Martiya on Lake St, Sylvan Esso at First Ave & MN Cannabis Hits $250M

Your October 19–25, 2026 rundown for Minneapolis–St. Paul: a huge Lake Street restaurant debut, Film Fest closing weekend, Sylvan Esso at First Ave, and Minnesota's licensed cannabis market crossing a major milestone. In this episode: Martiya opens at Lake & Nicollet — Afro Deli founder Abdirahman Kahin's first full-service, upscale Somali-diaspora restaurant (soft open Oct 1, grand opening Nov 1): "Lake Street deserves the best." Stelline Italian Kitchen takes over the former Stargazer space with fresh pastas and small plates. Twin Cities Film Fest closes its 17th year Oct 15–24 at Marcus West End and Mann Edina 4 — 110+ films including Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine." First Avenue Mainroom: Juvenile (Wed 10/21), The Palace (Thu 10/22), Sylvan Esso two-night run (Fri 10/23 + Sat 10/24). Farmers markets still open: Mill City (Sat 9–1), Midtown (Sat 9–2), St. Paul Lowertown (Sat 7–1, Sun 8–1). Theater & comedy: "The Sound of Music" at the Orpheum (Oct 20–25), Paul Mecurio at House of Comedy MOA (Oct 23–24), Randy Feltface at the Fitzgerald (Oct 25). Home games: Timberwolves vs Toronto (Oct 25) and Golden State (Oct 28), Wild host Edmonton (Oct 27) at Grand Casino Arena, Minnesota United vs Sporting KC at Allianz Field (Oct 28). Minnesota's OCM: licensed cannabis market clears $250M in year one (~$150M adult-use, ~$100M medical, $45.6M tax revenue through July 2026); first Resource & Hiring Fair Thu Oct 22, 2–6pm at UROC. Sources: Mill City Farmers Market Midtown Farmers Market St. Paul Farmers' Market MSP Magazine — Twin Cities farmers markets Twin Cities Film Fest Minnesota Monthly — Film Fest guide Meet Minneapolis calendar First Avenue calendar Hennepin Theatre Trust Star Tribune — Minnesota Wild schedule Timberwolves schedule Allianz Field events Star Tribune — Martiya opens on Lake Street Star Tribune — Restaurant roll call Minnesota OCM — one-year sales update Marijuana Moment — Minnesota cannabis sales Minnesota OCM — Resource & Hiring Fair Subscribe: mplsvegan.com Full transcript George: ...okay so I just walked over the Stone Arch Bridge and I'm telling you, Laura, the light on the river right now? Laura: Mm, the October light. Yeah. George: It's that gold hour where everything looks like a postcard your grandma would send. Laura: George. Your grandma sent you postcards? George: She did. From like, Duluth. Which was two hours away in reality but she treated it like a world tour. Laura: Up north adventures. George: You betcha. Laura: Okay but we're not here to talk about postcards. We're here because it is a WEEK in the Cities. George: It is a week. Laura: Film Fest closing weekend, Sylvan Esso at First Ave, farmers markets still kicking before the real cold hits— George: And a brand new restaurant on Lake Street I need to tell everybody about. Laura: Oh we're getting there. Pace yourself. George: Fine. Laura: What is the weather actually doing this week? Because I almost wore the big coat yesterday and then I was sweating by noon. George: Classic Minnesota October. You dress for one season, you walk outside into a different one. Laura: Right. George: It's been that kind of in-between where mornings are jacket weather and afternoons are, like, "oh I didn't need any of this." Laura: And then by Thursday it drops. That's what October does. George: It'll drop. Laura: Enjoy the gold while you got it, folks. George: Which is a perfect excuse to talk farmers markets, because they are winding down. Laura: They are. Mill City is still open Saturdays nine to one, under the Guthrie. George: Love that spot. Laura: Midtown Farmers Market, Market Plaza on East Lake, Saturdays nine to two through October. George: And over the river— Laura: St. Paul Farmers' Market in Lowertown. Saturdays seven to one, Sundays eight to one, still rolling through the fall. George: Seven. In the morning. On a Saturday. Laura: George, that's when the good stuff is there. George: I know. I know. Laura: You go at eleven and all the squash is sad. George: You go at eleven and all the squash is JUDGING you. Laura: Exactly. George: Okay now can I do my restaurant thing? Laura: Please. George: Martiya. Lake Street and Nicollet. Abdirahman Kahin — the Afro Deli guy — he just opened his first full-service upscale spot. Soft open was October first, grand opening November first. Laura: And this is big. Because he's calling it the Twin Cities' first upscale Somali-diaspora restaurant. George: Yes. And the line in the Strib piece that stuck with me — he said "Lake Street deserves the best." Laura: Mm. George: Which is just — think about what that stretch has been through the last few years. Laura: Yeah don't get me started. George: And here is a guy who built Afro Deli from a counter spot and is now putting a special-occasion room on Lake Street for a community that, as he put it, hasn't really had one. Laura: And it's not just a vanity project, right? That area needs the investment and the signal. George: Big signal. Laura: I'm putting Martiya on the list. George: Also — Stelline. Italian Kitchen. Opened October first in the old Stargazer space. Laura: Fresh pasta, small plates. George: Yeah. Haven't been yet. I'm not gonna lie about it. Laura: Okay.