The final pieces of the puzzle appear to be falling into place for Parasole Restaurant Holdings’ new restaurant in Uptown Minneapolis—which will take over the former Uptown Cafeteria space and be led by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim McKee.
News surfaced in March that a new Parasole concept was in the works, when the company issued a survey asking respondents what the new eatery should be called. At the time, however, the company stayed mum on details, including the location.
News subsequently broke that McKee—known for his work at restaurants like La Belle Vie, Sea Change, and Smalley’s, who has also served as Parasole’s vice president of culinary development since 2011—would oversee the new concept. It was speculated that the new restaurant would actually replace Parasole's Uptown Cafeteria in the Calhoun Square retail complex.
On Tuesday, the Star Tribune reported that McKee is indeed converting that space into a restaurant called Libertine. The first floor of Cafeteria served its last meal on Monday and has closed for the renovation, while the rooftop “Sky Bar” will reportedly remain open during the transition.
McKee told the Minneapolis newspaper that he has set a July 16 opening date for the new concept, which he described as a place where “people in their twenties and thirties can get a modern steakhouse experience for a reasonable price.”
The kitchen will reportedly be supervised by Steve Hesse, a veteran chef from Masu, another of McKee’s projects, and its parent company, Sushi America. Read more about the planned restaurant here.
The Libertine will be housed in Calhoun Square, which itself was recently sold and whose owner is planning renovations.