Sun Street Breads, the beloved bakery and cafe in Minneapolis' Kingfield neighborhood, is gearing up for its final bake. The Nicollet Avenue mainstay will serve its last customers on March 22, 2026, closing out a 15-year run as a neighborhood staple for scratch breads, cinnamon cardamom rolls and those much-loved Thursday pizza nights.
Staffers and a sign posted in the dining room confirm the final service date, with the sign thanking customers for "15 fantastic years." According to Bring Me The News, the bakery set Sunday, March 22 as its last day.
Why The Owners Are Stepping Away
Co-owners Solveig Tofte and Martin Ouimet said they chose not to sign a new five-year lease because "the business model wasn't working any longer," according to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. The couple told the magazine that rising prices for food, equipment repairs and utilities, and a reluctance to saddle longtime customers, many on fixed incomes, with steep price increases made another long lease feel like too big a gamble.
Moon Cow And A New Start In Grand Marais
Tofte and Ouimet will now turn their attention to Moon Cow, a Texas-style barbecue concept they launched at the Nokomis Farmers Market and have already folded into occasional Sun Street specials. The Star Tribune reported the couple hopes to operate a Moon Cow sandwich cart and barbecue trailer in Grand Marais and, if all goes well, begin service in late summer 2026.
A Neighborhood Staple
Sun Street started at the Kingfield Farmers Market before moving into its Nicollet storefront in 2011, building a loyal following for breads and weekend brunch, local coverage shows. The bakery became known for its hands-on bread program, its Downtowner cinnamon spiral and the Thursday pizza night that pulled regulars from across south Minneapolis, according to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.
Part Of A Broader Pattern
Sun Street's planned closing lands amid a steady stream of Twin Cities restaurant and bakery shutdowns in 2025, as operators cite inflation, rising input costs and lease pressure for many exits. Outlets tracking closures, including Eater Twin Cities, have cataloged dozens of recent shutterings across the metro.
Customers hoping for one last loaf or Thursday night pizza have roughly six weeks to visit before the March 22 closing, and the owners say they intend to wind things down in a way that supports staff and respects the neighborhood. "We've done this for 15 years and it's time for something new," Tofte told the Star Tribune, a sentiment the couple says will guide their next chapter.
