A longstanding St. Paul institution is about to get a food overhaul. Alary’s Bar will soon offer more than just Heggies Pizza.

New owners Justin Greer and Nick Peterson, who took over the spot in May, are building a kitchen, hiring a chef and adding a menu to the downtown St. Paul institution.

While a chef has yet to be named and a menu and rollout date finalized, expect upscale bar fare such as burgers, sandwiches and salads with an emphasis on local ingredients. In addition, “We’re looking at some Chicago dishes for our Bears fans,” Greer said. Chicago dogs, Italian beef sandwiches or Polish sausages are some of the contenders. Related Articles Surdyk’s adds bar and eatery called Sidebar

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“We’re not trying to change Alary’s, but give it a little spruce up,” Greer said. “Ultimately we want it to be a great neighborhood bar that people can come to and have more food options while enjoying a beer.”

Greer and Peterson took over the spot in May, originally opened by former Chicago Bears player Al Baisi and Larry Lehner in 1949. Lehner eventually left the business, and Buisi ran it. He passed in 2005. His son, also named Al, then ran the sports bar until his passing last year.

In addition to a menu, the new owners are sprucing up the place with fresh paint and updated fixtures. But they say the essence of the place will stay the same as a favorite place to watch sports, be it a Chicago Bears or Minnesota Wild game, while choosing from more than 40 beers on tap.

Shuttle buses to and from Alary’s and Xcel Energy Center for hockey games and tournaments remain. Longtime staffer Jesse Degross has been named the general manager.

“We didn’t want to rock the boat too much,” Greer said. “We heard from long-term patrons of the bar and those who use the buses for the Wild games. The feedback we got is they wanted more food options.”

In the interim, the owners are looking to bring in food trucks for game days and big events.