Golden Thyme returns to St. Paul's Rondo as a New Orleans-inspired restaurant
St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood is welcoming a new restaurant with an old legacy.
Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar opened its doors at 934 Selby Ave. on Tuesday. It continues the neighborhood legacy of the Golden Thyme name with a New Orleans-inspired menu.
The restaurant is part of what the Rondo Community Land Trust (CLT) calls "a growing family of businesses" that includes the Golden Thyme Coffee Café at 856 Selby Ave. and aims to build "a dynamic entertainment and hospitality corridor" along Selby between Lexington and Dale Streets.
The first iteration of the Golden Thyme name came as a coffee shop and cafe launched by Mychael and Stephanie Wright in 2000, helping kickstart the revitalization of a long-neglected stretch of Selby Avenue.
The Wrights retired in 2023 and handed control of the site to the Rondo CLT, the Star Tribune reports, who set about finding a new operator and concept for the site.
A plan to open a restaurant with former "Top Chef" contestant Justin Sutherland fell by the wayside following his conviction for making violent threats, with the CLT then engaging Twin Cities restaurateur Randy Norman (Seven Sushi, Norman's Steakhouse).
His new Golden Thyme Restaurant and Bar is heavy on New Orleans and southern classics like shrimp and grits and mac and cheese, with table seating for 45 and space for another 17 at the bar.
The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will begin Sunday brunch service on June 8.
'Golden Thyme represents the resilience and vision of this community,' said Mikeya Griffin, Executive Director of Rondo Community Land Trust (CLT), which owns and operates the restaurant.
"It's not just about bringing back a beloved name, it's about creating new opportunities for local businesses, celebrating our culture, and building a future that honors Rondo's legacy. This project shows what's possible when investment stays rooted in the community.'
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