Grackle Migrates to Maple Grove

by Rachel Schuehle | Mar 2025

Ensalada Del Caesar. Photos: Chris Emeott

Grackle features from-scratch and allergy-safe recipes.

Justin Ahlstrom recalls fond childhood memories of sitting in Lyle’s Café in Winthrop, Minnesota. The small café opened in 1950 and was owned by his grandparents, Lyle Saxton and Margie Lindstrand (formerly Saxton), who successfully ran it for 15 years before Lyle passed away at 46. Margie forged on, dedicated to providing her community with good food and even better company. Visiting his grandmother’s restaurant became a core memory of Justin’s childhood. “I always loved being there as a kid,” Justin says. “I thought it was the coolest place in the world.” Not to mention the first-hand account Justin witnessed, watching as a widow-owned business thrived in the ’60s and ’70s.

Justin and Becky Ahlstrom

These memories set the stage for Justin and his wife, Becky Ahlstrom, self-proclaimed “foodies,” to open their first restaurant in Andover in 2020. Margie’s Kitchen is a tribute to Margie, now 96. Although it was tough to start a business during COVID-19, the Ahlstroms persevered and found community and connectedness on the other side. “As we got into things, we realized it was a great experience and wanted to do it again,” Becky says. After a year, the couple opened a second business. “We are community-oriented people,” Justin says. “We think about what we are able to add to the community.” So when a location in Maple Grove became available in June 2023—the old Wahlburgers location—they knew it could be an opportunity. They signed the lease in May 2024 and opened that following October.

Top Left: Ensalada Del Caesar; Top Right: Creamy Serrano Pasta; Bottom: Cheesy Elote Dip

The Ahlstroms’ newest adventure is Grackle, named after the city of Winthrop. Known for its farming community, Winthrop residents often look toward wildlife for seasonal changes. When the grackle—a type of bird—returns each spring, it’s a telltale sign that farming season is approaching. As a nod to this migratory bird, locals have celebrated Grackle Days every year since 1985, which Justin recalls attending as a child—and now he’s bringing a piece of that to the community here. “There’s even a photo featuring young Justin on our newspaper archive wall art in the lobby at Grackle,” Becky says. “… We’re inspired by successful efforts to bring communities together, so we wanted to capture a little of that community-oriented energy when we opened Grackle.”

Grackle features an elevated yet approachable dining option to Maple Grove. Guests can feel comfortable leveraging the space for a special event or stopping in after work for happy hour. Larger, unique booths are perfect for hosting more expansive groups while providing togetherness, and greenery—assembled by Justin, Becky and their circle of friends—encircle guests for a moody atmosphere.

J’s Old Fashioned

The restaurant prides itself on from-scratch cooking and allergy-safe recipes. “Because everything in our kitchen is scratch-made, we’re more able to accommodate a lot of allergies and understand where those risks may be,” Justin says. Many dishes are gluten-free and allergy-safe as is, but its menu makes it easy to understand each dish’s ingredient list. “We work hard to be a place where people with allergies can feel safe to dine at,” Becky says. Leading the menu development for both restaurants is culinary director Diego Chalco, who infuses Latin American flavors into recipes, such as Cheesy Elote Dip, Ensalada Del Caesar or Creamy Serrano Pasta. Justin says, “We aren’t afraid to challenge our guests a little to try new flavors and ingredients, but we want enough on the menu that feels like home.” Regarding cocktails, guests can anticipate a myriad of options unique to Grackle, as well as a seasonally rotating menu. Its classic cocktails include the Grackle Mule (Tightline vodka, Tattersall Blueberry, Limoncello, lime juice and ginger beer); J’s Old Fashioned (Four Roses bourbon, Angostura bitters, Tattersall Rye and Tattersall Sour Cherry and brown sugar syrup); and the French Vanilla Espresso Martini (vodka, Du Nord Coffee Liqueur, vanilla syrup and cold pressed coffee).

Creamy Serrano Pasta

Open for lunch and dinner, guests can migrate back to Grackle as often as they please. “We want to uphold a level of hospitality that we, as lifelong amateur foodies, appreciate being treated like we are an important factor in the experience,” Becky says. “That’s certainly the goal.”