In 1985, baker and restaurateur Lynn Gordon opened her bakery French Meadow on Lyndale Avenue in south Minneapolis. Over the years, French Meadow grew to become many things: America’s first certified organic bakery, a sprawling restaurant and deli that all of Minnesota’s health-minded folk made a center of our lives, with an adjoining event space (Nord Social Hall) and a fancy bar called Bluestem tucked in the back. Gordon went on to open a sister restaurant in St. Paul, an airport location (now Peoples Organic), and a wildly popular State Fair stand—what else did I miss?
1985 was, some say, a long time ago, and so it is that Gordon has been looking to downsize some of her many obligations. In September last year, she sold the Lyndale location to longtime customer Marlene Leiva. I caught up with Leiva on the phone about her plans for the historic spot.
“My background is that I worked for 20 years in real estate,” Leiva told me. “I was a customer of Lynn’s for many years. My sister and I had a coffee shop in Hopkins, Pangos, but I really feel like I am new to all of this. I’ve been taking some cooking classes so I can learn more.”…