Local, Plant-Based Burger Restaurant Stalk & Spade Set To Go National – WCCO

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A restaurant that started in the Twin Cities suburbs is about to go national. From the same team that developed Crisp & Green, Stalk & Spade is a burger and chicken place with a twist. No animal meats, no dairy.

Behind the counter, it looks like any other new fast-casual restaurant, but it’s what’s between the buns that’s different. The protein is all plant-based.

“I think this is something we never thought we’d be getting into, and the reason we’re into it is that it’s plant-based,” Kelly Backes said.

Kelly and David Backes are the owners of Minnesota’s first two Stalk & Spade franchises.

“It started with a passion, the way we ate, then we found a way that we could further the cause,” David Backes said.

The two grew up in Blaine. He’s a former professional hockey star for St. Louis and Boston. One meal at Steele Smiley’s original Wayzata Stalk and Spade, and they were hooked.

“Oh my gosh, this is the best faux-chicken sandwich that I’ve had,” Kelly said. “I was blown away.”

Kelly’s a nurse and has been a vegetarian for 15 years. David made the change in 2017 after a health scare.

“It was a colon resection actually, after some diverticulitis that I had,” David said. “When you’re 33 going under the knife for a major surgery, you start to look for any way that you can tilt the odds in your favor.”

Now they’re passionate about a plant-based diet, especially a delicious plant-based diet.

“I think plant-based eating for a while was kind of a fad, and now it’s become more of a lifestyle,” Kelly said.

Stalk & Spade is designed for true-believers and casual dabblers. Familiar flavors like a spicy sriracha chicken, and a pepper jack mushroom burger. Good for the environment, your health and for animals.

For the Backes, this is a long way from the Olympic and NHL ice.

“Truthfully it’s a lot more stressful. As an athlete you go there, you control everything in your performance. This is so out of comfort zone,” David said.

Stalk and Spade at 50th and France opens Friday and the Backes’ second spot will be in the North Loop. They have plans for 12 locations including spots in Miami and Des Moines by the end of this year.