The Pali Platter from Falastin

If 2024 has a Twin Ports restaurant trend, it’s cultural cuisine. Two of the restaurants most anticipated by area foodies, Alto Pino and Falastin, brought unparalleled culinary options to Duluth this year.

With Alto Pino, Lauren Aldinger is bringing a fusion of Mediterranean flavors to downtown, with inspiration from the fare of Italy, Greece, North Africa, Turkey and beyond.

“I enjoy being creative and exploring different things,” Aldinger said. “The menu will be changing more than is typical in Duluth with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients as well.”

In contrast, Falastin is providing more regionally-specific cuisine that is “unapologetically Palestinian.” As the daughter of a Palestinian immigrant, Lyla Abukhodair considers it a privilege to be able to share the food of her people as well as stories of their resilience.

“I don’t think you can really share any type of cuisine without talking about its story,” she said. “I have a deep desire for sharing the Palestinian story. That’s who I am.”

Several other eclectic eateries topped the list of new restaurants in the Twin Ports, including Billings Park Eatery, Phởlicious and Emiliano’s.

Superior’s Billings Park Eatery is the most recent addition to the local food scene. The café had a soft opening on Dec. 18 and is focused on Scandinavian specialties and baked goods.

Longtime Canal Park mainstay Taste of Saigon has been transformed by new ownership into Phởlicious. Customers can expect some of the old favorites but the new owners are placing a focus on phở, the hearty and flavorful Vietnamese noodle soup.

With Emiliano’s, owner Nestor Tapia is bringing a taste of his hometown of Puebla, Mexico to Downtown Duluth. The restaurant’s namesake is Emiliano Zapata. Tapia is a history buff who will happily serve up Mexican specialties like tamales, tacos and chile rellenos along with lessons about his hero from the Mexican Revolution.

Lauren Aldinger – Photo by Lissa Maki

Alto Pino
7 W. Superior St, Duluth

The name Alto Pino, essentially translates to “tall pine” in Italian. The name is a nod to an organic commonality among places owner Lauren Aldinger holds dear, the Pacific Northwest, where she’s from, the North Shore of Lake Superior, which she has been visiting for decades and has made her home, and the Mediterranean, since a 23andMe genetic test uncovered she has some Turkish and Italian heritage.

The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant opened in October in the former 7 West Taphouse/Blue Rock Grill space. Alto Pino did a pop up Italian dinner in November of last year at New London Café that was well received. Aldinger said “it was an experiment to see if people in the Duluth area were receptive to the type of food I wanted to do. I wanted to test the waters because I had never run a restaurant before.”

Having recently worked in various Fortune 500 companies in project management and mid-level leadership jobs, she decided she needed a change. “I was tired of sitting at a desk all the time. I wanted to be more physically active and to have more control and be my own boss,” she said, adding that she’s pleased to have a chance to channel both her business acumen and creativity.

The restaurant serves tapas, or small, shareable plates. Lamb skewers have been a popular item since Alto Pino’s inception. A new menu of warm, comfort foods like braised boar osso bucco with polenta ushered in the recent wintery weather. Customers can choose from a variety of unique wines and try a signature cocktail made with mastika, a pine-like liqueur derived from a Mediterranean tree.

Aldinger said the restaurant is “really striving to utilize local ingredients and seasonal ingredients and be mindful of ethical sourcing.” Alto Pino is open Wednesday through Sunday in the evening. Hot tip: bottles of wine are half price on “Sipping Sundays.”

Billings Park Eatery
1802 Iowa Ave, Superior

Located in the former Billings Park Café in Superior, Billings Park Eatery is a “Scandinavian restaurant also serving traditional favorites and baked goods.” According to its Facebook page, the the restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch, except on Fridays when the hours extend into the evening to include a walleye fish fry.

The Superior Telegram reported that customers were enjoying wild rice pancakes and Swedish meatballs on Wednesday’s opening day. Owner Melissa Hyatt is also co-owner of A Dozen Excuses Donuts & More in Superior.

