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We are fully into the fall season and with that comes our Food and Drink Issue. With dropping temps, fall is the perfect time to change up your own menu, or visit one of the many great local spots in our community. You never have to ask me twice to try a new restaurant or dive into all the fabulous staples that the Edina food scene has to offer. I’ve always bragged to out-of-towners that our city has a pretty good selection of just about any fare you’d want to find. I wish we could cover them all!
The Edina Lifestyle Team sat down with Luke Shimp, owner of the Red Cow and Red Rabbit, to catch up and celebrate a decade in the neighborhood. Since 2013, Red Cow has been putting smiles on faces with their gourmet burgers and craft beer selection. Luke has even created his own wine that is perfect with anything on their menu. This family-owned and operated spot is also excited for their new location opening this fall in Wayzata.
Another fun spot to check out if you haven’t been in a while is our beloved Hilltop, which is celebrating 45 years of good food and loyal clientele. We talked to Brett and his father Ken about how they keep that family, “Cheers-like” atmosphere. Last December, my graduating class celebrated our “mini-reunion” here and we could not have picked a more cozy spot.
If it’s something sweet you seek for birthdays or the fall sports season, Nothing Bundt Cakes in Edina is the perfect accessory to your celebrations. These cakes are not only cute, but they also take the guesswork out of planning a delicious dessert.
Food is just one of those things that brings us all together, and whether we are sharing a meal with loved ones at home, or enjoying a night out on the town, the time spent is memorable.
As always, thanks for reading, and we hope you enjoy all the flavors fall has to offer!
October 2023
PUBLISHER
Alexandra Patty | alexandra.patty@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Sarah Knieff | sarah.knieff@citylifestyle.com
MARKET SUPPORT COORDINATOR
Kassi Miranowski | kassi.miranowski@citylifestyle.com
SALES SUPPORT COORDINATOR
Susan Shannon | susan.shannon@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Abigail Wharram | abigail.wharram@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sue Baldani, Lauren Beaubaire, Angela Broockerd, Graham Johnson
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Lucy Hawthorne, Janie Jones
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Tiffany Slowinski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein
CONTROLLER Gary Johnson
PATTY, PUBLISHER @EDINA_LIFESTYLEALEXANDRA
AD DESIGNER Whitney Lockhart
LAYOUT DESIGNER Rhiannon Coffman
YEARS
Style Edina Fashion Show was created seven years ago to promote the area as a retail destination in the Twin Cities. This year, producer and stylist Jodi Mayers and KARE11 Chief Meteorologist Belinda Jensen, will present fall fashions from various Edina retail partners at the Westin Edina Galleria hotel. Enjoy mimosas on arrival, pop-up shopping, and a seated brunch during the show. This event takes place on Oct.8 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For tickets, visit galleriaedina.com
One trusted builder.
varieties from the Arboretum’s University of Minnesota research orchards. Visitors can also buy frozen apple pies, pastries, apple cider, packaged gourmet goodies, gifts and — in the fall — pumpkins, squash and gourds. During apple season, the North Star Donuts food truck offers apple cider mini donuts, apple cider slushies and warm apple cider. arb.umn.edu/AppleHouse. info@ronclark.com
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Many great ideas have been formulated around the kitchen table, and that’s how the concept of Red Cow was developed. Luke Shimp, his wife, Tracy Bachul, and their children, Michael and Peter, recognized a need for a different type of restaurant in the Twin Cities.
“We wanted to create a 21st century tavern,” says Luke. “When you look back in history, taverns were the spots that everybody stopped at when they were traveling. They were also places for great food and a headquarters where people would go to make a lot of important decisions. So, the tavern was the epicenter of a community, and that's what we set out to create.”
He also noticed a void for gourmet burgers. “We took the burger and elevated it. Take our Barcelona burger for example. We put on thinly sliced Prosciutto De Parma, Manchego cheese, piquillo peppers and smoked pepper aioli. We came up with our own grind and seasoning blend that really extracted the flavor out of our Certified Angus Beef, which keeps your mouth watering.” Most of the burgers were inspired by Luke’s travels and are all about layers of flavor.
Of course, being a tavern, alcoholic beverages are a large staple of the business, but unlike many taverns, Red Cow offers an outstanding imbibing experience. “We opened with a trifecta of beverages – wine, beer and cocktails,” says Luke. “We started with 32 wines by the glass, served at cellar temperature and preserved properly.”
Champagne can be ordered by the glass. “We have a preservation system that recompresses the bubbles so that you get a nice sparkling glass every time,” he says. “Our reds and whites are preserved too so that all of the oxygen is removed from the bottles – they always stay fresh. It really is an elevated wine experience in a tavern setting.” Choices include French, Italian and fine wines from California and Oregon.
