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George and Laura cover the first-ever Northside Jazz & Heritage Festival, Momo Sushi's Northeast Minneapolis reopening, Lynx vs. Toronto, Twins home games, and what's fresh at Mill City Farmers Market this week.
George and Laura round up the best of the Twin Cities for the week of July 27, 2026 — from a landmark new festival on the Northside to a beloved sushi spot's big comeback in Northeast Minneapolis.
George: —and I'm telling you, Laura, the second that patio umbrella went up at my neighbor's place, it was official. Summer's HERE.
Laura: George, it's been summer. It's July 27th. You're a little late to your own party.
George: Ope, okay, fair. But you know what I mean. There's, like, the calendar version of summer, and then there's the vibe version.
Laura: Mm, the vibe version.
George: The vibe version. When every single patio on West 7th in St Paul is full and nobody's checking the time.
Laura: Okay, that I'll give you. West 7th on a Saturday right now? Forget it. You're not getting a table.
George: You're not getting a table, you're not getting parking, you're not getting a moment of peace, and everybody's happy about it.
Laura: That's Minnesota in a nutshell, honestly. We wait nine months and then complain we can't get a seat.
George: Exactly. We EARNED this.
Laura: We earned it. Speaking of earning it — did you make it out at all this past weekend?
George: I did, actually. I mostly wandered. Stone Arch Bridge, did the whole thing.
Laura: On foot?
George: On foot. I know, I know, everybody's on a bike, on a scooter, on whatever. I walked. Like a boring person.
Laura: Like a boring OLD person, is what you mean.
George: Hey now—
Laura: I'm kidding. Kind of.
George: The bridge was packed though. Families, couples, dogs, everybody just... out.
Laura: That's my favorite version of the Cities. When it's warm and people remember they have neighbors.
George: Yes! That's the exact feeling. Did you get out?
Laura: I did. I actually went to the Northside Jazz and Heritage Festival on Sunday.
George: Oh, hold on — the first-ever one?
Laura: The first-ever one. Down at West Broadway and West River Parkway. Free, all day, jazz, soul, gospel.
George: And how was it? Because I saw MPR News talking about it and I got a little emotional about the whole thing, honestly.
Laura: George, it was beautiful. It was BEAUTIFUL. And I say that as somebody who grew up over there.
George: I was gonna say. This one hits different for you.
Laura: It hits so different. Because the Northside has a jazz and soul and gospel history that most people who aren't from there just... don't know about. And here we finally are, celebrating it, on the riverfront, in the sun.
George: That's a good day.
Laura: That's a good day. And it's the FIRST one. So it's gonna grow.
George: I gotta go next year. Non-negotiable.
Laura: You better. I'll drag you.
George: Okay, quick reality check for people driving around right now — the weather. What are we actually looking at this week?
Laura: Classic late-July Cities weather. Warm, sticky, thunderstorm might roll through, it'll clear out, patios will be fine again by dinner.
George: You betcha. That's the pattern.
Laura: The pattern.
George: I always tell people from out of town — don't cancel your plans because of the radar. Wait forty minutes.
Laura: Forty minutes and a coffee, you're back on the patio.
George: Or a pop.
Laura: Or a pop, George. Yes.
George: Had to.
Laura: You did NOT have to.
George: Alright, food. Can we do food? Because I have been on a thing.
Laura: What kind of thing?
George: A plant-based thing. Like, seriously. I've been leaning way in this summer.
Laura: Really? George, this is news.
George: I know, I know. Look, my doctor said some things, my knees said some things—
Laura: Your knees said some things.
George: —and I've been hitting Herbivorous Butcher way more than I ever thought I would.
Laura: In Northeast?
George: In Northeast, yeah. The Arts District spot. And I gotta tell you, I'm a convert on the deli case. I really am.
Laura: Okay, I'll give you Herbivorous Butcher. That's an easy on-ramp for someone like you.
George: What do you mean "someone like me"?
Laura: Someone who, you know, thinks vegan food is going to be a sad little pile of lettuce.
George: I have NEVER said that.
Laura: You have absolutely thought it.
George: Okay, in my HEART maybe. But my heart has been corrected.
Laura: Good. Because there's so much more out there. Have you been to Trio Plant-Based?
George: I have not. That's the one I keep meaning to.
Laura: You gotta. It's warm, it's cozy, the food actually tastes like food.
George: See, that phrase is doing a lot of work for you.
Laura: Because it should!
George: Fair.
Laura: And J. Selby's over in St Paul — if you have not had those, like, big messy sandwiches — I don't even know how to describe them.
George: I've heard so much about J. Selby's. I've never been.
Laura: George.
George: I know.
Laura: GEORGE.
George: I know, I know, put it on the list.
Laura: Put it on the list. Actually put it on the list, don't just say "put it on the list."
