Over 50 new restaurants opened or are coming soon in the Twin Cities. The Heavy Table provides a list and the latest metro restaurant buzz.

The California-based fast food chain is hoping Minnesotans are hungry for more Hardee's restaurants. The Business Journal reports the company plans to open at least 59 new locations in the Twin Cities market over the next several years. There are currently 21 Hardee's restaurants in the metro area.

AFC Enterprises, Popeyes' Atlanta-based parent company, is planning to buy 14 KFC restaurants from a bankrupt franchisee, a major push for the fried chicken chain that has only one lone location on Lake Street in south Minneapolis. The deal is part of a $13.8 million purchase of 28 restaurants in Minnesota and California. The new locations in a handful of metro cities will be quickly converted once the bid is approved by a judge.

Restaurants owned by the Blue Plate Company are offering free meals to bald people on Friday, Oct. 14.

St. Louis Park-based Granite City Food and Brewery says it will open its first new location in nearly two years. The new restaurant in Troy, Mich. will be the chain's 27th location. It's scheduled to open in February.

Twin Cities Business reports the new location, south of Nashville, will open this summer. The St. Louis Park-based restaurant chain is set to open its first restaurant in Michigan next month. Last year, Granite City also announced plans to remodel some locations to increase seating capacity.

If cooking a turkey seems more of a chore than choice, take a break this year and have Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant. The Pioneer Press offers up some recommendations.