Changes are afoot for the restaurant scene in Marietta, with two brand new restaurants set to be moving in and a couple of old favorites set to merge.
The Qdoba Mexican Grill is on its way and is expected to be located at Seventh and Pike. “The best way to describe it is as a fast, casual restaurant that serves Mexican food,” notes the owner and managing director of Charlton Management Inc, Matt Herridge. The company already operates as many as 23 Burger Kings in Ohio and West Virginia, including Marietta’s Pike Street Burger King. “It really has something to offer this area that’s not available yet. There are very few restaurants in what I call the fast casual category.”
Meanwhile, the Blacksmith Barbecue is set to move from its site at the Comfort Inn, which is located on Pike Street, over to Front Street, where it will merge with Over the Moon Pub & Pizza. Kevin Smith, the owner, says that there was not much in the way of dine-in space at the former Seventh Street location but that the relocation to the sprawling restaurant that is adjacent to the Comfort Inn will change this.
Black says he was unhappy in his old location and believes that the quality of his food suffered as a result. After the relocation he will be paring down his menu to feature his barbecue staples of beef, pork and wing. “I want to get back to what I really love doing, creating world class barbecue,” he admits.
Gene Salaz
