The wait is finally over.

After going through a major facility renovation during the past two months, the restaurant attached to the Chaska Event Center officially re-opened to customers on June 23.

The Copperfield Neighborhood Diner & Bar replaces the previous restaurant, Crooked Pint, which operated adjacent to the Chaska Curling Center for the past decade.

According to Zach Saueressig, regional manager with Hightop Hospitality — the restaurant group that operates Crooked Pint, The Copperfield and Green Mill sites along with catering businesses throughout the Twin Cities — company leaders decided it was time for a refresh and upgrade in the Chaska location.

“We wanted to try something different here,” he said, noting that Crooked Pint’s 10-year lease expired earlier this year. “And we specifically wanted to be able to do breakfast. We had this concept, The Copperfield, that’s been open since 2021 in Mendota Heights, and we thought that might work well here.”

Hightop worked with the City of Chaska, which owns and leases out the restaurant space, to bring the new concept to the community.

“We’ve got great partners,” Saueressig said. “We’ve got this beautiful campus that includes Fireman’s Park, the event center and the curling center. There’s always something fun and community-driven going on down here. We’re just glad to be a part of it.”

Feedback from early customers at The Copperfield has been very positive, Saueressig reported. Everything from Curling Center viewing improvements to the refreshed interior have caught the eye of patrons.

“People love the look of the space … how bright and fresh everything looks,” he said. “And the curlers love the new stadium-style seating next to the glass, so fans can watch the action.”

There are even new livestreaming screens inside the restaurant that zero in on matches across all six sheets of ice.

“We wanted to find a way to really embrace the curling community here and fortify that relationship,” Saueressig said.

Expanded Menu Choices

Saueressig calls the new menu and vibe at The Copperfield “upscale, modern dining.”

“We serve modern American cuisine,” he explained, “where Crooked Pint was a burger and beer concept.”

The breakfast menu is a big draw at The Copperfield, Saueressig admitted. The selections range from “The Usual” (choice of ham, hash browns, toast and eggs done your way) to an upscale favorite (avocado toast, microgreens and a poached egg).

“We’ve got some safe harbors, and then we’ve got more chef-driven options,” he said.

The lunch menu features special sandwiches, bowls and salads. The supper menu, which starts serving at 3 p.m., includes walleye, steak, burgers, salmon, salads and pastas.

“We’ve really gotten well known for our pastas,” Saueressig said.

Restaurant Details

The Copperfield is open seven days a week, starting at 7 a.m. for breakfast. The breakfast menu is served until 3 p.m. each day.

Closing time on Sundays through Thursdays is 11 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays is at midnight.

“We’re trying to give guests good value for their money and for their time,” Saueressig said of The Copperfield’s overall goal.

Saueressig said the restaurant’s first week of operations has gone well, with The Copperfield’s 80 to 90 employees performing well despite a few hiccups. A fair number of the core Crooked Pint employees have been rehired at the new restaurant, he added, helping smooth out the transition.

“The first few days have gone really well, but we’re getting our feet under us,” he said. “I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for decades, and I’ve seen some missteps where people really hype an opening. While we want people to enjoy what we’re doing from day one, we also want to make sure people are set up for success and customers have a great experience.

“I feel pretty good about where we’re at. I think we are ahead of the curve compared to restaurants that I’ve opened in the past,” he continued. “We’re going to continue to evolve and get better at this. We just have to take it one plate, one guest, one shift at a time.”

For more details, visit The Copperfield website.