Hopkins Food Scene: Part One
The Heavy Table Churn newsletter for September 20, 2024
This edition of the Churn was written by Amy Rea.
This is Daisy.
Daisy is my behaviorally challenged canine delinquent, kicked out of multiple doggie daycares for not playing nicely with the other dogs. It wasn't just the doggie daycares that were a problem; we live in a densely populated area full of other dogs, and Daisy’s attitude tended toward the combative. But after many sessions with various trainers and classes, we discovered what works for us: A doggie daycare in Hopkins that's staffed by trainers who work with problem behaviors, rather than kicking the dog out.
Even better? Daisy loves her visits there. Win-win. Her behavior has improved, she's having fun, all good.
Except for the pesky fact that the dropoff and pickup times at the daycare are right in the morning and afternoon rush hours, and I live on the other side of the metro. It quickly became clear that it made sense to spend doggie daycare time stationed in Hopkins, working remotely. Right off the bat I found indie coffee and tea shops, and a cafe serving breakfast, and then I learned about a Somali eatery open in the mornings.
It wasn't until I took a long walk along Hopkins' Mainstreet (that's how they spell it; so far, no one I've asked has known why) that I began to realize there's something going on in Hopkins. Specifically, along an 11-block stretch of Mainstreet, there are no fewer than 22 indie food and drink places.
Sure, there are also a couple of chains, including Chipotle, but they're vastly outnumbered. It appears the city of Hopkins is supportive of these places, as several locations have temporary sidewalks constructed into the street parking area, allowing the eateries to have sidewalk space for patios. (There's plenty of free parking in Hopkins, so no worries.)
There was nothing for it but for Heavy Table to take this on as a mini-version of our longer geographic deep dives, including Central Avenue and Lake Street. Without further ado, our irongutted and intrepid food writer (Amy Rea), photographer (Brenda Johnson), and illustrator (Clara Emma) present the first of a series of four stories covering the indies on Mainstreet.
HOPKINS FOOD SCENE, PART ONE
We kick off our visits to Hopkins with stops at Amy’s Cupcake Shoppe, Pink Ivy, Pango’s, The Vine Room and Tibet Corner.
By Amy Rea, Brenda Johnson, and Clara Emma
Amy's Cupcake Shoppe | 701 Mainstreet, Hopkins, Minn. | 952.479.7516
Our first stop was Amy's Cupcake Shoppe which had just opened for the day at 9 a.m. Friendly staff welcomed us, as did the sizable cases showcasing cupcakes, cookies, macarons, and waffles. At that time of day, the sun was pouring through the large east-facing windows, which was a bit blinding (and potentially uncomfortably warm if we'd been there longer). A staffer who told us she was on her second day did a great job of explaining some of the flavors and deferred to a more experienced staffer when she got stuck. The bakery has rows of everyday offerings along with daily and weekly specials.
There were temptations galore, and we started with the Liege Waffle ($4), a variation on a Belgian waffle that has pearls of sugar embedded throughout. Or so we were told; a few bites in, we couldn't detect any. It was mild and a bit stale in texture.
Not the greatest start, but things improved when we tried the Pumpkin Caramel Cookie Sammich ($5). This chonker had a good amount of buttercream filling that was rich and soft, a good contrast to the crunchy cookies that tasted like pumpkin and carrot cake at the same time. (There may have been one of our group who bought an extra to take home for her daughter.)
Of course we had to try cupcakes, since that's the shop's name. The choices were almost overwhelming from traditional flavors such as salted caramel chocolate, along with some not-so-typical flavors. We chose to try the Arnie Palmer Cupcake ($4). It's a strange concept for a cupcake, but it worked. The lemon flavor was stronger than the iced tea flavor, but it was refreshing and craveable.
The surprise of the day was the Gluten-Free, Vegan Key Lime Cupcake ($5). Admittedly, our hopes on this one were low, having tried a few too many sad gluten-free and/or vegan baked goods. But this one won us over. Was it as luxurious as the Arnie Palmer? Not quite. But at the same time, its texture was close to the non-gluten-free/vegan cupcake, and even the vegan buttercream on top was almost as rich and smooth as its dairy-laden counterpart.
Would we go back? Absolutely.
Pink Ivy Kitchen and Bar | 712 Mainstreet, Hopkins, Minn. | 952.600.7290
Right across from Amy's is Pink Ivy, one of the newer eateries on Mainstreet. Whereas Amy's was casual with a friendly charm, Pink Ivy is clearly striving toward something more upscale. The interior had us oohing and aahing over its nods to Art Deco with more than a little sense of fun. It commits to using color and splashy local art on the walls. Even the table settings with their gold silverware managed to give off both upscale and fun vibes. Our server was clearly experienced in working in upper-end restaurants, presenting just the right balance of warmth and professionalism.
One of our group acknowledged how fun the interior was, then noted, "This must be where the ladies of Hopkins lunch." Whether good or bad, that was largely the case. By noon, it was hopping with women of all ages, some of whom brought husbands. Our guess is that the clientele probably changes once late afternoon rolls around.
The menu prices reflect Pink Ivy's commitment to higher-end dining. We were there for lunch service, but the lunch and dinner menus are fairly similar. There are a few more options at dinner, and other items are just recategorized (the Ivy Burger, shown under Sandwiches and Burgers on the lunch menu, becomes a Large Plate at dinner, even though the price is the same for both). We were curious as to what our opinions would be not only regarding the quality of the food, but if it was worth the prices being charged.
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