The Star Tribune published an article recently that said many local restaurants were in the red and that January was one of the worst months to be in the food business. I suppose it could be the cold weather or the limited number of Minnesotans willing to try out new food ideas, but regardless Minneapolis has lost three gems in the last few weeks. The first to close was Levain, which opened at 48th Street and Chicago Avenue S. in Minneapolis in 2003. Then Five Restaurant & Street Lounge closed, which opened at 29th Street and Bryant Avenue S in 2005.
The most recent and most shocking resteraunt closing was Auriga, who shut its doors after ten years. Auriga, named for a constellation, was located off Hennepin Ave and offered a fantastic menu and was one of the few restaurants in the Twin Cities to offer a tasting menu, as well. Their menu changed often so they could provide patrons with fresh seasonal choices and a few months ago they revamped the place to feel more elegant and less like a bistro. I will never forget the chamomile tea from Auriga, it was exceptional and their selections of wine and bread were top notch. My favorite wine was a Rhone Style Red Wine that went great with my dish and the bread made with Guinness was also fantastic. This restaurant will definitely be missed!
I hope the closing of this unique spot isn’t a sign of things to come for the Twin Cities. It would be disgusting to see the trendy Twin Cities area become over run with chain restaurants. I know that Minneapolis is not a total food town, but even in this frigid weather, don’t be afraid to venture out and visit your favorite local spots – they need you!
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