Within the West Metro, an exciting new restaurant has just opened on Eden Prairie Road. This new restaurant is none other than the Copper Cow, a farm-to-table, locally sourced and delicious dining option with items you can’t get anywhere else.

The owners, really, creative geniuses, behind this aesthetically-pleasing place are Danielle and Chris Bjorling, a married couple from Minneapolis. Among other unique menu items, the source of major popularity for this cozy spot has been their milkshakes and interesting twists on burgers.

Though they’re known for their alcohol-based shakes, Danielle Bjorling reasons that “they can always be made virgin.” Their unconventional milkshakes “mainly consist of varying flavors of milkshakes, a donut on top, and then a mini cupcake on top of that.”

“Everyone also freaks out about our Deep Fried Burger and our Donut Burger. They’re almost like State Fair items you can get year-round, and I promise they’re healthier. We use a special tempura batter to fry the burger, so it’s actually very light and crispy, and not greasy at all,” said Danielle.

The Copper Cow opened for business on January 28th and has been overflowing with customers ever since. Even during the polar vortex, they sold over 300 milkshakes in a week and are now experiencing over three-hour waits on weekdays for dinner spots.

“It’s nuts,” said Danielle. “We could not believe how busy it has been. Ever since I was 14 and I took my first cake decorating class, I knew I wanted to own a bakery or restaurant. At 16, I was hired as the assistant to the pastry chef at a Lunds and Byerly’s, and I did the best I possibly could there. I even came in early most days and waited for the pastry chef to arrive. Eventually, I got married to Chris, was supported by the amazing family I was nannying for, and I decided it was time to finally put my dream into action. It feels unreal, and I never expected everyone to instantly fall in love with our project.”

Although it might seem easy to follow your dreams as Danielle and Chris did, this process came with many challenges and required them to figure out what it truly means to strive towards a far-fetched goal.

“For kids at Minnetonka High School who are thinking of owning their own business or following any type of dream, just know it’s a lot of work. You have to be willing to be open to new and uncomfortable situations. And there’s never going to be a time when you’re 100% sure that it’s the right time to start or put yourself out there; you’re just going to have to take a leap of faith. But also make sure that you’re ready; it is key to find the right business partner.”

“Danielle had the brilliant ideas behind our two restaurants, and I know the money and finance side of things. Together we’ve accomplished so much, and there’s no chance we could’ve succeeded like this if we didn’t have each other by our sides the whole way through,” said Chris.

The Copper Cow comes from the Copper Hen family – meaning everything there is locally sourced and made in house. It also means that every food item and piece of decor in the building is incredibly postable on social media.

“You’re crazy if you’re a business owner who doesn’t use Instagram!” said Danielle. “Ideas come from there, as well as a lot of your customers. People eat with their eyes before they actually eat with their mouths, and we want to make sure that people know our food does taste as good as it looks.”

Whether you live close or not, this new restaurant is definitely worthy of checking out.