Georgetown's ‘Olive Market’ Out, ‘19 Main’ In

With culinary options becoming more and more varied on the Georgetown restaurant scene, the new owners of the space that was previously home to Olive Market are hoping “American” cuisine will be their key to success. They’ll be opening a new restaurant called 19 Main Restaurant and Marketplace.

“We’ll have food from our American roots—all our heritage. We can have a little Italian, a little Spanish, a little German. We can go around the United States and pull a Gumbo from New Orleans, a cioppino from San Francisco, a Philadelphia steak sandwich, and then go up to Maine and do a lobster roll. We’ll have a lot of latitude to do really good food,” explained Larry D’Amico, one of the partners in the new eatery.

According to the website for 19 Main, the menu will rely on local and organic ingredients.  D’amico said that they will also retail artisanal and gourmet food items, prepared foods and upscale, unique housewares and gifts. “There will be very select items, things that you can’t find elsewhere within a 50 mile radius.”

One major difference setting 19 Main apart from the Olive Market—the new spot will offer more space. The owners will be expanding the dining area into the space next door that was previously occupied by the Conservatory of Dance, which relocated to Wilton Center earlier this year. That expansion will allow D’Amico and his partner Maria Balitsos not only to provide more seating for customers, but also to offer catering and have a full bar.

But D’Amico still hopes to please a built-in customer base loyal to the original, and they are keeping in mind the need to make it a relaxed place for families.  

“Everybody remarked how comfortable the Olive Market was, and we’re going to continue in that same vein, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But we’re also going to be able to do more,” he said. “We’re going to do some façade work, open up windows in the front, let in some more light. We’re going to expand the kitchen, so there’s work to be done.”

Even with a good deal of demolition and construction work ahead, D’Amico hopes to open in June. “We’re participating in Georgetown Day, (June 9, 2013) no matter what. We will have a booth. We’ll do something representative of what 19 Main will be doing.”

19 Main Restaurant and Marketplace will be located at 19 Main St. in Georgetown. To learn more visit their website and Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.