Downtown Minneapolis is about to get a bigger serving of Colombian flavor. Tropico, the Colombian cafe and cocktail bar that opened in the Kickernick Building, is moving into the historic Lumber Exchange and will roughly double its downtown footprint. The larger space will let the owners graduate from sweets and quick bites to a fuller kitchen and bar, with the new outpost slated to open next Thursday, May 28.
New downtown digs and a full menu
As reported by the Twin Cities Business Journal, Tropico will relocate to the Lumber Exchange at 10 S. Fifth St. and expand into a space about twice the size of its current spot. According to the Business Journal, the new location will roll out a full menu of Colombian cuisine, building on the dessert and cocktail focus that defined the original ground-floor cafe.
From the Kickernick to the Exchange
Tropico’s own website currently lists the restaurant at the Kickernick Building (430 N 1st Ave #101), where it has built a following for empanadas, arepas, and tropical cocktails. The Kickernick building’s site also highlights Tropico among its ground-floor businesses, a nod to the small but lively presence the cafe has carved out in the Warehouse District since it launched.
Why the switch matters for downtown dining
The Lumber Exchange is a long-standing downtown building with an active street-level dining scene, and a larger Colombian venue on the roster gives downtown workers and visitors another full-service option. The move lines up with a broader downtown dining rebound that local coverage has tracked, as restaurateurs lean into larger format concepts and the city’s core looks for more varied lunch and dinner choices; Mpls. St.Paul Magazine has noted how both legacy spots and new arrivals are reshaping the blocks around First Avenue and Fifth Street.
Expect Tropico to share specific hours and menu details for the Lumber Exchange location in the days ahead. Until then, the restaurant’s website and its Kickernick storefront remain the best places to check for the latest updates and operating hours.
