Before Olio reopens in the Delmar Maker District early next year, fans looking for a taste of the Mediterranean restaurant through a series of pop-up dinners. Owner Ben Poremba recently announced a series of Olio-themed pop-up dinners at Florentin (5090 Delmar), the new Israeli-themed café from Bengelina Hospitality Group. The first event in the monthly series takes place this Friday, July 26, with a five-course meal for $65. At press time, limited tickets were still available here. Here’s what to know about the series and Olio’s future.
Read More: Elaia, Olio, and Nixta slated to move to Delmar Maker District
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A Look Ahead
Poremba hopes to open Olio in early 2025. “The new Olio is an ambitious project: two existing buildings, plus a newly constructed building, all connected,” he explains. “There are some structural-engineering things that we needed to figure out.”
At the new Olio location, Poremba will focus on cuisine from the eastern Mediterranean (including Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Lebanon). In contrast, the bar-and-grill cuisine at Esca (5095 Delmar), another new restaurant from Bengelina Hospitality Group, focuses on the western Mediterranean (including Sicily and the French and Italian Riviera). “It will be nice for customers to see the difference,” he says.
As for the launch of the monthly Olio dinner series, Poremba says he wanted to host at least one pop-up before going into “full-on Nixta mode”—referring to the elevated Mexican cuisine concept that is also relocating from Botanical Heights to the Delmar Maker District and slated to open in the fall.
“We will have a big Greek wine tasting in September and will probably do an Olio pop-up as part of that, too,” Poremba says. “Greek food is going to be influential at Olio.”
In the meantime, Olio’s fans have also been able to taste a few of their favorites (including pita, hummus, and shawarma) at CITYPARK; the famous egg salad and other prepared dishes at the AO & Co. (1641 Tower Grove), and Deli Divine (5501 Delmar).
The Menu
The menu for the pop-up dinners reflects the eventual approach at Olio, Poremba says, with a mix of familiar items that have been updated. “It will read the same, but there is more finesse put into it,” he says.
The popular beet salad, for instance, will feature beets that are roasted in a wood-burning oven, as well as whipped feta and pistachios. “There’s also a beautiful cumin vinaigrette,” Poremba says. Likewise, he says, “the Israeli bruschetta will still have blistered cherry tomatoes with wine vinegar, garlic, and herbs, plus grilled calamari. It’s just slightly more elevated.” The pop-ups will also include dishes such as the Moroccan briouat, or “cigars,” from The Benevolent King, which recently shuttered. Instead of spiced sardines, the dish will be filled with lobster and scallops.
“The main courses are all grilled over charcoal and wood outside,” Poremba says. “My favorite is grilled haloumi cheese with summer vegetables.” Skewers of lamb kefta and other staples of Olio’s menu will also be on the menu. “And, of course, there will be hummus and falafel,” Poremba adds.
Olio’s lauded wine program will be a key element of the new space as well. Luciano Racca, who curates the wine list, says there are currently around 2,000 bottles in the cellar. In addition to what Poremba describes as that “very ambitious” wine list, he says the cocktail menu will be just as fun as Olio’s previous iteration. The details are still in the works, but Poremba expects it to include more clear spirits, anises, Armagnacs, and similar ingredients because of the nature of the menu.
“It’s going to be great,” he says, “but it’s going to take time.”
