Agave & Rye owners excited to return to Columbus with Grandview, Short North locations
Many people believe everything goes better with tacos.
The co-founder of Agave & Rye believes that just about anything tastes better in a taco.
The bourbon and taco bar opened its 12th location and second central Ohio outlet June 22 in the former Spagio building at 1295 Grandview Ave. in Grandview Heights.
Agave & Rye also opened a restaurant June 1 at 479 N. High St. in the Short North.
"We're really excited to be back in the Columbus market," said Yavonne Sarber, who founded Agave & Rye with her husband, Wade, in 2018 in Covington, Kentucky.
The restaurant chain has 12 locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee with plans to expand into the Cleveland area later this year.
"We look at the taco as a vessel," Sarber said. "It's the perfect vessel for all kinds of cuisine. It doesn't just have to be the typical way you think about a taco as 'Mexican' cuisine.
"The taco shell is a great vessel for all sorts of cuisine and that can be anything from French traditions to Asian to Detroit-style pizza."
All of which are among the offerings at Agave & Rye.
Each Agave & Rye location also serves more than 90 tequilas and 90 bourbons.
"I think it's the variety and just the fun aspect of eating tacos and having a good tequila or bourbon that has helped led to our success," Sarber said. "It's hard to find someone who will say, 'I don't like eating tacos.'"
The Grandview location seats 350 inside with multiple bars and an outdoor patio with seating for 70, according to Sarber.
"The former Spagio location is such an iconic site in Grandview," she said. "One of the things that I noticed was all the activity along Grandview Avenue and all the foot traffic it brings. Grandview Avenue is a destination people drive to. There's so much to do with the shops and restaurants. We think we're going to fit in perfectly with that vibe."
The Grandview location also features an arcade with vintage games, Sarber said.
Each Agave & Rye location is given unique decor to fit in with the surrounding area, she said.
The Grandview site includes an outdoor mural that pays tribute to three notable Columbus-area chefs who each served as mentors to Sarber.
"Sue Doody, who founded Lindy's, was a true mentor to me. We'd sit and talk and she told me so much about the ins and outs of the restaurant business," Sarber said. "I worked at Handke's Cuisine under Chef Hartmut Handke and served meals to Chef Hubert (Seifert), who founded Spagio, at Handke's."
Sarber previously owned and operated Columbus-area restaurants, including Oliver's BSB, de-NOVO Bistro and Fin.
Opening the new restaurants in Grandview and the Short North "is like coming home," she said.
"Grandview is an ideal location, and we're really excited about our location in the Short North. The North Market is located behind us and there are a number of other fine restaurants in the surrounding area," Sarber said.
The Short North location seats 140 indoors and 80 on an outdoor patio, according to Sarber.
Both central Ohio locations are open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Agave & Rye owners excited to return to Columbus with Grandview, Short North locations
