A coffee house and a steak, seafood, and sushi grille are coming to downtown Salina.
According to Salina 2020, the master developer for downtown Salina’s revitalization, a Starbucks and a brand-new restaurant launched by two local restauranteurs, called Barolo Grille, are coming to downtown Salina.
The licensed Starbucks café will be located at the corner of Santa Fe Avenue and Mulberry Street. The 1,650 sq. ft. café will be housed within the new Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel, currently under construction. Starbucks will be accessible from both the street and inside the hotel and will feature indoor seating and an outdoor patio, thanks to the widened sidewalks which are part of the Santa Fe Avenue streetscape improvements. Its target opening date is fall 2019.
Well-known Kansas restauranteurs Jason Cao and Kevin O’Brien are joining forces to create Barolo Grille, a steak, sushi and seafood restaurant that will be located at 120 S. Santa Fe Avenue. The two have more than 50 years of combined restaurant management and ownership experience. Barolo Grille will be 5,221 sq. ft. and the only true steak and seafood concept in Salina. With estimated average tickets of $13 for lunch and $32 for dinner, Barolo Grille will offer fine cuisine, small plates, an extensive wine menu and a well-appointed atmosphere. In addition, the restaurant will feature patio dining, a full bar and a private meeting room. It is scheduled to open in the spring of 2019.
“We are so honored that both Starbucks and Barolo Grille have chosen downtown Salina for these two new ventures,” said Guy Walker with Salina 2020. “We know that both concepts will broadly appeal to Salina residents and travelers, alike. They will fit in nicely with our current shops, restaurants and bars, as well as our future entertainment venues.”
Cao is the owner of Daimaru Steakhouse & Sushi Bar on S. 9th Street in Salina. Chef O’Brien once operated the Renaissance Café in Assaria, Kan., which was named Best Restaurant in Kansas by msn.com and rated one of the Top 100 Restaurants in America by opentable.com.
“We are excited to combine our unique culinary skills to create something new and different for Salina,” said Cao. “The excitement surrounding the downtown Salina revitalization is contagious,” said O’Brien, who continued, “we want to be a part of it all.”
Salina 2020 is partnering with the City of Salina, Salina Downtown Inc., and other private developers to redevelop downtown Salina with a new hotel, a car museum, a family entertainment center, restaurants, shops, streetscape renovations and more. In addition to the Starbucks, Barolo Grille, Homewood Suites by Hilton, new businesses and attractions announced to-date include The Alley, American Classics Car Museum, Old Chicago and YaYa’s Euro Bistro.