“Of course, we have great craft beers too,” says Luke. “We started with 36 craft beers, and we rotate our taps often, many of them change daily.”
As the food is all about layers of flavor, this holds true for its cocktails as well. “We have beverage specialists that create perfectly balanced craft cocktails using high-quality ingredients with exacting details,” he says.
ARTICLE BY SUE BALDANI PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUCY HAWTHORNEEverything is made fresh and from scratch. In addition to burgers, there are delicious fries, soups and salads. The restaurant also introduced shakes like the brownie batter and caramel a couple of years ago. They were such a hit that they are now fixtures on the menu. Red Cow also has a great catering program for graduations, corporate events and box lunches.
The name of the restaurant was conceived by Tracy by mixing two of their offerings. The “red” came from the wine, and the “cow” from the beef. The atmosphere has an industrial chic look with dark wood, brick, filament lighting and bright red tufted booths. “There are a lot of elements of the old and the new, so the floors are concrete, but then we have modern wood walls,” says Luke. “We also have some funky art throughout the space.”
When walking into a Red Cow restaurant, the first thing people will see is, surprisingly, a blue cow on the wall. “There is this juxtaposition that defines the tavern’s nontraditional concept,” says Luke. “It really gets you into a frame of mind that this is going to be a very unique experience.”
Today, there are five Red Cow brick-and-mortar locations, each with outdoor patio dining, and a sixth coming soon to Wayzata. There's also a location at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on Concourse E, and two outlets in the Minnesota Twins stadium, where the menu includes the popular 60/40 sliders.
“WHEN YOU LOOK BACK IN HISTORY, TAVERNS WERE THE SPOTS THAT EVERYBODY STOPPED AT WHEN THEY WERE TRAVELING. "
“THERE IS THIS JUXTAPOSITION THAT DEFINES THE TAVERN’S NONTRADITIONAL CONCEPT, IT REALLY GETS YOU INTO A FRAME OF MIND THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.”
The 50th & France location was its first, opening in 2013. “The neighborhood was everything we were looking for when launching our new restaurant, and at that time, we only lived a mile away, so we were very familiar with the area,” says Luke. It’s a true family business, with his wife and children playing active roles.
Red Cow has won numerous awards over the years, including Best Burger by Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine and one of the Hottest Burgers in North America by Eater.
Luke has twice been named Restaurateur of the Year by the Minnesota Restaurant Association. “I think I'm the only two-time winner,” he says. He has also been voted Best Restaurateur from the Charlie Awards, which is a local peer-based award.
One would think that with all this success Luke must have a longtime relationship with the restaurant business, but that’s not the case. His previous career was in professional motorsports as chassis specialist and pit crew member in NASCAR.
After winning the 2000 NASCAR Championship with Joe Gibbs Racing Luke started plotting his next move: to take the leadership lessons and team building from his time in pro sports and transfer that into business. He brought his championship mindset to the restaurant business in 2002 and takes pride in winning awards.
In addition to Red Cow, the family also launched Red Rabbit, an Italian restaurant, in 2016. It has two locations – one in Minneapolis’ North Loop and one in St. Paul on Grand Avenue. “Red Rabbit was just named one of the top 50 independent restaurants in America,” says Luke.
With every restaurant Luke and Tracy open, their core principle remains the same; giving back to the community, whether that’s by creating more tavern-like spaces or by donating to several charities and organizations.
“We support local charities, M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, Sanneh Foundation, community youth programs and youth sports teams,” says Luke. “We love giving back.”
To find out more, go to RedCowMN.com and RedRabbitMN.com.
What can we make possible for your business?
E x p e r i e n c e W e e k e n d W o n d e r s a t T h e W e s t i n E d i n a G a l l e r i a F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t w w w . e d i n a w e e k e n d w o n d e r s . c o m .
Brett Johnson buying into his father’s restaurant in 2011 was never a foregone conclusion. What is now The Hilltop started in October of 1978 under the name, The Pantry. While Brett bussed tables there in high school and came back after graduating university, he committed to one year of trying out the restaurant life.
“I only committed to a one year trial,” says Brett. “After that year I committed to another year, and then another year.” Now co-owners, Brett and his father, Ken, are celebrating forty-five years of what they like to call their “neighborhood Cheers.”
Just like the fictional Cheers’ bar, the idea of knowing names and creating a social space is the father-son duo’s focus.