George: Fine. It's on the list. Written down.
Laura: And Reverie is right there in South Mpls if you want more of a hangout vibe.
George: Reverie's the one where it's kinda coffeeshop, kinda restaurant, kinda—
Laura: Kinda everything, yeah. It shifts throughout the day.
George: I love that.
Laura: And Hard Times, obviously.
George: Hard Times is an INSTITUTION.
Laura: An institution. Open forever. Full stop.
George: You want a specific pizza rec, though? Hello Pizza over in Edina is doing plant-based stuff that would fool anyone.
Laura: I actually didn't know they had plant-based options. That's news to me.
George: Yeah! They've been on it.
Laura: See, and I'm supposed to be the one telling YOU about the vegan spots.
George: Table's turned, Laura. Table has turned.
Laura: One time. This is one time.
George: The Herbalist too, that's another one I've been hearing about.
Laura: The Herbalist is good. Small, thoughtful, seasonal.
George: Seasonal is the word for right now, honestly. Speaking of — farmers market weekend is HAPPENING.
Laura: Oh, this is a good moment for it. Mill City is open Saturday, eight to one, right there at the Museum.
George: Next market's this Saturday, August 1st.
Laura: August 1st, wow, we are almost into August.
George: Don't say that out loud.
Laura: I have to say it out loud. That's my job.
George: Right, right.
Laura: And Mill City is the big one people know, but Meet Minneapolis has been putting the word out that Midtown, Kingfield, Linden Hills, and the historic Lyndale market are all mid-season right now.
George: So you have OPTIONS.
Laura: You have options. Pick the one closest to you and just go.
George: I love the Kingfield one. Small, feels like a neighborhood.
Laura: Kingfield's my Saturday if I'm not going to Mill City.
George: And the produce right now is peak.
Laura: PEAK. Tomatoes coming in, corn, all of it.
George: This is the moment.
Laura: This is the moment. Also, quick — new food news. Did you hear Momo Sushi is back?
George: Yes! On Hennepin, Northeast side.
Laura: In the old Beast Barbecue space. Bigger footprint now, and they have a PATIO.
George: A patio! In July! Perfect timing.
Laura: Perfect timing. And the owner said they're keeping the original menu, which is what people were nervous about.
George: That's the right call. Don't fix what's not broken.
Laura: Don't fix what's not broken.
George: Also — and this one's a little further out, but — Asia Village up in Blaine, at Northtown Mall.
Laura: I've been meaning to check that out. Have you been?
George: I haven't yet, honestly. I don't know a ton about it, I just know it opened in June and people are still lining up.
Laura: A food hall situation?
George: Food hall, about a dozen vendors, Asian food focus, and MSP Mag had a whole write-up.
Laura: I gotta drive up. That's a whole afternoon.
George: It's a road trip.
Laura: And can we mention — Summer Restaurant Week just wrapped up.
George: Right, ran through the 20th.
Laura: Sixty-plus restaurants, prix-fixe menus in the fifteen to fifty dollar range.
George: Which sounds like just a promotion, but I want people to hear this — for a lot of these indie spots, Restaurant Week is a REAL lifeline mid-summer.
Laura: It IS a real lifeline. Because July and August can be tricky.
George: People think summer is a boom for restaurants, and yeah, patios help, but people also travel, they're at the cabin, they're up north—
Laura: —up at the lake, not eating out in the Cities.
George: Exactly.
Laura: So Restaurant Week fills that gap. Smart programming.
George: Real smart. And I love that it's a chance to try somewhere spendy for like, way less.
Laura: Spendy. George.
George: What!
Laura: I love you. Never change.
George: I won't. I can't. Which is a good segue actually — sponsor moment.
Laura: Sponsor moment.
George: mplsvegan.com is our friends. Everything we just talked about food-wise, plant-based side, they have the maps, the guides, they keep it updated.
Laura: Which is huge, because places open and close and shift menus and it's hard to keep up.
George: It's really hard to keep up. So go check them out. mplsvegan.com.
Laura: mplsvegan.com. Alright — cannabis corner?
George: Cannabis corner! Let's do it.
Laura: There's an actual update this month, from the OCM. You want the numbers?
George: Hit me.
Laura: As of July 13th — three thousand five hundred and forty-one total license applications statewide.
George: That's a lot.
Laura: Two hundred and eighty-one licenses actually issued so far. Another thirteen hundred and eight preliminarily approved.
George: So the pipeline is filling up.
Laura: Pipeline is filling up. And here's the number I actually think matters — combined medical plus adult-use sales just hit about twenty-two million a month.
George: A MONTH?
Laura: A month. Record.
George: Uff da.
Laura: Uff da is right. And there's over a hundred active retail dispensaries operating statewide now.
