Libertine

Now closed, Libertine was born from the clients’ desire to provide Minneapolis’s bustling Uptown neighborhood with a place to call their own. The neighborhood was the location of many “high-concept” endeavors over recent years—the restaurant provided Uptown with an inspired, approachable menu—in a setting that reflected contemporary tastes and real sensibilities.

Existing customer areas were rezoned to improve circulation and provide more intimacy. Layering an eclectic maker-centric texturing of materials and artifacts over a crisp modern framework provided a point-of-view that is real, relevant, and refreshing in a neighborhood full of “me too” concepts.

A unique feature of the restaurant remodel is its “black-box.” It expanded the restaurant on busy nights, supported private parties, and enabled Chef Tim McKee to explore new concepts—a pop-up restaurant within a restaurant that supported the ever-changing demands and desires of the neighborhood.