Salazar Cincinnati chef Jose Salazar announced at the end of 2023 that he would be moving his eponymous restaurant, Salazar, in Over-the-Rhine to a bigger location. In its place, he opened Moroccan-inspired wine bar Safi in May. Shortly after opening Safi, the chef said Salazar would be moving into the ground floor of the former Saks Fifth Avenue building near Fountain Square, which is currently being renovated by 3CDC. Diners will notice plenty of similarities along with some changes in Salazar 2.0, says Salazar. The chef says he is continuing to focus on working with local farmers and artisans and crafting fresh pasta and other items in-house, but there will be more emphasis on seafood. The menu will be versatile — whether you want to come in for a special occasion or a quick bite. Rendering: Provided by 3CDC

Following the opening of his Moroccan-inspired wine bar, Safi, over the weekend, Cincinnati chef Jose Salazar is making some more major moves when it comes to his restaurants, and the city’s dining scene as a whole.

In November, Salazar announced he would be temporarily closing his self-named, flagship restaurant in Over-the-Rhine, Salazar. Citing that the restaurant had outgrown its original location on Republic Street, Salazar said he would be searching for a bigger space.

Over the weekend, 3CDC announced Salazar signed a lease to take over an 8,300-square-foot space on the ground floor of the former Saks Fifth Avenue building at 101 W. Fifth St. in downtown Cincinnati. 3CDC is already renovating the building ahead of Paycor’s relocation of its headquarters to the building’s second floor.

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“We had a lot of constraints in the Republic Street space due to its size,” Salazar said in a press release. “We outgrew it. The new, larger space opens up a world of possibilities as far as what we can do, and we’re taking full advantage. It’s going to feel more grown up — more refined and polished.”

Diners will notice plenty of similarities along with some changes, says Salazar. The chef says he is continuing to focus on working with local farmers and artisans and crafting fresh pasta and other items in-house, but there will be more emphasis on seafood. The menu will be versatile — whether you want to come in for a special occasion or a quick bite.

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Along with the main dining room, Salazar 2.0 will offer three private dining rooms of varying size, with each room featuring a different aesthetic for different occasions. Salazar says the restaurant will be able to host events for up to 60 people.

“Salazar was one of the first restaurants to really put OTR on the culinary map, so we couldn’t be more excited to see it revived in a new, larger space,” said Lindzie Gunnels, director of commercial leasing for 3CDC, in the release. “With Paycor relocating its headquarters to the former Saks building, and Salazar joining them on the ground floor, we can’t wait to see this area brought back to life, and the integral role it will play in connecting the Convention District to Fountain Square.”

But that’s not the only change coming to Salazar’s lineup of restaurants. Salazar says while he shifts his focus back to his eponymous restaurant and opens Safi, he has also decided to close his Findlay Market restaurant, Goose & Elder. Goose & Elder’s final day of operations will be June 15.

Salazar, the restaurant, is on track to open in the former Saks Fifth Avenue building in the spring of 2025.

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This article appears in May 29 – Jun 11, 2024.

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Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...