A chef with years of experience in kitchens across the country is helping usher in a new raw bar and dining concept near German Village.
Lorelei is a new restaurant coming to the Brewery District at 831 S Front Street, which was formerly ClaySpace Gallery, per a report from Columbus Business First. This will be right next to the Jones Heel project, renovating a historic shoe factory into a residential building. Chef and operating partner Henry Christian told What Now Columbus he and owner Bronte Clifford are hoping to open the concept by mid-to-late-summer.
Christian has been working in restaurants including Ritz Carlton locations. He is also behind a raw bar pop-up in Key West, Florida called The Funky Shuck. For Lorelei, he is bringing his raw bar concept to the space, which is an old-school New England bar serving shucked oysters, along with craft cocktails, beer and wine. He plans on operating the bar a few nights a week, along with the dining area.
“We’re going to serve everything from oysters to homemade noodle bowls,” Christian said. He added other seafood will be served, and he is embracing the omakase sushi concept, with many different kinds of oysters to choose from.
The building is near the corner of W Kossuth Street, a few blocks south of the main drag of restaurants and bars in the Brewery District. Nearby concepts include Double Take Bar & Grill, Plank’s Bier Garten and Club Diversity. The Jones Heel building sits just south of where Lorelei is being built.
The restaurant and bar has been about two years in the making. Right now, they are hoping to finalize zoning at a March 19 city meeting, and from there permitting should be approved. The owners will be updating the community on the opening date as it gets closer to this summer.
“It’s been a struggle to get where we are,” Christian said.
The owners have not yet set up a social media page or website for Lorelei.