George: A hundred. That's — a year and a half ago we were counting them on two hands.
Laura: Two hands, maybe not even.
George: And the map is filling out. Otter Tail County just got its first state-licensed shop, up in Vergas.
Laura: Full Spectrum Dispensary, opened July 3rd.
George: Which is a big deal for that part of the state.
Laura: It's a big deal. Because a lot of Greater Minnesota has been waiting.
George: They've been waiting. And this is the point I keep making — this rollout was never gonna be fast. But it's happening.
Laura: It is happening. And here in the Cities, obviously, we've had options for a minute now.
George: We have. Wildflower up in the North Loop is a nice one to walk into.
Laura: Wildflower is beautiful, actually. It doesn't feel like a dispensary, it feels like a store.
George: Yeah, it's designed. Somebody cared.
Laura: Somebody cared. Simply Crafted over in Northeast is another one I like.
George: Simply Crafted has been in Northeast forever, feels like.
Laura: Feels like it. And Green Goods down in Bloomington if you're on that side of town.
George: Edina Canna if you're in the west metro.
Laura: If you want the beverage lane, Stigma THC Beverages — really good if you're the person at the barbecue who's driving and doesn't want a beer but wants something.
George: That is EXACTLY what those are for.
Laura: That's exactly what they're for.
George: Oh — and one more OCM thing, before we move on. The public petition window for new products and categories closes 4pm on July 31st.
Laura: This Friday.
George: This Friday. So if you're in the industry, or you care about what shows up on shelves — that's your window.
Laura: That's your window. Which is a good spot for our second sponsor.
George: mncannabishub.com.
Laura: mncannabishub.com. They track the licenses, they track the openings, they track exactly what we just talked about — because otherwise, how are you keeping up with any of this?
George: You're not. Nobody's keeping up.
Laura: Nobody's keeping up.
George: Okay, weekend vibes. What's happening?
Laura: A lot, honestly. First Ave has stuff all week.
George: What's on the calendar?
Laura: Tonight — well, Monday the 27th — Audrey Hobert, 7:30.
George: Which is TODAY.
Laura: Which is today, so if you're listening in the morning, there's still time.
George: Still time!
Laura: Friday the 31st is the Hot In Herre 2000s dance party, nine PM.
George: Oh, that's just fun.
Laura: That is just fun. And then next Wednesday, August 5th, Tomahawk's in.
George: Nice range. Something for everybody.
Laura: Something for everybody.
George: Theater side — Wicked is at the Orpheum this weekend.
Laura: Which is huge. And they're doing a sensory-friendly performance, which I love.
George: I love that too. That matters.
Laura: That matters a lot.
George: And sports — the Twins have the A's at Target Field this weekend. Then Royals on Thursday the 30th, afternoon game, 12:40.
Laura: A day game. That's the vibe.
George: Day game, patio afterwards, done deal.
Laura: Done deal. Lynx are back from the All-Star break, hosting Toronto tomorrow, Tuesday the 28th, Target Center.
George: The Lynx have been fun.
Laura: The Lynx have been fun. And Minnesota United hosts San Diego FC on Saturday the 1st at Allianz.
George: Skol.
Laura: Skol, wrong team, George.
George: I know, I know, I just get excited.
Laura: I know you do.
George: And then Leagues Cup after that — FC Juárez on the 4th, Tigres on the 7th.
Laura: Big couple weeks at Allianz.
George: Big couple weeks. Saints are on the road but they're back August 4th through the 9th, hosting Louisville.
Laura: CHS Field on a summer night is unbeatable.
George: Unbeatable.
Laura: Okay, one takeaway. If you take one thing from us today.
George: One thing. What's your one thing?
Laura: My one thing is — Saturday morning, farmers market. Any of them. Whichever one is closest. Just GO.
George: That's a good one.
Laura: What's yours?
George: Mine's a little different. Mine is — try one plant-based spot you've never tried. Just one. From the list.
Laura: Look at you.
George: I mean it. J. Selby's, Trio, Reverie, whatever. Just one.
Laura: I'm proud of you, George.
George: Thank you, Laura.
Laura: And that's kind of what patio season IS, right? Trying stuff. Wandering.
George: Wandering. Sitting outside. Talking to your neighbors.
Laura: Minnesota nice, in the wild.
George: Minnesota nice, in the wild. Alright — sponsors one more time.
Laura: mplsvegan.com for everything plant-based in the Cities.
George: mncannabishub.com for everything cannabis in Minnesota.
Laura: Both of them keep us on the air, both of them do real work covering this stuff.
George: Real work. Go show them love.
Laura: Get outside this week, folks.
George: Drink some water, wear a hat, tip your server.
Laura: Tip your server, always.
George: We'll catch you next time.
Laura: Catch you next time.
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).