Photo by Emma Enebak
When I stepped into Red Cow’s reimagined North Loop location on opening day, a crowd of diners were already gathering near the hostess desk, emanating a chorus of oohs and ahs as they took in the new surroundings. A recurring question seemed to hang in the air— “is this really Red Cow?”
A staple of the Twin Cities’ dining scene for more than a decade, Red Cow’s dark-toned, pub-style interiors and bright-red leather booths have become synonymous with its beloved 60/40 burgers. But I could hardly detect a trace of this familiar past as I wandered through its highly anticipated North Loop redesign.
“It was a big renovation. The old Red Cow was a mix of industrial and old-world pub. We wanted to keep some of that but make it feel lighter and brighter,” says owner Luke Shimp.
In early September, the team gutted the 2015 location down to the studs (leaving only the original bar structure) and started from scratch, partnering with neighbors MartinPatrick3 on a redesign that would elevate the restaurant’s style and identity. The end result is night and day. Red Cow’s unmistakable primary red was swapped for a deeper, more sophisticated merlot; dark tones were juxtaposed with pristine whites and natural woods; and light was invited in from large open windows, creating a bright, airy, and refined atmosphere.
Photo by Emma Enebak
“I think the redesign naturally ties in with what we’ve been doing with our food over the past few years,” says Shimp. “We’ve really been working on implementing a Baja California look and feel to our food, and I think this design works toward that. In some ways now it might even be carrying the flag for it, and we can keep planning our food around the design.”
For Shimp, the Baja California inspiration serves as an ode to wine country—especially Napa Valley and Sonoma, where he travels several times a year. The nods are clear in the refreshed space: a statement wine wall separating the main dining room from the new private dining area, fresh coastal-inspired dishes like grilled shrimp tacos and chipotle beans, and an overall warmth that echoes California’s relaxed sophistication.
A Neighborhood Win
The decision to collaborate with MartinPatrick3 felt serendipitous for Shimp, who had gotten to know owners Dana Swindler and Greg Walsh as frequent diners at Red Cow’s North Loop location. Shimp recalls the moment the idea hatched, pointing to a row of chairs across the space from us, where he sat and shared his vision with them for the first time.
“Greg and Dana are such a fixture in the [North Loop] neighborhood. I love their window designs and how everything is just so detailed and stylized,” says Shimp. “It also feels like a great symbiotic relationship because of the fact that we’re a block away from each other. We’re a family-owned business, they’re a family-owned business; I feel like it worked perfect.”
MartinPatrick3’s signature eye for detail shines through in thoughtful additions, from the abstract artworks and geometric wallpapers to the avant-garde light fixtures and intricately carved leather seats, balancing exotic, desert-like motifs with an overall modern elegance.
Photo by Emma Enebak
“We used to have the cow hide and a lot of cow symbols, and we realized, we don’t need that. Everyone knows that we’re Red Cow,” says Shimp, commenting on the contemporary design elements. But still, Shimp pointed out a striking light fixture made from horsehair near the hostess desk—a subtle, more refined nod to the restaurant’s past.
Perhaps the most notable upgrade to the former space is the addition of a private dining area—the first among Red Cow’s five Twin Cities locations (private dining is also available at the Rochester location). Bathed in natural light, the intimate room is noise-controlled and rentable for up to 30 patrons.
Photo by Emma Enebak
New Look, New Food
Alongside its freshly imagined space, Red Cow brings a plethora of new dishes, cocktails, and N/A beverages to its menus. Shimp laid out a spread of new items for our team that morning, a bright and colorful collage of globally inspired flavors, from classic American ribs to Thai Chicken Skewers and Shrimp Linguine.
The cocktail menu felt just as inventive. Guests can now order a flight of “Tini Martinis,” a curated sampling of three different martini variations, with a diverse list to choose from, including the Appletini and the Vesper. Diners can also hop on the popular “dirty soda” trend, with a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic dirty soda variations available.
Provided by Emma Enebak
But rest assured, the classic handcrafted burgers that made Twin Citians fall in love with Red Cow in the first place remain staples on the menu. As does the extensive and thoughtfully curated wine list. As Shimp puts it, the “Red Cow way” is still alive and well.
“We’re all about hospitality, service, and high-quality food. We still are who we are, we’ve just changed the colors a bit.”
Photo by Emma Enebak
