The Painted Turtle’s menu features spins on Minnesota cuisine and scratch-made American classics, alongside a full ice cream shop at Lake Nokomis Main Beach!
Posted on 12 December, 2022
Photo courtesy of The Painted Turtle
A new restaurant called The Painted Turtle will take over concessions at Lake Nokomis in 2023! The Painted Turtle will serve scratch-made fare, locally sourced ice cream, local beers, and picnic and beachside snacks out of the concessions building (4955 W Lake Nokomis Parkway) at Lake Nokomis Main Beach.
The team behind The Painted Turtle created Unleashed Hounds and Hops, Minnesota’s first indoor/outdoor dog park bar and restaurant. They are partnering with La La Ice Cream, Kramarczuks Sausage Company and local breweries to bring great food, beverages, treats and experiences to Nokomis next year.
Lake Nokomis beachgoers can check out The Painted Turtle when it opens for the season, likely late spring or early summer 2023. Visit paintedturtlempls.com for more details and follow @paintedturtlempls on Instagram for updates!
Selection Process
The previous Lake Nokomis concessions vendor, Sandcastle, operated at the lake for the last 10 years. It chose not to renew its lease and a Request For Proposals (RFP) for a new concessions vendor was distributed over the summer. A selection committee comprised of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) staff and neighborhood representatives graded 11 proposals received based on metrics outlined in the RFP and interviewed four applicant groups in person.
The selection committee unanimously chose the group behind The Painted Turtle in September. In November, MPRB Commissioners approved a five-year lease agreement beginning January 1, 2023.