Joy Summers

Twin Cities

Food and Drink Reporter at The Minnesota Star Tribune

Food reporter for the Star Tribune. Sporter of mondo sassy pants.

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Articles

The mostly Minnesotan story behind the popular NA drink Sauna Water

Feb 15, 2025 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

Flavored with spruce tips, juniper and cardamom, the collaboration between a brewery and sauna maker is selling out all over the state.
Minnesota restaurants we missed finally returned in 2024

Jan 5, 2025 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

Nostalgia is front and center as Mickey’s Diner, Forepaugh’s, Annie’s Parlour and more reopened.
5 restaurants now open or coming soon to the Twin Cities

Dec 31, 2024 | startribune.com | Joy Summers |Nancy Ngo

Farina Rossa is officially open, Bar Siena in Hopkins offers a sneak peek, a new pho place in Roseville and more restaurant news.
The 5 best things we ate in the Twin Cities area this week

Oct 17, 2024 | startribune.com | Sharyn Jackson |Nancy Ngo |Joy Summers

Green chile chicken and cheese egg rolls at Heather’sLucia’s, the restaurant that pioneered farm-to-table dining in Uptown Minneapolis, closed seven years ago this week. But its legacy lives on, and not just in the culinary realm, but also in personal relationships. It was at Lucia’s that Heather Asbury, a longtime manager, met her best friend Cia Nypower, a chef.
11 great new burgers to try right now in the Twin Cities area

Oct 16, 2024 | startribune.com | Sharyn Jackson |Nancy Ngo |Joy Summers

Bacon goddess wagyu burger at the new upscale Boketto in St. Louis Park comes with truffle fries. (Sharyn Jackson/The Minnesota Star Tribune)BokettoThe bacon goddess wagyu ($30) starts with a thick, steakhouse-style wagyu butter patty and sweetly glazed bacon, then takes a salad-y turn with lettuce, tomato and an avocado-based green goddess dressing. The truffle fries, which are included, are some of the heartiest we’ve encountered, perfectly crisp with the creamiest mashed potato interior.
Krispy Kreme eyes a return to Minnesota

Oct 15, 2024 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

Get your sticky fingers ready for those airy, crackly, sweet treats served by the boxful: It looks like Krispy Kreme is staging a Twin Cities comeback with a new location planned for Fridley. The North Carolina-based chain has submitted plans to convert a former CVS location at 5696 University Av. NE. into a retail shop with a drive-thru and a doughnut factory. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal first reported the story.
New chocolate shop opens in Robbinsdale

Oct 15, 2024 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

Just in time for sugar season, there’s a new chocolatier in town: Cocoa Flake is now open at 4180 W. Broadway, Suite 400, in Robbinsdale. Owner Denny Rain has already been tempting the Twin Cities with her edible art at pop-ups and shops like St. Paul’s Golden Fig, but now she has a full-time home base. Cocoa Flake’s chocolates are beauties to behold. Rain coaxes incredible sheen and texture from the chocolate and imparts dazzling designs and colors to each one.
Could Minneapolis restaurants finally land in the Michelin Guide?

Oct 11, 2024 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

It’s the world’s most coveted honor for restaurants, and if the Minneapolis Downtown Council has its way, the city might finally get the chance to earn Michelin stars. As a part of the Downtown Council’s 2035 Plan to revitalize the city, CEO Adam Duininck will include an effort to woo the Michelin Guide to the Mill City. Duininck previewed the plan at a Financial Executives International Twin Cities event on Oct.
The 5 best desserts our food writers ate in the Twin Cities area this week

Oct 10, 2024 | startribune.com | Sharyn Jackson |Nancy Ngo |Joy Summers

Sweet Potato Layer Cake from DahliaWith dessert on our minds, it was a great time to chase down Dahlia, the pastry and sandwich pop-up from three Travail alums, when it recently landed at Venn Brewing Co. It was nice that we could pre-order, which we did the previous day, since there was a line already forming when we arrived. Seems we ordered just right. Pastry chef Alex Althoff’s apple pie snickerdoodle ($6) with apple pie filling and cinnamon black pepper streusel was a chewy and gooey delight.
With her new cookbook, Zoë François is firmly in her cookie era

Sep 17, 2024 | startribune.com | Joy Summers

The bestselling “Zoë Bakes Cookies” shares recipes, stories and lessons that dot the author’s sweet journey from humble beginnings to awe-inspiring desserts.