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Your Twin Cities week: Twins vs. Guardians and Angels at Target Field, Lynx vs. Liberty, Ziggy Marley at The Fillmore, Mill City & Lowertown farmers markets, Asia Village and Banh Mi House openings, plus Minnesota's cannabis testing lab crunch ahead of Aug 1.
George and Laura round up the Twin Cities week of July 6, 2026: patio picks, new openings, sports, live music, and a real cannabis-industry squeeze heading into August 1.
In this episode:
Sources:
Subscribe: mplsvegan.com
George: — and I'm telling you, Laura, I walked over the Stone Arch this morning and it just HIT me. Like, ope, summer's really here.
Laura: George, it's July. Summer's been here.
George: No no, I mean the FEELING. The river smelling like river, the bikes, everybody sunburnt already—
Laura: Everybody sunburnt by like 10am, yeah.
George: You know what I mean though.
Laura: I do know what you mean. It's that Monday-after-a-long-holiday-weekend kind of hum. People are still a little loose.
George: A little loose. I like that.
Laura: My neighbor was grilling at like 9pm last night. On a Sunday. On a WORK night.
George: That's a commitment.
Laura: That's a lifestyle.
George: Weather this week, though — I peeked before we sat down. It's looking like classic Cities July. Warm, sticky, thunderstorm threatening every afternoon and then not showing up.
Laura: The bluff. Every day this week. The sky goes green, you move your car, nothing happens.
George: You move your car for nothing.
Laura: Story of my life.
George: Okay so — patios. That's really where I want to live this week.
Laura: Same. And can we talk food first? Because I feel like the vegan scene right now is having a MOMENT.
George: It really is. And shout to our friends over at mplsvegan.com — that's one of our sponsors, they keep the running list better than anybody.
Laura: They do. Okay so — Herbivorous Butcher.
George: Northeast. Classic.
Laura: I took my cousin there last week, she is NOT vegan, and she got the Italian sub and just... stopped talking. Which, if you know my cousin—
George: That's a review.
Laura: That IS the review.
George: See, my move lately has been J. Selby's over on the St. Paul side.
Laura: The Dilla, right?
George: The Dilla. Every time. I try to order something else, I fail.
Laura: Wow, George, branching out.
George: Listen, when it's right, it's right.
Laura: No, I get it. That's a comfort order.
George: What about Reverie? Have you been lately?
Laura: I haven't been in a minute honestly. Is the patio still—
George: The little side patio, yeah. It's tiny but it's cute. Good for like a slow coffee kind of morning.
Laura: Okay noted. And Hard Times is Hard Times.
George: Hard Times is forever.
Laura: It has not changed in my entire life and I love that about it.
George: You're born, you die, Hard Times is still open at 2am.
Laura: That's on the mural.
George: Put it on a t-shirt.
Laura: Trio in the Wedge though — that's my current one. I go for the buffalo cauliflower and then I'm quiet for the rest of the meal.
George: See I have not been to Trio in — oh, I don't even know. A year maybe?
Laura: George.
George: I know.
Laura: George. Fix that.
George: I will fix it. This week. I'll fix it this week.
Laura: And Hello Pizza in Edina if you're out that direction.
George: Oh, the vegan slice out there?
Laura: Yeah. The vegan slice is legit. Like, LEGIT legit, not "for a vegan slice" legit.
George: That's the tier we want.
Laura: And The Herbalist — have you done The Herbalist?
George: I haven't actually. Confession.
Laura: Okay, homework for you.
George: Homework for me. Trio AND The Herbalist. I'm getting a syllabus over here.
Laura: You signed up for the class.
George: I signed up for the class.
Laura: Oh — and speaking of new stuff. Did you see Banh Mi House opened down in Mill City?
George: I did see that. Downtown location, right?
Laura: Mill City area, yeah. Sandwiches, rice bowls, the iced coffee.
George: That's a really nice add for down there. That neighborhood needed a lunch spot that wasn't twenty bucks a plate.
Laura: EXACTLY. Twenty bucks for a salad, I'm out.
George: Spendy.
