Rojo Mexican Grill Plans April Opening for Shoppes at Arbor Lakes
Coming soon to Maple Grove: A new Mexican restaurant that area residents might be familiar with.
The owners of Rojo Mexican Grill plan to open a restaurant in The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. The restaurant would take the spot of the former Patrick’s Bakery & Cafe, which was one of the venues to close at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rojo Mexican Grill has a second location in St. Louis Park’s West End.
“We’ve looked for a number of years to come out here to Maple Grove,” said Michael McDermott, one of the owners. “We’ve tried and tried to find a location.”
Construction at the former bakery and cafe is taking place. McDermott told the Maple Grove City Council this week that the new restaurant plans to open in April.
“So far we’re on schedule to do that,” he said.
The owners of Rojo once operated locations on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, as well as in the North Loop, at Edina’s Southdale Center and Roseville’s Rosedale Center. Only the St. Louis Park location, which opened in 2009, remains.
“It’s been a very successful operation,” McDermott told the council about the West End location.
The Maple Grove location has been in the works over the last few years, but the pandemic delayed those plans.
McDermott said the restaurant expects to hire 50 employees.
The Maple Grove City Council approved an on-sale intoxicating and Sunday sale liquor license for the venue. During the public hearing, one Maple Grove resident expressed support for the new restaurant.
“As a former New Mexican, I think that we really do need a good Mexican restaurant in Maple Grove,” said Susan Devine Keeney.
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