With a New Year comes new news about restaurant openings, closings and partnerships, plus information about where you can expect to be eating in the future — aka 2016.
Molly Meets Melt
Local celebrity mixologist, businesswoman and author Molly Wellmann’s Wellmann’s Brands — owners and operators of bars Neons Unplugged, Myrtle’s Punch House, Japp’s Since 1879 and Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar — recently announced they have expanded their business with their acquisition of Melt, a popular restaurant and sandwich shop in Northside, and Picnic & Pantry, its associated catering and sundries business in Over-the-Rhine.
Both Melt and Picnic & Pantry were owned by Lisa Kagen, who will now join the Wellmann’s Brands team as executive chef, providing in-house catering for private clients at existing Wellmann establishments.
Melt, the nearly decade-old eatery known for its use of fresh and mostly locally grown ingredients and vegetarian-friendly menu, will continue to operate in Northside.
Wellmann’s Brands hopes to expand food options for bar patrons in the future, but it won’t be happening anytime soon. There’s also the potential for more Melt locations down the road, and Picnic & Pantry is seeking to expand its offerings in OTR.
Other News
• Bellevue’s Virgil’s Café has closed. A Dec. 17 Facebook post confirmed the closing, saying, “It is with heavy hearts that we let you know that Virgil’s Café has closed its doors. It has been a fantastic 6 ½ years and an honor to be a part of the Bellevue community. We greatly appreciate all the years you have allowed us to work with you and serve you. We have had many loyal guests, employees and vendors as part of the Virgil’s family and truly value the lasting relationships we’ve made throughout our time here. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and look forward to whatever the future may hold.”
• A Tavola’s brand is expanding with a new casual Italian-American concept, Taglio, in Columbia Tusculum. Founders and brothers
Nicolas and Jared Wayne plan to open the “fast-casual-with-heart” eatery in early February, offering both sit-down options (for 16 patrons), NYC-style pizza-by-the-slice and home delivery. The menu will feature pizzas fired in a custom-built, gas-fired, brick-lined oven, with toppings including pepperoni, spinach and artichoke, bacon, jalapeno and barbecue chicken, as well as fried mozzarella sticks and satisfying pastas. Handmade artisanal gelato and wine and beer (6-pack minimum) will also be available through the delivery service. More info at facebook.com/eattaglio.
• Cincinnati has been named one of the top 10 best cities for beer drinkers (we came in at No. 10), according to a study by financial tech company SmartAsset. Rankings were determined by metrics including the number of breweries/brewpubs per 100,000 residents, the average price for a pint of domestic draft beer and the Yelp scores of the breweries. “These places could be great for beer fanatics to visit or move; they could also give folks an idea of where the beer business is booming,” says data editor Nick Wallace. Conclusion: Drink more beer.
• Americano Burger Bar, from Via Vite’s Cristian Pietoso and his wife Amanda, is the latest restaurant to open at the 84.51° building downtown, also home to chef Jose Salazar’s Latin American-inspired Mita’s.
The menu features 10 different burgers, including the Porkopolis, with bacon, sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mayo, as well as iconic American favorites like buffalo wings, onion rings and milkshakes (with or without alcohol) . Buns are made by a local baker and the meat is made fresh from the trimmings of dry-aged steaks. For more information, visit americanoburgerbar.com.
• Five-diamond AAA-rated Orchids at Palm Court has added a new maître d’, Kyle W. Kennedy, a certified Level II sommelier who has 14 years of hospitality experience.
CONTACT: eats@citybeat.com
This article appears in Jan 6-13, 2016.