Taste of Belgium is slated to open a new bistro location — its sixth in Greater Cincinnati — in Kenwood Square in a former Ruby Tuesday in "early fall."
The restaurant, which will be able to seat 350, will be one of the largest in the TOB portfolio. The space will undergo renovations before it opens, including the addition of a second patio.
The menu will mimic other Taste of Belgium bistros during the initial launch, says Josh Baker, director of marketing, with frequently changing "LTO" or limited time offerings. They will also offer a slew of rare Belgian beers: TOB exclusives like Val Dieu, Kwaremont and Averbode, as well as options like Chimay, Duvel, Delirium and La Chouffe. This location will also have a bakery serving traditional Liege waffles to-go and other favorites, including Belgian Pop Tarts.
They are currently hiring back-of-house staff so they can start delivery and carry-out operations first, before moving to in-house dining.
And while most restaurants have been facing some tough times during COVID, Baker says that TOB was already working on a "growth plan" before the pandemic hit.
"We were pretty close to announcing a new location in March. Then COVID hit. At that point, with the efforts of an amazing staff, we were able to keep the doors open at most of our locations and get through with takeout and delivery," he says. "Once we were able to initially reopen, we made the very conscious decision that growth still makes sense for us so we’ve put a tremendous amount of effort and resources into that strategy."
Taste of Belgium Kenwood Square is located at 7800 Montgomery Road, Kenwood. More info authenticwaffle.com and keep up-to-date at facebook.com/tasteofbelgium.
