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Park Street will be getting a little more festive this summer with the addition of the Park Street Cantina in the former Spice Bar location. Mike Gallicchio, Chris Corso and Brian Swanson, owners of Sugar Bar, Park Street Patio and The Social are investing in a total overhaul at 491 Park Street, and are banking that a new restaurant concept will have a long lasting appeal for the area.
“We didn’t want to put another standard bar or club concept in here,” said co-owner Chris Corso. “We wanted to do a restaurant concept that has a fun party vibe to it.”
Drawing inspiration during trips to Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil, Corso says that Cantina will be a mixture of concepts and offer something unique to the area.
“We didn’t want to open a Cancun-style beach bar, but we also didn’t want this to be a high-end Latin joint either,” he explained. “We’re trying to find something in between where people will feel comfortable no matter what they’re wearing.”
The layout of Park Street Cantina will be nearly unrecongnizable to anyone familiar with Spice Bar, as the entire 11,000 square foot venue is currently in the process of receiving a complete makeover. The new decor will be a mix of traditional Mexican Hacienda with a modern Southwestern flare.
“We felt that we had to change it enough for people to get a new experience out of it,” added Corso. “I’ve torn down about every wall that I can, and gutted every room.”
The restaurant’s menu will focus on Mexican and Latin dishes, but will also include a variety of traditional American bar food. “We’ll have tacos, burritos and nachos, but also burgers, pizzas and wings,” said Corso. “We’re bringing back several popular items from the old Spice menu like our scallops and baked mac & cheese too.”
The exterior patio area will feature a large prominent new bar made from concrete and recycled wood. The interior rooms have been opened up and rolling garage doors added to accommodate larger events. Additionally, the side room will be converted into a Tequilla Bar with a large selection of drinks.
“Right now we have about 70 different kinds of Tequila,” said Corso. “Everything from $400 bottles to the standard brands that you can find everywhere. We’ll also be offering 15 different flavors of margarita pitchers.”
The grand opening of Park Street Cantina is scheduled to coincide with Cinco De Mayo – Wednesday, May 5th.
“We want this to be something new and fun that’s a little less expensive and has a different theme to it,” added Corso. “I think we’ll have a different dynamic than anything else in the area.”
More information can be found online at www.ParkStreetCantina.com.
I noticed this sign yesterday while I was at North Market. I may be won over by the Tequila and margarita pitchers.
Heck. Why not just call it “Tapatio”?
good one Brant! Tapatio was awesome!!
Chris had me at: A menu that will focus on Mexican and Latin dishes and “we have about 70 different kinds of Tequila”, but lost me with “we will also include a variety of traditional American bar food…like burgers, pizza and wings.” So what are burgers, pizza and wings doing on a Cantina menu, anyways? Cantina menus contain the likes of Roasted Chicken in an Achiote Garlic Bath, Carne Asada ala Paz, Enchilada de Pollo y Mango, and Chile Relleno.
If his inspiration came from his recent visits to Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil, then why not commit to producing some really good Central and South American cuisine? Why intersperse an inspirational menu with mundane bar food? Replace the pizza with a cheese crispy, instead of wings add some grilled skewered beef.
I can’t name one person in my circle that doesn’t like authentic Central and South American food. If it’s done right, then wings, burgers and pizza can stay off the menu.
Please stay true to your vision.
You’re forgetting this: they’re gearing this place towards the Park Street crowd, i.e. Broville. I more than sympathize with you, having traveled myself extensively in the interior of Mexico. However, I don’t see such a place existing on Park unless it were inside North Market and right now the city isn’t doing anything to lure residents from those above-mentioned countries to the urban core, so you’ll likely end up having to drive to Galloway when such a restaurant does open its doors.
I have to agree. I wish they would just hand the keys to the restaurant to Carlos from El Arepazo and forget burgers and pizza.
yeah heaven forbid they just have a larger menu with food other than what you think they should be serving. for reals yo.
Considering the group that owns this place also own Social, Park Street Patio and Sugar my bet is this place is gonna SUCK! save ur money fellas. Most of the people that go there, go because of convienence. Not because its a cool place to hang out. I cant tell you how many people hate your bars. Open a “different” concept to attract a different crowd.
C&G have done more for the club scene in Columbus than anyone else, probably in the history of the city…and they have certainly done a helluva lot for that particular section of town. Grind your axe somewhere else.
wow…they also keep opening the same concept just under a different name..check out the other post I commented on. Your probably one of the (blank blank) types that hangs out at these bars.
I doubt it. But even if he was, so what? Your other post is just more of the same negativity. Check out the responses to your other post.
Please keep the personal insults out of the conversation. There’s no need for it. Thanks.
Mekka.. ALL the Long Street clubs…Standard Lounge…Red Zone…Spice…Sugar…Park Street Patio…Social…and now the Cantina.
If you think those are all the same concept, you obviously weren’t ever inside any of them. In fact, if you even think that the clubs on the same block are the same concept, you haven’t been in them.
Even better, btw, look at what happens to those spots under OTHER management…
the genius behind BOMA took over Spice…it was open for like a year…and now C&G are owners again.
Long Street was turned into Ice, which is so bad they can’t get a single bid at auction.
If you have a better concept, put your money where your mouth is and open it. I’m sure C&G will buy it from you once you fail and open something people actually go to.
ETA: BTW, no…I’m not a regular at any of those spots now. I was a Mekka guy in the day, was fairly regular at Spice on weeknights.