Minnesota NHL great Lou Nanne and Michael McDermott, CEO of McDermott Restaurants, have partnered to open Lou Nanne’s on France Avenue in Edina. McDermott owns Rojo Mexican Grill and Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill. He saw the need for a classic, upscale eatery near the I-494 corridor. For his newest enterprise, McDermott wanted to partner with a public figure. “I was looking for someone locally who had name presence and awareness,” McDermott says, “and Nanne is just the right guy for the venture.” This NHL favorite spent his entire career in Minnesota, playing for the Gophers in the 1960s, then playing for and eventually coaching the North Stars in the 1977-1978 season.
Although the restaurant will offer premium locally sourced beef and sustainable seafood flown in daily, McDermott says, “We’re not a steakhouse.” Not conventionally, anyway. Unlike a typical steakhouse, Lou Nanne’s will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the menu is yet to be finalized, diners can expect seasonal, local ingredients when available, hand-crafted burgers and sandwiches, lobster macaroni and cheese, wild-caught salmon and fresh chopped salads.
In line with the trend of unpretentious dining, you won’t find any stuffiness at Lou Nanne’s. Instead, the restaurant will house clean, contemporary furniture pieces and laid-back urban details such as exposed brick. Fresh, delicious food served in a relaxed environment is just one of many contributions to a community that means a lot to both men.
