Mediterranean Restaurant Opening In Avon Lake

AVON LAKE, OH — Ibiza, new Mediterranean restaurant on Lake Road, will be welcomed into Avon Lake with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 4. The restaurant's name represents the festive atmosphere owners want to present to customers.

The ribbon cutting will be held at noon on December 4. The restaurant is located at 33481 Lake Road.

The restaurant is named for the Spanish island in the Mediterranean sea, off the eastern coast of Spain. Antonio Ponce, the owner, said the islands are known for their parties.

“Ibiza is the party island,” said Ponce. “I want to bring that festive atmosphere to my restaurant.”

Ponce has nearly 25 years in the restaurant business, most of it working with Spanish cuisine. He began his career in New Jersey before moving to Cleveland in 1996. He helped open Mallorca, the Spanish restaurant on W. 9th Street in the Warehouse District of Cleveland. He then went to Sangria Y Tapas, near Detroit and Dover Center in Westlake.

At Ibiza, Ponce will offer Spanish, Portugese and Italian dishes. Guests can expect delicious paella, eclectic seafood, and rich cuisine from throughout the Mediterranean.

The restaurant is located at the far east end of Avon Lake's historic train station building in Beach Park Station. Ibiza was formerly Sapori Italian Grille. The new interior has the charm of a building more than a century old, with exposed brick, and a covered outdoor patio, a la settings in Portugal, Italy and Spain.

“We believe that Ibiza is going to draw people in,” said Avon Lake Economic Development Director Ted Esborn, “Not just with a menu that people enjoy exploring, but with dining experiences that they have never had before. The Mediterranean cultures that inspired Ibiza value the social experience of eating, just as much as the food itself, and bringing that to Avon Lake is what I find most exciting about this new restaurant."