Falastin pop up

Falastin
4721 E Superior Street, Duluth

Falastin opened May 10 in Lakeside in the former New London Café location. Owner Lyla Abukhodair is a Renaissance woman. A talented musician who also holds a master’s degree in social work, she started to think more critically about “how second-generation immigrants are perceived in our part of the world” while studying at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Abukhodair’s father is Palestinian. His family was forced to flee the country when he was young. She grew up in Duluth and acknowledges feeling different as a child, and encountering anti-Arab hate and Islamophobia.

But then there were childhood friends who would come over and enjoy her family’s food traditions. Food was a bridge to understanding. “I have always cared deeply about advocacy and I have alway, always loved food,” she said.

Abukhodair also started thinking entrepreneurially because she wanted to work for herself. She had been helping with pop ups for Fräsch Goods, her mother’s business (which sells products like pickled vegetables, jams and teas) and decided to try a pop up with Palestinian food.

The concept was first tested in 2022 at Dream Cloud Coffee Roasters. The great success of Falastin’s initial forays in the community emboldened her to find a permanent location.

How is business so far? “It’s been going awesome. It’s been amazing,” she said. “I’m really grateful seeing the support for our pop-up transition to a brick and mortar restaurant.” She adds, “I love being in Lakeside, I have so much love for the community here. We have so many regulars — that’s one of the best feelings.”

Two of Falastin’s most popular menu items are sandwiches served on housemade pitas with flavorful accouterments. The falafel is served with tahini sauce, shutta (a Palestinian hot sauce), house-made pickles, lettuce, tomato and onions. The chicken shawarma features spit-roasted meat with garlic sauce, onion, tomato, arugula, shutta, pickled onions, sumac and parsley.

Abukhodair has particularly enjoyed watching customers who are “more used to eating burgers” fall in love with the falafel, which is vegetarian. People are also partial to the fries, made with Food Farm russets and tossed za’atar, an herbal Palestinian spice blend.

Falastin’s recipes are from her parents’ repertoire as well as adapted from some of her favorite cookbooks. She’s worked with her mother and husband to develop the menu and has now assembled a small team of dedicated employees.

The menu will be somewhat determined by season, according to Abukhodair, and will include rotating baked goods, too. Falastin also has unique products for sale and takeaway deli items as well as books about Palestine.

Phởlicious grilled pork vermicelli.

Phởlicious
394 Lake Ave #105, Duluth

Phởlicious opened Nov. 18 in the former Taste of Saigon space in the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace. Jenny Nguyen and husband Joel Perrin are the owners. The entrepreneurial couple owns two other businesses in town, Lux Nails and Spa in the Burning Tree Plaza and Perrin’s Auto Sales on Central Entrance.

According to general manager Peter Neinstadt, the menu features authentic family Vietnamese cuisine. One of the cooks who had been with Taste of Saigon for 20 years stayed on. Nguyen is also cooking. She went to Washington, DC for a week to train and learn from a friend who runs a restaurant in preparation.

“She really wants to share her Vietnamese culture with other people. That’s why she got into the restaurant business — to provide a piece of Vietnamese culture to the public,” Neinstadt said.

The menu is phở-forward with quite a few options for meats, such as steak, brisket, beef tendon, shrimp, fish balls, chicken, tofu and vegetables (though vegetarians should be aware that the soup is made with bone broth).

For those who miss Taste of Saigon egg rolls, Neinstadt offered assurances. “The egg rolls are far beyond what we expected. We’re getting really good reviews.”

Based on patron feedback, the new restaurant added combination meals to the menu. Additionally, some old favorites from Taste of Saigon have been incorporated. Customers can order items like cashew, lemongrass, and sesame chicken — but with a Phởlicious flair.

