When the guy who helped Steven Brown open maybe the best neighborhood restaurant in the Twin Cities, Tilia, finally decides to help open another restaurant, it’s a big deal. Jörg Pierach’s day job is as owner of Fast Horse, a marketing firm that’s been a real innovator. He and his wife, Angie, have always been drawn to some of the more simple aspects of life when it comes to food–farms, simple ingredients, and slower preparation.
In mid-May, Angie & Jörg open Herbst Eatery & Farm Stand on Raymond Avenue, not far from The Naughty Greek and Foxy Falafel, right near the border of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Pierachs live in the neighborhood. And while it’s been more than a decade since we saw a ton of discussion of “farm to table” when it comes to restaurants (largely because the ethos has become embedded in all good restaurants), this feels like a return to that. The Pierachs have a hobby farm two hours southeast of the Twin Cities in western Wisconsin, and the inspiration for Herbst Eatery & Farm Stand is an Amish farm stand nearby.
Eric Simpson is the executive chef. He’s worked with Paul Liebrandt (a two-Michelin-star chef at The Elm in Brooklyn) and Missy Robbins (of Lilia in Brooklyn), and recently moved to the Twin Cities. The chef de cuisine is Ingrid Norgaard, who worked at Tilia, St. Genevieve, and Petite Leon.
And instead of doing a soft-opening in the week before opening the doors, the Herbst team will be doing four-course dinners with pairings. “These dinners are special pre-opening experiences and will not necessarily be reflective of our regular dinner service or menu. We’ll still be practicing, but we’re confident we’ll be able to offer a fun and memorable evening,” he told me.
Our readers get the first crack at signing up. There are only 20 tickets per seating at the bar and chef’s counter, so get tickets on Tock.
Dates: April 26-28 and May 3-5
Times: First seating at 5:30 p.m., doors at 5 p.m.; second seating at 8 p.m., doors at 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $140 – Four-course dinner with wine and cocktail pairings or substitute NA cocktail pairings for $130
Herbst is a no-tipping restaurant. 21% surcharge included in ticket price.
This won’t be exactly like the menu when the restaurant opens, but will give the team a chance to practice, and you a chance to get in there early. I’m excited that one of my favorite bartenders of all time, Berit Johnson, created the opening cocktail menu as part of Zenska Glava, the beverage education company she and Sarina Garibovic run. You’ll be able to order full proof (20% alcohol), low proof (10%) or no proof versions of five drinks. The bar will be run by AGM/Beverage Director David Conner, who worked at Hai Hai, Churchill Street and Bar Brava and the lead bartender is the former sommelier at Demi, Sarah Pozgay. That’s some high-powered talent up and down this place! Can’t wait!
Sample opening menu
Blistered snap peas, citrus, pecorino $14
Marinated heirloom beans, grilled chicories, nduja vinaigrette $17
Coal roasted sweet potato, salsa verde $15
Grilled sepia, burnt eggplant puree, cauliflower, pickled chilies $19
Spaghetti, parmigiano, pine nut, lemon $21
Lumache, spicy green pesto, lamb sausage $25 Ricotta gnocchi, roasted almond, yogurt, chanterelle, shaved shallot, marjoram $24
Walleye, piquillo braised kale, anchovy $29
Pork, marinated clams, charred onion $31
Lamb leg steak, anchovy hickory nut pesto, radicchio $35
