XO Bar coming to former XO Cafe space in Providence
PROVIDENCE — The XO Bar is coming soon to 125 North Main St.
Does that sound familiar to anyone? It should.
It will be like going home when restaurateur and chef Ben Lloyd opens a new cocktail bar with colleague Scott Champagne. They have a target date of June 2.
The neighborhood spot will have "a lounge feel, fun lighting and chill, vibe-y music," said Lloyd. But they are not re-creating the XO Café, and there will be no food.
Until 2018, 125 North Main St. was home to XO Café, an iconic restaurant opened by John Elkhay with partners Cheryl Bready and Richard Bready in 1989. It had a few variations, including XO Steakhouse and Café Noir, but all had the same atmosphere.
Before XO, 125 North Main St. was home to Angels, a first-wave trendsetting Providence restaurant.
"The entire city has a nostalgic place in their heart for the space," Lloyd said. He believes it was due to the culture, and that is what they will recreate.
"The space spoke to us," he said.
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Many a couple met and spent their courtship at 125 North Main St.
That includes Lloyd and his wife Nicole, now a teacher at Ponaganset High School. They met in 2003 when he arrived as a chef and she came to work from Viola's on DePasquale Square. In fact, she and Champagne both came to XO from that Federal Hill restaurant.
Lloyd says the place is where he started not only his career but also his family. He and his wife have two children.
Champagne and Lloyd have been colleagues and friends ever since XO. Champagne worked a few shifts a week at the now-closed Tazza restaurant, which Lloyd joined in 2011.
Champagne was the first general manager at Salted Slate, which Lloyd opened in 2014. Champagne left to pursue a real estate career in 2016, which continues to be his day job.
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Demolition was to begin this week in the space as it transitions to a cocktail bar. There will be no kitchen, although Lloyd said diners may order in from neighboring restaurants including Harry's Burger Bar and Mill's Tavern or Den Den just a block up College Hill.
At first, XO Bar will occupy just the bar area, Lloyd said. The former dining room of XO Cafe is currently occupied by a tattoo business. But come September, it will be part of XO Bar as a function space for wedding showers and the like, or for overflow from the bar.
Eliminating the kitchen wall will allow for a larger bar at XO Bar, which will have a total of about 50 seats. There will be a new banquette and side tables and chairs. Lounge chairs will be in the deep window spot that fronts North Main Street.
"It will look different but feel similar," said Lloyd.
Alesandra Raimondo-Paolino will be the general manager. She was Lloyd's bar manager at Salted Slate in 2015 and more recently at the Providence Wine Bar, which he opened in 2019, also in Wayland Square.
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Not investing in kitchen equipment means Lloyd and Champagne can put their capital into the bar and the liquor. Lloyd promises it will have depth of choices. Artisan spirits have blossomed in recent years, and they will take full advantage of that.
Lloyd and Champagne started looking at the space at the end of October. It needed major capital improvements to be occupied. Since then they have been working with city departments to shepherd the project through all the necessary approvals with the building landlord and property manager.
The plan is to be open Thursday through Monday, with hours of 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
You can follow their renovations on Instagram and Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Former Providence restaurant space will be home to new XO Bar
