Picnic is the ideal neighborhood eatery for a quick meal. Owner “E” Kitzenberg says she opened it to fill the casual eating void in Linden Hills. Photos: Chris Emeott
Casual eatery makes its debut in Linden Hills.
Elizabeth “E” Kitzenberg was looking for a way to make her life a little easier. She moved with her family from Boston to Linden Hills and opened Picnic, an eatery with the same flair that Kitzenberg exudes. “I always wanted to own my own place for as long as I can remember,” she says. “Picnic is a collection of what I wanted to see and what the neighborhood needed—a more casual spot.”
The eatery serves lunch and dinner, is also open late, has a bar and is family friendly. “If you are in here at 5 p.m. and see a baby in a high-top highchair and their family can get in and out with a meal in 45 minutes and walk home, then you get it,” she says.
The bar serves a full range of drinks and cocktails. Try their Pete Retention Plan. For a mocktail, the Golden Hour is a blend of Kitzenberg’s lemonade, basil and strawberry jams.
Picnic is Kitzenberg’s first venture into the restaurant world. As a professional fundraiser, she refers to herself as a “visionary and ‘mompreneur.'”
“I realized I know how to manage people and budgets. I know how to work through regulations and road blocks. Those are things I know how to do and have been doing for 15 years. I don’t need to know how to cook everything,” she says.
Many of the recipes presented at Picnic start as something Kitzenberg has made at home. Then Picnic’s chef, Andrew Garner, puts his own spin on them, and the menu is created. “I am of the mindset that you hire really smart people and get out of their way,” she says.
Kitzenberg says she believes Picnic is meant to be complementary to the neighborhood. She has added Sunday dinners to the weekly schedule. These events are meant to show off the local culinary talent, whether it be a food truck, a pop-up restaurant or a team member.
“We are happy to share our space and platform with up-and-coming chefs across the Twin Cities,” she says. Each week’s meal will be different from the previous week and offer something special that cannot be found elsewhere. The first official Sunday dinner was made by Kitzenberg’s husband and business partner, Andrew, on Mother’s Day. The Sunday dinners run from 4–9 p.m.
“My favorite part about Picnic is the people: our team and our guests, many of whom could already be described as neighborhood regulars,” she says. “We inspire levity. We are a gathering place first because people need to get together, and food is the excuse.”
Picnic Linden Hills
4307 Upton Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.505.0785
Facebook: Picnic Linden Hills
Instagram: @picniclindenhills
