Via Vite Owner Branching Out to Burgers With New Concept in 84.51° Building

CINCINNATI (December 4, 2015) – It has been a long time coming, but Chef Cristian Pietoso will finally realize his dream of opening a “burger joint” when the Americano Burger Bar officially welcomes its first customers next week. The latest concept from Cristian and his wife and business partner, Amanda, will hold its grand opening Thursday, Dec. 10.

Cristian was born and raised in Florence, Italy, and spent years training in some of the most renowned restaurants in his home country, known the world over for its exquisite cuisine, but a burger place is what Chef Cristian has always wanted to create.

“Before Via Vite was even conceived I wanted to open a burger joint,” Cristian said. “All chefs – I don’t care how fancy they are – at the end of the day, they want a simple meal. Comfort food.”

Via Vite, of course, is the highly successful Italian Bistro that Cristian and Amanda own and operate on Fountain Square. Earlier in 2015, Cristian and Amanda opened their second restaurant, Forno Osteria & Bar, in Hyde Park. Although their company has grown significantly, two things have remained consistent – Chef Cristian’s ability to create delicious dishes that draw rave reviews and his desire to open a burger restaurant.

“All these years, creating a burger joint always remained a dream in the back of my head,” Cristian said. “I would just think, ‘How awesome would it be to really bring this dream to fruition?’ So I’ve been working on it for over a year.”

His fulfilled dream, Americano Burger Bar, will feature a menu of 10 burgers made with the freshest ingredients around, as well as iconic American favorites. Like Via Vite and Forno Osteria & Bar before it, Americano Burger Bar will focus on quality – buns will be made by a local baker and the meat will be made fresh from the trimmings of dry-aged steaks, meaning the burgers will literally be steak burgers.

The menu will also include onion rings, brats and milkshakes, which can be made with or without alcohol, as well as soups and salads for lunch.

As for the restaurant itself, the 3,230-square-foot space will include a gaming area, featuring a foosball table, shuffleboard and multiple TVs. Located at 545 Race Street, Americano Burger Bar will be the second restaurant to open in one of 3CDC’s street-level commercial spaces in the 84.51° building.

“The location is a big deal because it expands the entertainment district downtown,” Cristian said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on to the north of the Square, and now things are moving west and we’re excited to be a part of that expansion of the entertainment district.”

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