A Kentucky-based restaurant chain specializing in unique tacos is gearing to open its first Dayton-area location. And patrons of the new establishment will be the first to try several new offerings.
Agave & Rye, a regional chain based in Covington, Kentucky, expects to open its new Troy location on Nov. 15, pending approval by the city's health department. The new restaurant at 2 N. Market St. will be the chain's first in the Miami Valley, with other locations in Covington, Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, as well as Rookwood and Liberty Township near Cincinnati. Another new location is planned for New Albany, Indiana.
Agave & Rye Founder Yavonne Sarber said Troy's proximity to its Greater Cincinnati locations — 45 minutes to an hour drive up Interstate 75 — coupled with the "sense of community" found in the city were the driving factors behind the chain's expansion into the Miami Valley.
"When you drive into Troy, you get this awesome sense of community feeling that we definitely wanted to be a part of," Sarber said. "It reminded us a lot of our OG location in Covington, as well as our Louisville location. As soon as we saw that (Troy) location was still available, we knew Agave would be perfect there."
As is the case with all Agave & Rye restaurants, the Troy location will have its own unique look. The company has commissioned an artist to paint a mural of Mahatma Gandhi in the new restaurant. Similar portraits of Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King Jr. can be found in the chain's Louisville and Rookwood locations.
In addition, the Troy location will serve as the launch point for several menu changes Agave & Rye is making. Sarber said they make seasonal menu changes with the opening of each new restaurant.
"We'll have seven to eight different menu changes that will launch when Troy opens, and those will carry over to our other locations as well," she said. "Troy will get the newest version (of the menu), which we're super excited about."
Among the menu changes are three new tacos, along with expanded entree selections. Sarber said additions to the menu go beyond the unique tacos they are known for.
"While the majority of our menu is tacos, we've got six items that are not," she said, adding they also serve dishes such as chicken sandwiches and hamburgers. "So if your party is in the mood for tacos but a couple people want something else, we have a selection for them."
When it opens, the 4,000-square-foot restaurant will seat 110 people in the main dining area, another 20 at the bar and 40 on the outdoor patio. The inside of the restaurant also will have an arcade with vintage games that are complimentary to guests.
Sarber said they also are acquiring an additional 1,000 square feet attached to the building, which will serve as a private dining area. This portion of the restaurant is expected to open a couple months after the grand opening.
At full staff, Agave & Rye will employ between 40 and 50 people in Troy. The company is still hiring, with open interviews to be held within the next couple weeks. Those interested in applying for a job can visit Agave & Rye's website, as well as its social media pages.
While there are no immediate plans to open additional restaurants in Ohio, Sarber said they are always open to new opportunities.
"We didn't realize we'd be opening three in the Greater Cincinnati area, but the community definitely let us know they wanted more," she said. "So we'll leave that open as far as the immediate Troy or Dayton area, if the right opportunity comes to us. Toledo, Columbus and Cleveland are also regions we'll be looking at not too far out."
Agave & Rye opened its flagship Covington location in February 2018, and has been expanding ever since. Its menu features 20 different tacos, over 90 tequilas, more than 85 bourbons and whiskeys, 10-plus craft cocktails, and beer and wine.
Sarber said what sets them a part from other chains is the unique environment they create in each restaurant, as well as the chef-driven approach to their menu.
"We're not necessarily Mexican — I'd say we're more international and French-inspired," she said. "We don't have freezers at our restaurants, so everything comes in fresh. I think that's another thing that sets us a part from most other chains you'll see. We're just different."
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