The duo behind the Twin Cities’ cult-favorite Revival, Thomas Boemer and Nick Rancone, reopened Revival Smoked Meats as a full-service restaurant at a new location in southwest Minneapolis on May 14. The restaurant formerly had counter service at St. Paul’s Keg and Case Market, but that outlet closed in 2021. The new restaurant is in the space previously occupied by Corner Table, also owned by Revival.
“We really wanted to be able to do the barbecue that we love in this new space,” says Boemer, Revival’s chef and co-owner. “This restaurant gave us an ability to bring the full expression of this food out. We wanted to do something more [than counter service]. We had a very strong following at Keg and Case. We can do more with cocktails, appetizers, and desserts in this space.”
The restaurant seats 45 indoors and another 70 on the wraparound patio, and it is available for full buyouts. Some of the items on the menu, including the beef brisket and Carolina-style pork shoulder, are smoked for up to 16 hours. Boemer calls the smoking of these meats a “true labor of love.”
“Barbecue is quintessentially one of the best types of food for bringing people together,” he adds. “You just can’t beat it.”
