Kevin and Lori Ames are a husband and wife restaurateur team on a hot streak. This Wednesday they’re opening Streetfare by Lola, their fourth Downtown restaurant within a span of three blocks.
The new concept, located in the Fifth Third Building at the corner of State & High, is being described as a fast-casual offshoot from Cafe Lola, located near the corner of Broad & High.
“It’s Cafe Lola food served Chipotle-style in a small kiosk,” says Kevin Ames. “Price points will be 6-7 dollars and we will have some cafe-style seating.”
Customers will choose a green salad, noodle salad, sub, wrap or tortilla, and then select proteins and fresh toppings to fill it with. Their menu also includes soup and chili.
Ames says that they were approached to open a restaurant concept in the Fifth Third Building after the successful opening of their second Burger, Dogs & Fries at Columbus Commons this summer. He sees the move indoors as a way to balance the seasonality of the outdoor space in the park, but doesn’t think being so close to his other nearby restaurants will cannibalize his other businesses.
“We have always believed there is plenty of lunch business Downtown,” he says. “People like to walk as little as possible to conserve their time. We had customers at the park this summer who had never eaten at our Broad and High restaurants simply because they only eat within their own one-block radius of their workplace.”
Streetfare by Lola opens on Wednesday, December 7th at 21 E. State Street. Hours are 10:30am to 3pm, Monday through Friday.