Look for Fiore’s Italian Steakhouse to open in late July in the Montrose shopping area.
The new place is a second location for the owners, who also operate Fiore’s Italian Ristorante at 2179 Lincoln Way E. in Wooster Township, Wayne County.
The location, 85 W. Montrose Ave., Copley Township, previously was home to the short-lived Nicollini’s Restaurant, and before that Bennigans, according to NAI Cummins Real Estate, which brokered the deal.
Fiore’s will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and will have patio seating.
• A new Potbelly Sandwich Shop opened its doors at 4460 Belden Village St. NW, Jackson Township, on Tuesday.
The national chain has 270 locations; this is its fourth in Northeast Ohio. Potbelly features warm, toasted sandwiches, hand-dipped shakes and made-to-order salads. Other locations are in Cleveland, Independence and Mayfield Heights.
The shop will employ about 25 full- and part-time workers. Hours are Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• 750ml wine bar in the Pilgrim Square plaza in West Akron is opening a second location in Brecksville.
Owners Jim and Karla Walters recently signed a lease for one of downtown Brecksville’s historical red brick buildings at 8903 Brecksville Road. The location will be larger than the original.
Construction is expected to begin in June with a late summer target opening date. The Akron location opened in 2008.
• A third location of Sweet Frog, the frozen yogurt shop chain that has locations in Stow and Green, is expected to open soon at 2719 W. Market St., Fairlawn.
The shops offer 16 flavors of self-serve frozen yogurt and a variety of toppings.
Speaking of new places …
Bar 145, the Toledo-based gastropub that opened in Kent in January, has new local owners.
Jeremy Fitzgerald, owner of the Bar 145 concept, has sold the Kent location to a group of local business operators, JHG Inc., who previously ran a group of McDonald’s restaurants. The sale of the Kent location was official May 1.
The same group of partners are planning to open another franchise in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, with a target opening date of early 2014. The Cleveland location will have a 2,000-square-foot rooftop patio, Fitzgerald said in a news release.
Locations also are being scouted in Akron, Cincinnati and Ann Arbor, Mich. Fitzgerald’s first location is in Toledo and a Columbus-area location is in the works. Bar 145 features burgers, bands and a wide selection of bourbons.
State fair cooking contest
Contestants have until June 20 to enter the Greatest Generations of Grilling Cook-Off at the Ohio State Fair, an event sponsored by Kenmore to celebrate the appliance maker’s 100th anniversary.
Cooking Channel star Bobby Dean will be coming to the fair to host the contest, which will feature a live cooking competition July 27.
There is a catch: All grilled dishes must be served on a stick.
First prize is a $5,000 Kenmore kitchen makeover, a three-day/two-night trip package for two to the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in October, and the chance to have his/her recipe featured in the Kenmore 100th Anniversary cookbook due out this fall.
Visit www.ohiostatefair.com/osf/downloadbooks/ specialevents/2013/2013Food 3000.pdf for a complete list of entry rules and regulations for this contest and all other cooking contests at the fair.
Let’s get fired up
May is National Burger Month. Please eat responsibly.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.