Grow Restaurants’ Chris Crader revealed the name for the Mexican restaurant set for Italian Village this year. Cosecha, Spanish for “Harvest,” will open at 987 N. Fourth St. in December.
“Not necessarily one specific region of Mexico — our chef Silas is inspired by some of the highlights of their cuisine from all over,” Crader said. “We just felt there’s not a ton of great Mexican food options today, and it’s such a great cuisine, and there’s so many awesome possibilities with it. I just felt like nobody was taking that type of food seriously.”
Crader said the new restaurant will pay the same attention to detail as his other ventures, Harvest Pizzeria, Salt & Pine and the Sycamore. Central to its identity will be the local sourcing of ingredients, including Ohio pasture-raised meats, with an emphasis on Mexican food.
Cosecha chef Silas Caeton created the menu. Crader said the goal was to offer more familiar items to make people comfortable: tacos, tamales and burritos; at the same time they are looking to serve larger family-style meals and “a pretty big snack menu.” Fresh-squeezed juices are going to be used in the cocktails, and Cosecha will also offer a large selection of tequilas and mezcals. Crader said they will have a variety of beers and some “carefully chosen wines that we think work well with the food.”
“I think it’s important that there’s a strong emphasis on the local relationships,” Crader said. “We take our food really seriously, and we want to present serious food in a really fun environment.”
That environment includes a 165-year-old renovated barn. In its 3,100 square feet of space, Crader said he’ll employ a staff of roughly 40, and the building will seat 60 inside and 30 more on the patio. The old milking barn is under construction now, but Crader said he wants to retain the structure’s character, planning to leave it as raw as possible and “let the old architecture and old materials speak for themselves.”
Crader is planning a grand opening in December with several quieter opening nights beforehand. Cosecha will do a pop-up next Monday, November 7 at Curio at Harvest from 6 to 9 p.m. The event offers a preview of Cosecha’s food, cocktails, tequila, mezcal and beer. A fee of $15 is good for a meal and a drink.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/Cosecha-Cocina-1789198708022380/.