MainStrasse evolving from bars to eateries

Many bars have come and gone since Covington turned a west end neighborhood into a German-themed village known as MainStrasse in the 1970s.

Some, however, think this bar district has started to evolve into a more family-friendly restaurant district with seven, possibly eight, restaurants in various stages of planning and construction within a two block area.

The district is the fullest it’s been in years, said Kim Blank, executive director of the MainStrasse Village Association.

“What we’re really seeing is this shift into a culinary foodie destination,” Blank said. “It is the trend now, having smaller restaurants with local products, and I think this neighborhood lends itself to it, because a lot of the people who are doing it live here and are from here in this neighborhood.”

Stephen Williams has noticed more families moving in since he opened the restaurant Bouquet eight years ago. He’s opening his second restaurant, organic sandwich shop Son & Soil, in the next two weeks.

“It’s turned into more of a neighborhood than just a bar district,” Williams said. “I think a lot of people want to be close to Cincinnati but don’t want to live in the downtown.”

As he surveyed construction workers carrying fixtures in and out of what will become his new restaurant, Frida, Paul Weckman reflected on the near future of his neighborhood where he lives and works. Weckman and wife, Emily Wolff, have owned Otto’s for the past 12 years.

“If we get those people down there for just one these restaurants as the bait, they’ll see all the other great things we’ve got,” Weckman said. “Seven or eight restaurants is a lot of to open at one time, but they’re all different and they’re not all going to open on the same day.”

Here’s a look at new restaurants, coffee shops and wine rooms opening in MainStrasse in the coming months:

Bean Haus

The Bean Haus coffee shop returns this month to MainStrasse at 640 Main St. after it closed this location in 2009 amid the recession.

Bean Haus has sold coffee and bread at Findlay Market in Cincinnati and at the Friendly Market in Florence in the meantime and will continue to operate at both locations, said owner Tim Eversole.

The Covington location will also have breakfast, sandwiches and appetizers in addition to coffee, tea and baked goods. It will open Aug. 28.

“MainStrasse use to be a bar scene, and it’s not really as much of a bar scene (today) as a food scene,” Eversole said. “The village seems to have matured.”

Commonwealth Bistro

Images of rabbits have started to appear among the two 150-year-old buildings in the 600 block of Main Street that will become Commonwealth Bistro.

Just inside the door, a sketch of a rabbit leans against the wall amid the ladders and dust of the rehabbers. Another has been etched on the sign outside for Commowealth Bistro.

The rabbit represents traditional Kentucky food that chef Chris Burns will serve at his restaurant when he opens this fall. There will be rabbit dishes on the menu as well Kentucky fare such as burgoo.

“Rabbits are a sign of fertility, health and good fortune...and they just taste good,” Burns said.

Burns has worked on this idea for five years and started rehabbing the two buildings that will become Commonwealth Bistro a year ago. Burns and his friends, along with the occasional contractor, have done all the work themselves. That’s why it’s taken so long, he said. He expects to get additional help this summer and will be open in a few months.

Crafts & Vines

A new wine bar and tap room will open in the next few months at 642 Main St.

Crafts & Vines will target the “before-and after-dinner folks,” owner Lesley Hugo told The Enquirer in June.

It will feature eight wines and eight craft beers on tap, plus a small retail bottle shop. A bar in one of the front two rooms will have a kitchen so customers can order small snacks, such as cheese boards, charcuterie and pickles and a selection of desserts, to have with their drinks.

Frida

Weckman and Wolff rehabbed a pre-Civil War building at Sixth and Main streets and have turned it into mezcal-tequila bar with Latin food called Frida. It will open sometime before Sept. 1. Named for Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, the restaurant will feature 50 types of mezcal.

Frida will have a festive atmosphere, Weckman said.

Lisse Food and Spirits

A sheet of paper outside the former Chez Nora signals the new identity of the landmark restaurant will be Lisse Food and Spirits.

While work is being done to renovate the building at the corner of Sixth and Main, the owner, Jeff Wolnitzek, of Fort Wright, did not respond to messages seeking comment. Wolnitzek bought the iconic Chez Nora in December at auction for $385,000.

Chez Nora in 20 years of business became an unofficial town hall where politicians, business leaders and the hoi polloi congregated. It closed in January 2014.

Mac’s Pizza Pub

The former Cosmo’s Grille Pub will become the fourth location of Mac’s Pizza Pub sometime in mid-November.

Owner Mac Ryan saw renewed interest in Covington’s MainStrasse when he noticed many of his Clifton Heights customers moving to Covington.

“They told us, ‘You guys should come to MainStrasse as the next location,’” Ryan said. “It was an obvious choice.”

It will also be the first franchise for Mac’s Pizza, with longtime employees Mandy and Jeremy Siney owning the Covington location, Ryan said. The Sineys are moving to Covington, he said.

In addition to pizza, Mac’s Pizza in Covington will serve gyros and have over 100 beers, including 50 beers on tap.

He sees MainStrasse as a proven success.

“That neighborhood has survived OTR, survived Mount Adams, The Banks, Newport on the Levee,” Ryan said. “It’s been there a long time. I like the staying power.”

Son & Soil

Williams’ second restaurant, Son & Soil, at 627 Main St. will sell organic sandwiches, smoothies, coffee and a few grocery items.

While running the restaurant Bouquet, Williams said he’s noticed a demand for more healthy options that are quick.

“There wasn’t that kind of thing down here,” Williams said.

Possible unnamed Japanese restaurant

Business owners and local leaders said a Japanese restaurant has been proposed for a building adjacent to the former Chez Nora. Property records show Yukio Fukunaga bought the building at 526 Main St. Fukunaga had been the owner and chef of Ko-Sho Japanese in Cincinnati for years. He could not be reached for comment.