Courtesy Marie Porter

Local food blogger and master of cakes Marie Porter will be a season four contestant

Here's the lowdown on the local contestants:

Sasha Landskov

Crooked Pint, a Green Mill-related bar and restaurant, may be adding a second location in Kingfield

The Crooked Pint is planning a second outpost on the border of the Kingfield and East Harriet neighborhoods at the corner of 40th and Lyndale, with hopes to open this October, reports the Southwest Journal. Unlike its original location on Washington Avenue South, the new store will not host live music, but owner Paul Dzubnar says there are plans in the works for a retractable roof (a smart move, considering how much of a draw this feature pulled at Union) and space for bocce ball courts.

As far as food and drink, Dzubnar is seeking a license for strong beer and wine and tells the Southwest Journal the menu will be similar to the one at the original location and will feature appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and about a dozen varieties of juicy lucys.

While the new Crooked Pint may be at least a season away, an anxiously awaited casual Mexican joint has just opened in downtown St. Paul.

Katie Hoffman

Fulton plans to add some green space to its popular North Loop brewery

The North Loop may fast be gaining a reputation as the premier food neighborhood in the Twin Cities, but for all the hot restaurants and chic cocktail bars, this area is a bit lacking when it comes to outdoor patios, especially those with some green space. Sure, there are a few tables scattered on the sidewalks outside Black Sheep and Bar La Grassa, and Smack Shack is promising to add patio seating once the weather warms, but this section of the Warehouse District is still largely industrial, so foliage and flowers are few and far between. In an effort to green up the North Loop landscape, Fulton Brewery is now aiming to add its own patio.

See Also:

Best Place to Meet Single Men (Straight) - 2012: Fulton Brewery