Twin brothers Casey and Justin Roth, owners of Tazé Mediterranean Street Food, announced today that the second location of their fast-casual eatery will open in the former Tortillaria Mexican Kitchen in the Central West End.
Tazé (pronounced tah-ZAY, which means “fresh” in Turkish) joins a roster of new restaurants along the 1-mile stretch of Euclid Avenue (between Washington Avenue and Forest Park Parkway), one of the most active restaurant streets in town. Derek and Lucas Gamlin will open their third restaurant on the street, 1764 Public House, in the spring; the city’s first Shake Shack could open nearby by year’s end; and Kansas City-based Up-Down arcade bar recently snagged the 8,000-square-foot space that some thought might have to be subdivided.
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The Roth brothers appear to have a knack for securing the right location at the right time: Taze’s flagship is located on Washington Avenue, on the same busy block as Pi Pizzeria, Porano, Robust, Sugarfire, Snarf’s, and Crazy Bowls. The brothers feel that Euclid Avenue has a similar energy and hope to capitalize on it.
The fast-casual, build-a-meal concept will be duplicated in the new location, with a few tweaks. “We have to adapt to the space and the neighborhood,” Casey says. “We’ll see a more traditional mix of lunch and dinner business there, and we want to maintain Tortillaria’s feel of a warm, cozy place to hang out.
“We’re planning a robust happy-hour program for the workers nearby,” he adds, referring to the nearby Washington University medical campus. “We only serve beer and wine downtown; in the CWE, we’ve planned a full liquor program, a menu of tapas-type appetizers for happy hour, and brunch on both weekend days.”
The restaurant will seat 40 people, as well as an equal number on the sidewalk patio, which will be a focal point. Look for a lot of greenery, including topiary boxwoods. With so few seats, delivery and catering will be paramount, which is possible because of a second, downstairs kitchen. “It’s one of the main factors that made this location so attractive,” Casey says.
The brothers are aiming for an early summer opening—just as the booming Euclid Avenue shifts into high gear.