When explaining his entry into the industry Brett says, “People asked me all the time ‘Oh you’re a restaurant guy?’ and I liked to tell them, ‘No I’m more of a people guy.”
Putting his people skills to good use, Brett has worked hard to make the restaurant a place for everyone. “We take pride in the wide demographic that passes through our doors,” explains Brett. “We have families, young people, those just coming in for happy hour, and everything in between. It’s an Edina gathering place.”
A big part of that community focus comes down to the Hilltop’s staff. “What really drives this ship is the loyalty of the staff,” explains Brett. “We have a lot of locals working, which helps give off that ‘Everyone Knows Your Name’ atmosphere.”
Now when it comes to food, the restaurant tries to keep the menu simple. “We try not to overthink it,” says Brett. “We do a few things and do those few things really well.”
The casual American comfort food served at the restaurant spans from omelets, sandwiches, burgers, and salads to nightly specials like their Wednesday pot roast.
Even within the menu, one can find the legacy of those 45 years of business. The Newberry sandwich has been on the menu since day one. “Nothing about the turkey, bacon, jack cheese and cranberry served open-faced on French bread has changed since 1978, except the price,” says Brett.
Unlike the Newberry, the restaurant itself has undergone many changes since its inception.
The most recent renovation in 2016, which changed the name to The Hilltop, started as an answer to a question posed by the architect; What does the space feel like?
CONTINUED >
Brett and Ken would answer this with the words cozy, old-school, wholesome and family-friendly. So, the renovation kept things simple. “We moved the bar to be closer to the main door, which we think invokes that famous Cheers’ bar feel,” says Brett. “Hilltop isn’t massive, we seat around 120 people. It’s all about keeping things friendly. We changed the name during this time too as an ode to our family history.”
Long before Brett was bussing tables there, his grandfather owned a rest home called The Hilltop in Wisconsin. Within that rest home was a restaurant that Ken eventually oversaw. As he tells it, “I started in the motel business, but wanted something more fast-paced,” says Ken. “I opened a restaurant on my own, which went well. It was exciting and I didn’t look back.”
The decision eventually led Ken to open the Pantry/Hilltop. “Not many people know that is the origin of The Hilltop,” says Brett adding, “and we sit on a hill too!”
As one can see, a lot has changed about the Hilltop in 45 years, from locations to menus, but what hasn’t is the goal of creating a space for people to come, eat, laugh and be.
“We’ve tried to keep it consistent which is one of the most difficult things in the industry,” says Ken. That consistency has allowed customers to return year after year, and decade after decade, bringing their kids and eventually grandchildren. “We have always wanted that generational feel for us as a restaurant and for our customers. Everyone is family here.”
5101 Arcadia Ave. | (952) 925-5628 | hilltopedina.com
ARTICLE BY LAUREN BEAUBAIRE
A sweet expansion is coming to the Twin Cities. Kim Cassens, franchise owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes in Minnetonka, recently purchased the Eden Prairie location and signed to open four more delectable new stores, enabling more dessert lovers to indulge in the delicious cakes that Nothing Bundt Cakes bakes up.
“I’ve always wanted to open more than just one store,” says Kim. “It’s just been really exciting to grow and be a part of helping even more people celebrate all of life’s occasions, bringing happiness and joy, and being part of the community and giving back.”
The North — Northeast area of Minneapolis will be home to Kim’s first new Nothing Bundt Cakes store location, slighted for opening within the next year. Her other locations will serve up bundts to cake connoisseurs in Chaska, Prior Lake, and the St. Louis Park area with plans for all stores to open their doors within the next three to four years.
While bundts are undeniably the star attraction, Kim’s stores also feature a small boutique shop at the front with a great selection of gift items and clothing from local businesses.
“People come in with their mind on cakes and don’t know we also have a great, little boutique in our storefront,” shares Kim. “Our gift items in Minnetonka range from celebration supplies to gifts with themed lake living. We have a local clothing line as well as a beautiful candle line created by two Minnesota women. I love collaborating with amazing local Lake Minnetonka businesswomen and vendors for our boutique. I want to support other women business owners.”
The Business Women’s Circle (BWC) and The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) were pivotal for Kim when she first decided to open Nothing Bundt Cakes.
“Organizations like the BWC are geared to help women business owners. They will pair you up with someone from a different industry, who is either going through the same experiences you are or who can provide guidance and help answer all those questions that you didn’t know who to ask,” explains Kim.
Supporting women business owners is just one way Kim gives back to the community. “We do give away a lot of cake,” laughs Kim. Between food donations and collections, give back days in the store where a percentage of sales goes to a great cause, and her work with breast cancer as the Be Pink Committee Chair and Board Chair for Park Nicollet Foundation, participating in her community and giving back is integral for Kim.