Nestor Tapia – Photo by Lissa Maki

Emiliano’s
220 W. Superior St, Duluth

Emiliano’s opened in June in the former Toasty’s space next to R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon. Owner Nestor Tapia said he’s proud to have earned a good Google review rating and noted that business has picked up in the evenings since he obtained a liquor license, allowing customers to have a beer or margarita with their meals.

Tapia studied language in college and taught English in Mexico but decided to make a drastic change in 2008. Looking for better opportunities, he came to the United States. It was a cultural shock but he notes that his English fluency has helped him throughout.

A friend in Missouri got him a job at a Mexican restaurant. He started cleaning tables and then worked in the kitchen. “I’ve never been afraid of new things. I learned the whole deal, front and back,” he said, all the while saving his money to eventually open his own restaurant in Duluth.

The restaurant’s décor pays colorful tribute to his country’s culture and history. Tapia said he’s “obsessed” with the Mexican revolution, a social and political uprising that ended the country’s dictatorship. His great grandfather was among the revolutionaries. He welcomes conversations with customers who are interested in the subject.

According to Tapia, the restaurant’s burritos have been popular, especially the Emiliano Zapata, which features ribeye tips, shrimp and chorizo mixed with Spanish rice and refried beans. Additionally, “Our tacos are the bomb. People really love our tortillas,” he said, noting that he sources them from a vendor in Milwaukee. The tacos al pastor are a particular hit. Emiliano’s uses a special marination process for the pork and pineapple specialty dish.

“In the end, Mexican food is Mexican food,” Tapia said, but he noted that the dishes are created from scratch and customers have been wowed by the restaurant’s flavor profiles. “We have a way of mixing spices up for different platters that makes us different.”

Other Notable Newbies

Tom Hanson’s Duluth dining empire has expanded yet again. Last year it was Burger Paradox, this year it’s a gas station chicken shack called Chicken n’ Whaaat!?! that serves up sammies and tenders. The prices aren’t as friendly as Champs but the fried chicken is perfectly textured, even after a car ride. Plus the beef fat fries, flavorful homemade sauces and deep-fried apple hand pies might make up for it.

Boulder Tap House opened in Superior in February on Tower Avenue In the old Grizzly’s location. The focus of the regional chain is appetizers, burgers and beer. The daily specials are worth showing up for. The establishment has 40 rotating tap lines with everything from Pabst to Earth Rider’s Valhalla Scotch Ale and non-alcoholic options as well.

Many Mexican food aficionados were pleased this year when the popular Pedro’s Grill and Catina in Cloquet added a second location in Superior at the old Epic eatery space on Tower Avenue. Same menu, less of a drive for Twin Ports residents.

Fans of healthy eating will appreciate the new option that Ritual Salad & Apothecary adds to the Twin Ports restaurant mix. The Lincoln Park Craft District salad shop that opened in April is a purveyor of salads, bowls and magic. Satisfy your hunger as well as your spiritual needs in one stop. The apothecary stocks items like crystals and smudging sticks.

Smiling Loon Restaurant & Bar opened in September in the former Lake Effect space at Island Lake. Owner Robert Giuliani is serving up “casual comfort and elevated American cuisine.” Patrons can enjoy daily specials and items like wild rice poutine, a beer-battered walleye sandwich and chicken stroganoff.

For those craving Italian beef and Chicago-style hot dogs, there’s now a brick-and-mortar restaurant in West Duluth. The owner of the Tom’s Taste of Chicago food truck opened in the old VIP Pizza location on Grand Avenue in May. Thin-crust pizzas are also available.

Duluth got a lot cheesier in August when Burnett Dairy Cooperative Cheese Store & Bistro opened near Spirit Mountain. The establishment primarily peddles cheese but also has a sit-down spot for patrons to enjoy pizza, appetizers and ice cream.

For details on eating and drinking establishments that closed this past year, read the companion piece to this story, “Black Water Lounge, Chalet among 2024 restaurant closures.”