Sun Street Breads to Open in March — Plus a Rundown of Eatery Openings in the Southwest

Sun Street Breads Coming to 46th Street and Nicollet Avenue

"Here's my new electric stacked oven," bragged Solveig Tofte, about her gleaming, four level baking appliance, obviously excited about her Sun Street Breads store as it takes shape at 4600 Nicollet Avenue.

She and her husband, Martin Ouimet are deep into the renovations of the old Snyder's drug store, which is on schedule to open in March as a retail and eat-in bakery with breakfast and lunch service. Sun Street will also have a beer and wine license.

"We were at the Kingfield Farmers Market all summer, so really when we were looking for a space it was kind of our hope to stay in the 'hood," said Tofte, formerly the head baker at Turtle Bread Company.

"We picked this spot because it's the perfect location and we just happen to live two blocks away," added Ouimet. He's contributing architecture and design expertise as well as taking on the front of the house responsibilities.

He's putting wood from old University of Minnesota bleachers up on the ceiling, after the planks have been prepped by Tofte's father. Also, beautiful tile work done by a friend from SoMi Tileworks is taking shape on one wall while a pal's comic book art will grace another. However, no pictures of the design are hitting the press just yet. Ouimet wants opening day to be the big reveal.

Tables will fill the front, windowed area and the side facing the parking lot will be a large visible baking area, so customers can watch the action from their seats. Breads, pastries, cookies, sandwiches and more will be the initial focus of the menu, moving into dinners after the summer.

"We're working really hard to make sure this is a nice place to be — that you are taken care of," Tofte said, speaking about customer service. She wants it to be a comfortable place with lots of repeat business. In the meantime, be sure to follow her fun and informative website/blog that has items about her bread-related travels, the ups and downs of opening a restaurant and meatloaf sandwiches.

And not to worry — opening the restaurant in March won't stop Sun Street Bread from being at the Kingsfield Farmer's Market again this year.

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Cheat Sheet: Restaurant Comings and Goings

In addition to Sun Street, the restaurant comings and goings in the Southwest neighborhoods have been piling up. Two notables — Tangletown Gardens intends to open a farm-to-table eatery at the old Liberty Custard location across the street from their retail shop, and Cars-R-Coffins coffeeshop on 34th Street and Lyndale Avenue closes on March 25. Another coffeehouse is rumored to be taking its place, but we're told it won't have any bikes.

Here's our Patch cheat sheet to help sort it all out.

OPEN

- 4224 Nicollet Ave./Beer, brunch and burgers

Urban Eatery - 2730 W. Lake St/Upbeat gastropub from the Crave folks

50th Street Cafe - 3808 W. 50th Street/Breakfast & lunch in old Pearson's space

- 3036 Minnehaha Ave./Brewery, art gallery & growlers

Heidi's - 2903 Lyndale Ave./Stewart Woodman's cuisine and good cocktails

Naviya's Thai - 2812 W. 43rd St./Neighborhoody Thai food in Linden Hills

Sweets Bakeshop - 4747 Nicollet Ave./Upscale cupcakes and French macarons

CHANGED

-824 W. 36th St./Kim Bartmann bought it and it may become Humble Pie.

- 818 W. 46th St./The coffeeshop now serves sit-down lunch and dinner.

CLOSED/CLOSING

- 3808 W. 50th St./ The Edina lutefisk stalwart made way for the 50th Street Cafe.

Cars-R-Coffins - 3346 Lyndale Ave. S./The bike & coffee combo shuts on March 25. A new coffeehouse is supposed to take its place (but the bikes will go).

- 5401 Nicollet Ave./The custard house with the antique games called it a day at the end of January.

The View - 2730 W. Lake St./Calhoun Beach Club bar becomes Urban Eatery.

COMING

- Farm to table coming to the old Liberty Custard building and they promise to keep the custard.

Pat's Tap - 3510 Nicollet Ave./Kim and Kari Bartmann helmed with help from Chef Kevin Kathman in the old Casey's location.

Bread and Pickle - Lake Harriet Bandshell/Concessions in the park by Kim Bartmann to open in April.

-2726 W. 43rd St./Chef Steven Brown's Linden Hills eatery in former Rice Paper site.

Blue Door Pub - 26th and Nicollet/Minneapolis location of this home of the Blucy.

Blue Plate - 2112 Hennepin Ave./The old Hollywood Video is being revamped by the local chain into a 150-seat restaurant bar and will do late night.