Central Kitchen reopens as wine bar with hearty snacks

Central Kitchen reopens as wine bar with hearty snacksPhoto: Central Kitchen Wine Bar
Jay Barmann
Published on October 09, 2020

Flour + Water sister restaurant Central Kitchen reopens for outdoor dining Friday, October 9 as Central Kitchen Wine Bar, with a pared-down menu meant for enjoying with a glass or bottle of vino.

Both Flour + Water and Central Kitchen are now open for outdoor seating as of this weekend, with Central Kitchen boasting that open-air central courtyard that partly protects diners from the elements, and sidewalk traffic — though there are also now tables set up on the sidewalk along Florida and 20th streets.

Chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow say they're excited to reopen the casual Central Kitchen space with "epic outdoor seating."

"We want guests and friends to enjoy simple food, thoughtfully prepared alongside a broad and playful list of both classic and natural wines," they write in a note to their email list. "We have always wanted this to be a flexible, casual experience, where you can pop in for a great glass of wine and a snack, or have a full meal."

Central Kitchen opened across 20th Street and up the block from Flour + Water back in May 2012, along with the deli-esque Salumeria next door. It's undergone a few iterations since then, most notably with a 2016 pivot to a more casual dining concept after several years with more of a fine-dining vibe.

The new Central Kitchen Wine Bar opening menu is below, and it includes some pastas, snacks, an amberjack crudo, and a brick-chicken entree. The place is now open for reservations — tables for two are booked up for tonight, but as of this writing there are multiple tables for 4 still available. Also, some tables will be kept open for walk-ins. Full current hours of operation are still TBA once the restaurant website is updated.

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