As we say hello to 2023, we also say hello to a new and long-awaited opening of Francis! The home of the delicious and killer plant-based burgers in the Twin Cities.

If you haven’t heard yet, Francis Burger Joint has now officially soft-launched its first permanent location in Northeast Minneapolis (2422 Central Ave. NE) and has become the first 100% plant-based menu-filled Bar & Grill.

In an Instagram caption, Francis introduces itself as the following:

We aim to make delicious FOOD that everyone can enjoy. We want to make food that is familiar to those who aren’t strictly plant-based eaters—food that leaves them thinking, “that was great! I could maybe replace a meaty meal with that sometimes!”

Francis, which was started by the trio of Brendan, Garrett, and Lindsey, introduced the Francis journey in Sociable Cider Works’ food truck residency from September 2021 to September 2022. During their time there, the trio work 90% of the hours on the truck with some hours worked by a few friends but managed to build a name for Francis with their amazing vegan burgers, shoestring fries, and homemade sauces.

As their time at Sociable came to a close they shared that they would be taking over a space in NE Minneapolis this past July.

In an article from vegoutmag.com, the author explains that “the Francis team was approached by another local business about taking over their space for a permanent Francis location. “We really wanted to stay part of this neighborhood where we had begun to plant some roots and to have a large space where we could design a large bar and fun dining space. It was a perfect fit,” said Brendan Viele, one of Francis’ founders.”

After a couple of months of having to delay their grand opening, Francis started soft launching back in late December. They started out with takeout only during limited hours with a small menu. But as of this past week, there are finally open and excited to share their creations with the community.

Now that they are open, Francis teamed up with local businesses to ensure they live up to the expectation of being 100% vegan. According to vegoutmag.com, the owners have “consulted local mixologists at the nearby Earl Giles distillery and are even planning to have an old-fashioned soda machine to pair with their burgers and fries.”

As someone who is a burger fanatic, I am so excited to dive into Francis’ menu (which you can view here) and see all of the different burgers I can try!

Visit Francis’ website here, and even follow them on Instagram as they add their personality and really show how excited they are to be a part of the community!

All information is credited to Francis’ Instagram and the article from vegout.com.

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