WEST WINDSOR — A new pub-style restaurant featuring a covered patio, extended hours of operation and a repositioned bar area will join the growing number of food destinations on Route 1 in the township before year's end.
Brick House Tavern and Tap Restaurant, a 311-seat eatery featuring sandwiches, burgers, pizza and appetizers, would employ 50 to 75 workers over two shifts, replacing the existing Macaroni Grill at the 5.118-acre site on the southbound side of Route 1.
In applying for preliminary and final site plan approval in conjunction with rebranding the existing Macaroni Grill, a representative for Houston-based Ignite Restaurant Group told the township planning board this week that new signage and facade design on the existing building would be needed.
In order to create a 275-days-a-year enclosed patio, Ignite also proposed creating a 1,284-square-foot wraparound addition for the new seating area at the 3569 U.S. 1 address. The new restaurant also would share a courtyard with an existing On the Border eatery.
The Ignite Restaurant Group purchased the Romano’s Macaroni Grill chain from Golden Gate Capital for about $55 million last year.
Planners gave their unanimous approval to the plans after questioning the need for the restaurant to stay open later than Macaroni Grill. They granted a waiver for the restaurant to be open Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. because it has a liquor license. It will be the 21st restaurant in the franchise, joining South Plainfield and Neptune locations as the third Brick House site in New Jersey. There also is a location in Willow Grove, Pa.
The planners also allowed the company to use larger letters on their identifying sign since it would be mounted on the restaurant itself and not elevated by the roadside. Sean Rae, vice president of construction for Ignite, said that Brick House Tavern could be up and running within 90 to 120 days of beginning new construction. However, no start date was given.
Over the past few years, developers have aggressively sought out Route 1 locations for restaurants at Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence Township and sprinkled through West Windsor and in and around the MarketFair shopping center.
According to planning board chairman Marvin Gardner, the restaurants Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52 will open this year at MarketFair as the shopping center continues its rebirth as an eating destination as well as a shopping draw.
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