Laura: Real spendy.
George: And then out in Blaine — Northtown Mall of all places — there's that new Asian food hall, Asia Village.
Laura: I heard about that! A dozen vendors or so?
George: About a dozen. 85 degrees, a ramen spot, pho, an ice cream place.
Laura: Oday Creamery, I think?
George: That sounds right, yeah.
Laura: Okay so worth the drive?
George: I mean if you're up that way anyway. It just opened middle of June, so give it a beat to find its feet, but—
Laura: But it's the kind of thing you WANT to root for.
George: You want it to work, yeah.
Laura: Yeah.
George: Alright — speaking of things happening this week. Farmers markets are cranking.
Laura: Ohhh Mill City Saturday.
George: Mill City Saturday, 8 to 1, right there off 2nd Street.
Laura: That is my Saturday, honestly. That and a coffee, and I'm set.
George: And on the St. Paul side, Lowertown market is going Saturday AND Sunday this weekend.
Laura: Saturday six to one, Sunday eight to one — that's my mom's spot.
George: The early Saturday hour is CRAZY to me. Six a.m.?
Laura: The tomato people are serious.
George: The tomato people do not mess around.
Laura: You show up at nine, best stuff's gone.
George: Uff da. I sleep too late for that market.
Laura: You do sleep too late for that market. I've heard your morning voice.
George: Rude.
Laura: Loving.
George: Loving-rude.
Laura: Okay, cannabis corner. Let's do it.
George: Cannabis corner. And this is where I want to shout our other sponsor — mncannabishub.com. They've been keeping tabs on all of this and it is a LOT to keep tabs on right now.
Laura: It really is. Do you want the annoying news first or the fun stuff?
George: Ugh, get it out of the way.
Laura: Okay so — the state is in a testing lab crunch right now.
George: Right, one of the labs closed down.
Laura: Legend Technical, mid-June. Shut down their cannabis testing side. So we went from five certified labs to four, and only three fully licensed.
George: And that matters because — every product has to get tested before it hits the shelf.
Laura: Every product. So release timelines are stretching, shelves are thinning out in spots—
George: And this is right before August 1, when most of the omnibus bill provisions kick in.
Laura: You did your reading.
George: I did my reading, Laura.
Laura: I'm proud of you.
George: So basically — if you go into a dispensary this month and something you usually grab isn't there, that's part of why.
Laura: Yeah. Don't yell at the budtender.
George: Don't yell at the budtender!
Laura: They didn't do it.
George: Minnesota nice at the dispensary, please.
Laura: Please and thank you.
George: On the sunnier side — if you're actually a grower, or want to be — the state's CanGrow program has the farmer training grant and the farmer loan grant window open.
Laura: Closes when?
George: 4:30pm, Monday July 13th.
Laura: Oh that's SOON.
George: That is next Monday. So if you're sitting on that application, or you've been meaning to look at it—
Laura: This is your sign.
George: This is your sign.
Laura: I love that that's a real, concrete thing people can actually chase.
George: It's real. It's dated. Go look at it.
Laura: And for the rest of us who are not becoming farmers this week—
George: Not becoming farmers this week.
Laura: — the dispensary lineup is still solid. Wildflower up in the North Loop.
George: I love that patio-adjacent area. You grab a beverage from Stigma, walk the Loop—
Laura: The Stigma THC drinks are so easy in this weather.
George: They really are. Low dose, cold, done.
Laura: Simply Crafted in Northeast if you're already over there for Herbivorous Butcher—
George: See, that's a route. That's a Saturday.
Laura: That's a SATURDAY.
George: Green Goods down in Bloomington, Edina Canna if you're on that side.
Laura: Edina Canna, ope, that's the one I keep forgetting about.
George: The "ope, forgot about you" dispensary.
Laura: Every city has one.
George: Okay — the actual WEEKEND. What's happening.
Laura: Ohhh where do I start.
George: Start with First Ave, because First Ave is stacked.
Laura: First Ave is STACKED this week. Thursday night — Benjamin Tod and Lost Dog Street Band.
George: I don't know them, honestly.