“You can give monetarily, you can give your time, and you can give a product. To be able to help the community that you live and work in is incredibly gratifying. I love the people aspect of it and doing what I can to make even a slight bit of difference for someone,” says Kim.
Starting from one store, opening Nothing Bundt Cakes in Minnetonka nearly eight years ago, Kim will now have the opportunity to give back and impact so many more communities around the cities.
The expansion is a new chapter, and for others who also want to take the next step in their personal or professional lives, Kim advises, “Trust yourself. Bet on yourself, and while it can be scary sometimes, investing in yourself, in others, in relationships, and surrounding yourself with the right people will get you a long way.”
Now with Kim’s new stores coming soon, no matter where you are in the Twin Cities, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious bundts and celebrate every occasion, even if it’s just to indulge your sweet tooth.
Have your cake and eat it too at: nothingbundtcakes.com
Apples are the trademark fruit of fall, and with the many varieties to choose from, there is an apple that is sure to please any palate. They can be included in both sweet and savory dishes and are delicious and incredibly healthful. We all have heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While they aren’t a cure-all, apples are packed full of polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamin C, B vitamins and fiber. Make the most of autumn’s best produce and the flavors of fall with these simple recipes.
Easier than pie but with all the same textures, this gooey warm dessert is sure to please. For simplicity, this can be made with a premade crust.
Crust:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup iced cold water
Filling:
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced into thin slices
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Caramel sauce
• Optional: 1/4 chopped walnuts or pecans
Crust:
(Note: If running short on time, store bought crust works great, too.)
Mix flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Add water and mix until moistened. Lightly knead the dough and then form into a ball. Next, flatten dough into a thick circular form and refrigerate for one hour.
Filling: Mix the apples, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar together in a bowl.
Assemble and Bake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a circle and set on parchment paper. Arrange apples in center of dough, leaving about one inch of space for the edges. Fold crust over the apples and press to seal edges. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with pecans or walnuts. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve with caramel sauce and ice-cream.
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONESThis take on the classic grilled cheese is sure to satisfy your fall cravings. With the combined flavors of savory and sweet, it packs a punch for your taste buds.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sliced sourdough bread
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces Brie, sliced
• Fig jam, or preferred choice of jam
• 1 Granny smith apple, sliced
• Arugula
• Thinly sliced ham, optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat olive oil in the skillet and add sliced onions. Cook for a few minutes and then add brown sugar. Sauté until soft. Set aside. Butter the outside of the sourdough bread. Next, spread jam on the inside of both slices. Add cheese, apples, onions and arugula. If using meat, add as well. Top with slice of bread and grill on skillet until both sides are toasted and cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!
OCTOBER 1ST
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
MINNESOTA ZOO | 5:00 PM
Gather your family and come explore the glowing trail with thousands of artistically carved pumpkins. This year’s trail will lead you on a magical journey through "Seasons of the Year,” featuring new artists’ creations and plenty of seasonal fun. Secure your tickets today at mnzoo.org .
OCTOBER 6TH
Oktoberfest
MINNESOTA STATE FAIRGROUNDS | 5:00 PM
Twin Cities Oktoberfest, the #4 ranked Oktoberfest in America, is excited to be back for its 13th annual event. Come sample a variety of craft beers, German pretzels and savory pies. Don’t forget your lederhosen! tcoktoberfest.com .
OCTOBER 7TH
How to Rewax Tin Cloth
EDINA GALLERIA | 2:00 PM
Come learn how to rewax your tin cloth garments. Hosted by Filson. Refreshments will be provided. galleriaedina.com .
OCTOBER 7TH
Owámni Falling Water Festival
MILL RUINS PARK | 1:00 PM
Owámni means “whirling or falling water” in the Dakota language, making it an appropriate name for this festival along the Mississippi River. This free, family-friendly event, is co-presented by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board to celebrate indigenous Minnesota culture with music, art, food, and more! minneapolisparks.org .
Twin Cities Book Festival
MINNESOTA STATE FAIRGROUNDS | 10:00 AM
This Festival offers bibliophiles all the joys of in-person browsing, meeting writers and publishers, and activities for readers age 1 to 101. twincitiesbookfestival.com .
Halloboo Trick-or-Treat Trail
EDINBOROUGH PARK | 4:00 PM
Trick-or-treating throughout the park, games and more. Play in Adventure Peak and the Great Hall. For more information, call 952-833-9450 or visit edinamn.gov.
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/Edina
