/" data-vars-content-id="3c97a799-de78-4bae-9416-587686bb80ad" data-vars-headline="45 Black-owned businesses to support in the Twin Cities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mnblackbusiness.com/" target="_blank">Search the Minnesota Black-Owned Business Directory</a> by category and location.</li></ul>Here are some of our picks:

Things to Do

Business

I visited Elusive Botanical Bar, a new cocktail room by local spirits company Dashfire, to try a drink I expected to hate: a banana-flavored cocktail.

The Whole Banana ($13) features a banana rum blend, banana cordial, "green peel tincture" and a hint of lime.

My review: I've never liked banana flavoring, but Dashfire made me a fan. The drink was light and sweet like the fresh fruit, while the rum provided just the right amount of contrast. 

Plus, there's no artificial-looking bright-yellow color. The caramel shade is reminiscent of an overripe banana, minus the brown spots. 

📍1620 NE Central Ave., Ste. 152, Dock #10, Minneapolis. It's next to Tattersall's cocktail room. 

Dashfire's new bar features a banana-flavored cocktail, and it's actually good?

The Whole Banana at Elusive Botanical Bar. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios

I visited Elusive Botanical Bar, a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new cocktail room" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/01/10/minneapolis-st-paul-new-restaurants-january-10-2023" data-vars-content-id="a1fa80af-139d-4a6b-ae7e-217284d32231" data-vars-headline="Dashfire&#x27;s new bar features a banana-flavored cocktail, and it&#x27;s actually good?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/01/10/minneapolis-st-paul-new-restaurants-january-10-2023" target="_self">new cocktail room</a> by local spirits company <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Dashfire" data-vars-click-url="https://www.dashfire.us/home" data-vars-content-id="a1fa80af-139d-4a6b-ae7e-217284d32231" data-vars-headline="Dashfire&#x27;s new bar features a banana-flavored cocktail, and it&#x27;s actually good?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.dashfire.us/home" target="_blank">Dashfire</a>, to try a drink I expected to hate: a banana-flavored cocktail.<ul><li>The Whole Banana ($13) features a banana rum blend, banana cordial, &quot;green peel tincture&quot; and a hint of lime.</li></ul>

THC companies across the country are clamoring to partner with Chill State Collective, Minnesota's first and only all-in-one distribution center exclusively for hemp-derived THC beverages.

State of play: The collective, started late last year by the folks behind cooperative brewing company Fair State, partners with brands across the country to co-pack, store and distribute their drinks here in Minnesota.

As of mid-January, Chill State was producing around 30,000 drinks per day. 

Why it matters: We're the Wild West of THC products right now. The collective has only taken on six partners so far, but program director Rob Shellman said they've been inundated with requests from brands — showing that national companies want to establish a Minnesota presence ASAP. 

Driving the news: The folks at Chill State invited me to their St. Paul facility for a behind-the-scenes look at how they make their hemp-derived THC beverage Pineapple Express. 

What I found: Other than the thousands of drinks stacked on pallets, Chill State looks like every other brewing facility. It shares space with Fair State's operation, so the place has that yeasty taproom smell. 

Details: Pineapple Express has three main ingredients, head brewer Joe Wells explained: 

Terpenes, a lab-synthesized ingredient Chill State adds for a weed-like flavor and aroma.

THC emulsion sourced from local and national hemp farmers, which gives the drink its psychoactive effects.

The drink's seltzer base, created in-house alongside their other brews.

A single 20-liter (just over 5 gallons) jug of THC emulsion — a liquid the color of milk but slightly more viscous — can make thousands of 5-milligram drinks, Wells said. 

Between the lines: Though Minnesota regulations are much more lax than fully legal states when it comes to THC products, producers are still required to test their products before sale. 

Chill State uses several independent labs to check for potency and consistency of batches, Fair State CEO Evan Sallee told me. 

Finally, the drinks are packaged (check out a video on our Instagram) and delivered to Fair State's taproom and other buyers — from breweries to hair salons. 

Yes, but: That business model might not continue. Buried in the proposed legalization bill are laws barring businesses from obtaining manufacturing and retail licenses. That means Fair State could make its drinks but couldn't legally sell them in its own taproom. 

What we're watching: Chill State doesn't plan to slow down, but as work on legalization continues, the team hopes any bill will protect breweries' existing and future operations.

"I'd argue there's nobody better in the state to produce a safe product to consume than people who already produce safe beverages every single day," Wells said. 

Inside Chill State Collective, Minnesota's first all-in-one THC drink distributor

As of mid-January, Chill State produces around 30,000 drinks every day.

Chill State partners with brands and produces its own drinks. Photo: Chill State Collective

THC companies across the country are clamoring to partner with Chill State Collective, Minnesota&#x27;s first and only all-in-one distribution center exclusively for hemp-derived THC beverages.State of play: The collective, started late last year by the folks behind cooperative brewing company <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fair State" data-vars-click-url="https://fairstate.coop/" data-vars-content-id="badf26bc-d5b8-4a55-a762-37943ed5f921" data-vars-headline="Inside Chill State Collective, Minnesota&#x27;s first all-in-one THC drink distributor" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://fairstate.coop/" target="_blank">Fair State</a>, partners with brands across the country to co-pack, store and distribute their drinks here in Minnesota.

Audrey Kennedy

Featured stories

45 Black-owned businesses to support in the Twin Cities

Your guide to dining at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

First look: Butcher & the Boar 2.0 stands on its own

Dashfire's new bar features a banana-flavored cocktail, and it's actually good?

Inside Chill State Collective, Minnesota's first all-in-one THC drink distributor