Friday Food Bites: Service Bar reopening, Bake Me Happy moves, new wine shop in German Village

There’s always a lot happening in the Columbus restaurant world! Here’s the latest:

• The much-anticipated reopening of Service Bar, the restaurant attached to Middle West Spirits, is coming on Thursday, Oct. 13 (with reservations opening up on Monday, Oct. 10). Helming the kitchen now is chef Chris Connolly, who previously worked at Alinea in Chicago, The Little Inn at Washington in Virginia, and The Greenbriar in Tennessee. The former head chef Avishar Barua, who competed on season 18 of Top Chef, has since moved on to open Joya’s Cafe in Old Worthington and is working on a new concept called Agni, in the former Ambrose & Eve in the Brewery District.
• Gluten free outpost Bake Me Happy has completed the move from its original Merion Village shop to a new location at 500 E. Whittier St. in Schumacher Place, at the corner of Parsons Avenue. The expanded space is a former post office. Get a look inside the new Bake Me Happy, which features a full coffee bar, baked goods, local coffees, prepared foods, and gluten free groceries.
• Columbus Monthly shared this week that the owners of Hausfrau Haven in German Village are opening a wine bar today called The Laundry next door, in the former laundromat space at 769 S. Third St.
• Just yesterday, the new live fire restaurant FYR, in the new Hilton Tower hotel, started taking reservations for service starting Friday, Oct. 14.
• Two locations of Block’s Bagels – the North Market stall and the Bexley store on East Broad Street – have both been renamed Fox’s Bagels & Deli, after owner Jeremy Fox. Fox licensed the Block’s name to open the Bexley store the North Market stall. When plans fell through to purchase them outright, he renamed his locations and will start using his recipes. The Block’s location at 6115 McNaughten Rd. on the east side remains under the original name and ownership.
• 614 Now shared the the news that the first Bojangles location in Columbus will be at 891 Hilliard Rome Rd. The North Carolina-based chain is known for their fried chicken and biscuits.
• Ray Ray’s in Granville formally announced its new supper club this week. The restaurant was formerly a meat + three concept, but shifted to the standard Ray Ray’s Hog Pit menu as drive-through/carryout while utilizing the dining room for ticketed dinners. You can read about a previous supper club night, a Carolina barbecue dinner, to get a sense of the dinners and what they’ll offer. The first supper club is set for Oct. 14.
• Business First shared that a new hangout called Noir Lounge has opened at 15 W. Cherry St. downtown.
• The Columbus Italian Festival is this weekend, Oct. 7-9, in Italian Village. It features loads of food, live music, activities, and more.
• Columbus Brewing Company hosts the Six Ways Market on Oct. 8-9, featuring more than 85 vendors selling vintage and handmade goods, local food trucks, and more.

This week I’m also writing:

• See Inside: Bake Me Happy’s New Schumacher Place Location
• What’s Happening in Worthington This October (Experience Worthington)
• How To Fill a Weekend (or Two) in Athens (Ohio.org)

Want to keep up with more? Follow me on Instagram at @breakfastwithnick, check out the news archives, search for travel inspiration, explore the breakfast map, or…