March 24, 2022

The Tavern Grill, a restaurant that began in the Twin Cities, is planning to open a Sioux Falls location.

It will fill the long-vacant Spezia space in the Beakon Centre at 57th Street and Louise Avenue.

The Tavern Grill was founded in 2009 with Tavern on France, located on France Avenue in Edina, Minnesota.

It then expanded to Blaine, Minnesota, and now has eight locations between Minnesota and North Dakota.

“I’ve had my eye on Sioux Falls for a while because of my personal appreciation for the market, and I think it’s going to be a home run,” said Tim Cary, owner and president of Hemisphere Restaurant Partners.

“It’s a great location, and I like the market because it’s a regional hub for recreation, banking, dining and retail. I’ve spent a lot of time in the market over the years, and I’ve seen it grow up.”

The Tavern Grill offers 65 chef-designed menu items, and “everything is made in house,” Cary said, including soups, sauces and marinades, “so the value proposition is very high. You get a great plate of food. It’s what we call polished casual.”

The menu features build-your-own sections with nearly limitless combinations. For burgers, there are nine choices for breads alone, plus 10 cheeses, more than a dozen toppings, meat and nonmeat additions and dipping sauces.

There’s a similar broad selection for salads and pizzas, in addition to chef-created dishes ranging from pastas to steaks, salmon, tuna and a large appetizer menu.

“It’s all fresh product, top-of-the-line meat,” Cary said. “On the tabletop, there’s a caddy with check box menus so people can have fun with it, and it’s interactive as you pick and choose.”

The Tavern Grill also offers a Sunday brunch buffet and is open for lunch and dinner daily.

“They have a broad menu that I think will appeal to a wide range of people, and it’s going to be a good concept,” said Scott Blount of Lloyd Cos., who leased the space.

“Spezia was built a specific way and compartmentalized some things, but they’ll open up the space a bit, and they’re excited about being here.”

When he learned the group was looking for a location, Blount said he immediately thought of the former Spezia.

“We have always had a great relationship with (retail center co-owner) Kent Cutler and the group that manages that property. I’m excited about it and happy that Lloyd Cos. and the Cutlers have always had a great working relationship, and we just appreciate this opportunity.”

The Tavern Grill plans to completely renovate the space, Cary said.

“It’s significant. We’re going to gut it out,” he said. “So everything from walls, textures, colors, furniture, fixtures, everything will be new.”

There will be three private dining spaces of various sizes, plus patio seating.

“Sioux Falls has a nice wraparound patio, and there will be half the bar inside the building and half the bar facing the patio, so you can sit outside on the patio at the bar,” Cary said.

The hope is to be open by late August to still capture part of patio season.