The new year is already shaping up to be a busy—and delicious—one for the Twin Cities. Travail Collective has announced three new restaurant openings across the metro, expanding familiar favorites and debuting a brand-new concept that taps into deep personal roots and bold regional flavors.
Leading the charge is Pig Ate My Pizza, which officially opened its second location on Jan. 5 in Bloomington. The 4,000-square-foot space brings the same irreverent, chef-driven energy that made the Robbinsdale original a hit—craft pizzas, smash burgers, pastas, salads, and ice cream from sister concept Dream Creamery—plus a full bar pouring small-batch beers from Nouvelle Brewing. With seating for nearly 180 guests between the dining room and a mostly covered, year-round patio, the new location is designed as a true neighborhood gathering place.
Courtesy of Travail Collective
Meanwhile in South Minneapolis, Dream Creamery has quietly opened its second outpost in Nokomis, next door to ie by Travail. Known for both classic and reimagined ice cream flavors, Dream Creamery also leans into comfort food territory here, serving the buzzy Dream Burger alongside hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, fries, and onion rings. It’s a cozy, unfussy addition to the neighborhood—and a reminder that dessert doesn’t have to wait until the end of the meal.
Courtesy of Travail Collective
Rounding out the trio is the debut of Berto’s, opening Jan. 9 inside Graze Food Hall by Travail. Inspired by the taco and burrito shops of Southern California’s Jalisco and Baja borderlands, Berto’s promises rolled tacos, carne asada burritos, fish tacos, nacho fries, and a classic salsa bar piled high with pickled jalapeños and carrots. For Travail partner Mike Brown, the concept is personal—a tribute to family, memory, and the kind of food that feels like home. “Berto’s is a love letter to the kind of Southern California burrito and taco shops that define the region’s soul,” said Brown in a recent statement. “For me, Berto’s is deeply personal. My mom grew up in a Mexican restaurant founded by her grandmother in 1940 in La Tapatia, and those same flavors shaped my childhood. The way the beans tasted, the way the kitchen smelled, the way food could feel like home.”
