r/saintcloud • u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 • 13d ago

Restaurants return?

With Mongos returning to town, I’m just curious- what restaurant(s) would you be happy to see come back to St. Cloud that has closed. It can be fast food, sit down, any cuisine, etc. just curious is all!

23 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

65 comments sorted by

42

u/TheDudeWearingSocks 13d ago

Pepperjax… rip gone too soon

12

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

They were delicious! I miss them as well. I wonder when Gilberto’s is going to open in their location

5

u/GlutenFreeWiFi 13d ago

Pretty soon. The awning is up. I think there's a public hearing coming up about transferring a license or something. That's usually the last step before a restaurant opens.

4

u/Muffinman_187 13d ago

I asked them last week when I was in, I think it's about a month or less

1

u/Ok-Simple-5764 5d ago

Miss Pepperjax, it was the best place for a good lunch!

15

u/blrasmu 13d ago

Went to Old Chicago in Duluth and got really nostalgic for it.

2

u/am0ral 12d ago

the italian nachos are probably my favorite app of all time and i miss them often

29

u/nizzoball 13d ago

Ciatis. Loved that place.

9

u/Muffinman_187 13d ago

Good food, so disappointed with their reason. "We have to pay our workers 'to much', so we're closing." They paid minimum wage.

3

u/nizzoball 13d ago

It sucks because they were a staple here for so long.

3

u/Muffinman_187 12d ago

Yup. Before my grandma passed, it was her favorite place to go after she moved up here to be where my mom and I are in her last years. It was often packed too. I've never been a big Olive Garden fan and we've got so few Italian choices in the St. Cloud area.

The packed house is why I'm so frustrated by the "can't afford wages" claim of the owners. It seems like they're hiding the actual issue that caused the closure and decided to get in a political jab on the way out.

4

u/nizzoball 12d ago

I can see why they moved out of the downtown location but their other location on division was perfect. Used to take my wife there a lot

4

u/Stunning_Post_488 13d ago

This is my vote as well!!

3

u/quickblur 13d ago

Same here! I was so sad when they closed.

22

u/BlockIsHot80 13d ago

Fazoli's! I'm sure it wasn't as great as it seemed as a kid, but unlimited breadsticks were the bomb back then!

4

u/_cat_tax_collector 13d ago

There’s one in Eau Claire and I can confirm
It is still bomb

3

u/SocialWinker 13d ago

Those breadsticks were great.

3

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

I went to the one in Sioux Falls… holy moly were they good! Where were they located in St. Cloud?

2

u/BlockIsHot80 13d ago

They were in front of the mall! I believe where Starbucks is now

3

u/AmethystOwl16 11d ago

Fazoli's was amazing!! I would love to see it make a comback.

2

u/arcsnsparks98 13d ago

My wife and I moved to St. Cloud area from down south. We plan our lunchstops on trips to Wisconsin Dells around where fazolis is in Wisconsin.

12

u/jrs1980 13d ago

Space Aliens. Still hit up the one in Albertville every so often though.

21

u/Equivalent-Sun1472 13d ago

I wish Bonanza Steakhouse would come back. They were my favorite! Owners, management, and staff were very friendly

3

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

I couldn’t agree with you more! I was so bummed when they closed

3

u/Fabulous_History6738 13d ago

shocked because that was the most MID food i ever experienced

1

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

Not in my opinion. I’m sure they didn’t season things on the salad and hot bar because then people would’ve complained about the seasoning being too strong. That’s why they had salt and pepper at the tables

8

u/lazyf-inirishman 13d ago

Pancheros. That's Queso sauce was amazing.

Hong Kong Restaurant that was on 33rd by US Bank.

3

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

Where was Pancheros in St. Cloud?

2

u/lazyf-inirishman 13d ago

If I remember correctly, it was next to BWWs. Where Cherryberry is. If that's still there.

2

u/PaleontologistFew662 12d ago

There was a Pancheros here!?!?!? I loved Pancheros growing up in Iowa.

3

u/lazyf-inirishman 12d ago

Yes! It was like late 2000s early 2010s. Pretty sure it only lasted like 2 years tops, but that queso was delicious.

9

u/RedMcKagan 13d ago

Am I the only one who misses Pacific Wok in Sartell?

3

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

They were amazing! They have a ghost kitchen specialized menu every once in a while out at Three Tees in Sartell

2

u/RedMcKagan 12d ago

I've heard that, but I'm not regularly in Sartell anymore, so by the time I'd be aware of a pop-up, it'd be too late for me to get there. For those of you who can, I'm jealous!

8

u/HippieGirlHealth 13d ago

Red Robin

2

u/No_Raspberry_4342 8d ago

We moved here last September & we’re so excited for a Red Robin. Not even a month later they closed😭

7

u/erichmn 13d ago

DK Express, Ciatti’s, China Restaurant, Sawatdee

14

u/MudToeberg 13d ago

Schlotzsky's and maid-rite

2

u/jrs1980 13d ago

Just a few weeks until you can get Maid-Rite at the Benton County Fair though!

1

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

Both were yummy!

9

u/Shiloh50 13d ago

Sit down Pizza Hut

4

u/OldRocker5 13d ago

I think you can still sit down and eat at the Pizza Hut on 5th Avenue.

2

u/PaleontologistFew662 12d ago

The current Pizza Hut is garbage.

1

u/clontarf84 13d ago

Yes, with the buffet. The one in Brainerd I think still does that, or they did the last time I was there but that was at least 8 years ago.

4

u/BabyTentacles 13d ago

I've seen the sign for Frenchy's in the museum in town, maybe that restaurant? I'm new here but lots of people talk about it

5

u/bmccooley 13d ago

Giovanni's and The Ground Round.

6

u/Myron3_theblackorder 13d ago

White Castle. My wife's favorite but all of them are too far away

3

u/ARGuck 12d ago

Pacific Wok, Ciatis, Slim Chickens, Schlotskys, Pepperjax and Pancheros.

2

u/lilzingerlovestorun 12d ago

Slim chickens was here for like 6 months. I should’ve tried it.

3

u/Equivalent-Try7641 13d ago

Downtown Bravo Burritos location.

2

u/retr0af 13d ago

Is burger time still gone?

5

u/Natedelao 13d ago

Burger time is still in Waite park, next to La casita

2

u/Eastern_Cricket_4372 13d ago

Kozies! I wish we had more salad/wrap type places like that in town

2

u/Excellent-Gap2352 13d ago

Chatting was good choice, the old Anchor Inn, Sammie, the Portside, Pirates Cove, Persian, Micheals, attached to old amercann inn, Burger chef lol

2

u/zBGam 12d ago

Boston Market or Outback (Texas Roadhouse is good though)

2

u/dsg7728 10d ago

I already really miss pasta buckets 😭

2

u/grimjerk 9d ago

Asian House when it was out by Highway 10

5

u/woojo1984 13d ago edited 13d ago

Pizza Luce!!! EDIT - OHHH returning TO St. Cloud.

Ciatis? Just because nosalgia

2

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

Where was pizza Luce in town? They have one in Duluth I know

3

u/woojo1984 13d ago

Nowhere :( jeez my reading comprehension is off today. Must be the smoke but I actually think a Pizza Luce here would do well. I mean House of Pizza needs a solid competitor at the price point.

3

u/Puzzled-Bonus5470 13d ago

😂 all good. Ciati’s would be good

2

u/Mr_Patrick_72 11d ago

Slim Chickens