Aki's BreadHaus has been tapped to run the Trailhead Cafe at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, bringing the neighborhood bakery's coffee, bread and pastries into the park's busy visitor hub this spring. The local favorite is slated to take over the cafe space in early May, as managers ready the building for a new tenant. The match pairs a community-focused operator with a facility that hosts a packed year-round calendar of outdoor activities.
According to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Aki's emerged as the winning bidder in the Trailhead selection process. In a story published April 30, 2026, the Business Journal identified the bakery as the incoming cafe concession operator, in what appears to be the first public report naming the new tenant.
The Trailhead and the RFP
The Trailhead is a roughly 3,500-square-foot indoor gathering space with a 625-square-foot kitchen, an outdoor patio, and a bike-and-ski rental area. The Loppet Foundation estimates the site draws hundreds of thousands of visits each year, a steady stream of skiers, hikers, and bikers who could probably use a carb boost.
As outlined in the Loppet Foundation Request for Proposals, the foundation and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board sought a year-round concession operator that could serve coffee, beer, wine, and food, and support on-site events. The RFP set a goal of having a new operator in place by May 1, 2026.
About Aki's BreadHaus
Aki's BreadHaus is a Northeast Minneapolis bakery known for German-style breads, a community focus and regular appearances at local markets. The business lists a storefront at 1712 Marshall St. NE.
The bakery's website highlights retail hours, wholesale options, and event services, all of which point to experience with catering and pop-ups. That background makes Aki's a logical fit for a cafe tied to an active outdoor venue where crowds ebb and flow with the weather and event schedule.
What to Expect at the Cafe
The RFP described concession services that include coffee, beer, and wine, and food, and it encouraged proposals that would provide catering for community events and private gatherings. The Trailhead's cafe space has service windows to both the interior and the patio and is intended to operate year-round to serve trail users and event crowds.
Aki's selection suggests baked goods and coffee will be part of the initial offering, with fuller menu details and hours still to be confirmed by the bakery. For now, park regulars can reasonably assume that fresh bread and outdoor trails will be sharing top billing at the visitor hub.
Timeline and Approvals
The selection process began with an RFP released in December 2025 and included walkthroughs and proposal presentations before a committee recommendation. The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board reviewed those recommendations in March, and the posted schedule called for contracts to be executed in April so the facility could be available by May 1, 2026.
The Trailhead sits at 1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway in north Minneapolis and includes parking and a bus turnaround for visitors. Those dates and site details were published through the Park Board's RFP announcement.
Aki's will operate the on-site cafe once the transition is complete. For menus, hours and opening updates, check Aki's BreadHaus and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board's Trailhead pages for official announcements.