Laura: Okay, so — folky, kind of gritty, real songwriter stuff. If you like that lane, go.
George: Alright, noted.
Laura: Saturday — Bouncing Souls.
George: SKOL to that. The Suicide Machines and Death By Stereo opening?
Laura: Yes sir.
George: That's a NIGHT.
Laura: That is a night. Wear shoes you don't love.
George: Words to live by.
Laura: And then Sunday — completely different vibe — Paul Oakenfold and The Crystal Method.
George: At First Ave? On a Sunday?
Laura: On a Sunday.
George: Wow, that's a Monday morning I'm glad I don't have.
Laura: Someone's calling in "sick" Monday.
George: Ope, whole marketing department is out.
Laura: Whole marketing department. Also — Ziggy Marley at the Fillmore Wednesday.
George: The Brightside Tour, right? With J Boog.
Laura: Yes. Perfect summer show.
George: That's a perfect summer show.
Laura: And on the free-and-outside tip — Summer at The Cedar keeps going Wednesday.
George: Free show at The Cedar. Can't beat free.
Laura: Cannot beat free.
George: What about art?
Laura: Art at St. Kate's on Saturday.
George: Oh nice. On the St. Kate's campus?
Laura: On the campus, yeah. Juried outdoor art fair. It's a whole thing every year.
George: That's a lovely Saturday. That's coffee, art fair, patio dinner.
Laura: That's the day.
George: And sports — Twins are HOME this week.
Laura: Guardians in for three, then the Angels come in Friday.
George: Tuesday and Wednesday, 6:40 first pitch, Thursday's a 12:40 day game—
Laura: Which — day game at Target Field in July? Come on.
George: One of the great pleasures.
Laura: One of the GREAT pleasures.
George: And then Angels Friday night, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Laura: And Lynx are back home Saturday too — New York Liberty at Target Center.
George: That's a big one. Start of a homestand?
Laura: Four-game homestand, yeah, running July 11 through 18.
George: I love that we're in a moment where Lynx tickets are a get.
Laura: It's SO fun. The energy in that building right now is different.
George: It really is.
Laura: Saints are actually out of town — last home game was Sunday the 5th. Next homestand is the 17th.
George: Ope, missed 'em.
Laura: Missed 'em. And Loons are on the road too, next home match is the 25th against Vancouver.
George: So if you want a stadium night — Twins or Lynx are your options.
Laura: Twins or Lynx.
George: That's a good problem.
Laura: That's a good problem to have.
George: Okay, if I had to give one concrete take-this-with-you thing for the week—
Laura: Mmhmm.
George: — I'd say Saturday. Mill City market in the morning, walk over the Stone Arch, lunch at Herbivorous Butcher in Northeast, swing by Simply Crafted while you're there, and land at First Ave for Bouncing Souls.
Laura: That's a MARATHON, George.
George: It's a marathon!
Laura: I love it. That's a whole day.
George: That's a WHOLE day.
Laura: Wear the shoes you don't love.
George: Wear the shoes you don't love, drink water—
Laura: Drink WATER. It's July.
George: Drink water, please.
Laura: Minnesota nice reminder — hydrate.
George: Hydration is Minnesota nice.
Laura: I stand by that.
George: Alright, we should let people get back to their patios.
Laura: We should. Big thanks again to our sponsors — mplsvegan.com, they are the map for the plant-based scene in this town—
George: They really are.
Laura: — and mncannabishub.com, who keep it real on all this fast-moving cannabis stuff we just talked through.
George: Both bookmark-worthy. Both local. Both good people.
Laura: Both good people.
George: Get outside this week, Cities. Try something new. Tip your budtender, tip your server—
Laura: Tip everybody.
George: Tip EVERYBODY.
George: We'll catch you next time.
Laura: Catch you next time. Be nice to each other.
Three times a week, the Twin Cities in 12 minutes. Real restaurants you should try, real local business news, real events worth your weekend. Sponsored by mplsveganhub.com and mncannabishub.com — for serious Minneapolis business owners, also brought to you by Quiet Coyote (quietcoyotemn.com).