2022 in Review: It was a flavorful year for new food choices in Rochester
Dec. 28—ROCHESTER — Rochester grew more flavorful in 2022 as the Med City menu expanded by several restaurants and shops.
Here is a sampling of the places that started cooking, pouring and scooping in the past year.
—One of the biggest launches was all about family as cousins Jordan Victoria and Nadia Victoria launched
a "little sister"
for their family's popular Rochester restaurant — Victoria's Ristorante & Wine Bar.
The cousins turned a very utilitarian 4,100-square-foot bank building at 1155 16th St. SW into an elegant and welcoming restaurant and bar
they called Sorellina's
. Hungry Rochester diners quickly discovered the cozy Italian bistro that serves familiar Victoria's favorites like Mechis Chicken as well as unique Sorellina dishes and cocktails.
—The national food trend of bowls of Açaí berry sorbet with various healthy toppings rolled into Rochester in 2022 with two shops — Nautical Bowls and Bloom Açai Café — opening for business.
In June, restaurateur Jeff Kothenbeutell, known for the popular Beetles Bar & Grill, opened
a Nautical Bowls franchise
in a 1,000-square-foot space at 230 20 Ave. SW in the Second Street Southwest commercial center anchored by Beetle's.
Following a similar path, Med City entrepreneur
Sarah Kirklin Pacchetti opened Bloom Açai Café
within the First Alliance Credit Union Center at 2483 Commerce Drive NW in August. Bloom serves gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based bowls of sorbets, fruits, nut-butters, seeds and more
Pacchetti, known in Rochester for her Home Instead in-home senior care services firm as well as a previous downtown dance studio project, launched the original concept after falling in love with açai bowls in 2021.
—Red Cow
, a well-known Minnesota bar and grill brand, brought its gourmet burgers and beer menu to the Med City in August. This is the first location outside of the Twin Cities for owners Luke Shimp and Tracy Bachul.
It started cooking in a 6,000-square-feet of commercial space on the street level of the Berkman apartment complex and hotel at 217 14th Ave. SW. That is just across the street from Mayo Clinic's Saint Marys Hospital.
—In April, a very active restaurant and bar with two types of kitchens served up a new concept to Rochester in the Haley Center — formerly Shopko North — at 3708 N. Broadway.
Chip Shots
, an entertainment center with three indoor pickleball courts, six golf/sport simulators, indoor bean bags on artificial turf and table tennis as well as a bar and kitchen. It is the brainchild of a local group of owners who include brothers Nick and Nate Vreeman, Dave Kinneberg, Ryan Utterback as well as Rochester's Stationary Astronaut group, which is owned by former Minnesota Viking player Marcus Sherels and Nick McLaughlin.
—Francisco and Maria Lopez added a new type of frozen treat shop to Rochester, when they opened
La Michoacana Purépecha
in August.at 28 Ninth St. SE
Based on a popular Mexican treat shop concept, La Michoacana Purépecha's menu has more than 50 flavors of fresh fruit popsicles called paletas and more than 30 flavors of handmade ice cream as well as yogurt dishes, fruit cups and Mexican snacks.
—A new snack shop of a different type —
Popus Gourmet Popcorn
— popped up in downtown Rochester in December.
D'Angelo Tines and his parents, Jenny and David Tines launched the popcorn business at 23 Second St. SW in the historic Odd Fellows Building. It is a satellite of the concept created in Illinois by D'Angelo's cousin, Walter Dean.
Popus makes all of its popcorn fresh daily and chooses up to 25 of its 50 flavors, like Sriracha or Fruit Explosion, to serve up each day.
