After more than 10 years serving lasagna and bolognese in Marietta Square, Piastra has closed its doors. Come January 22, it will reopen as Asher & Rose, a specialty grocery and cafe shaped by local sourcing, prepared foods, and the same hospitality the restaurant was known for.

The name reflects the middle names of mother-and-son ownership team Betty Bahl and Greg Lipman. They had been contemplating a second concept when Burger’s Market shuttered nearby. The arrival of multiple new restaurants on the Square encouraged Bahl and Lipman to reimagine the space.

“Marietta Square is a food desert. There’s not a grocery store within a little over a mile,” Lipman says.

Renovations were minimal, as they kept the bar, maintained the private dining room for events and meetings, and even left some of the local artwork on the walls.

Courtesy of Asher & Rose

The eight-seat bar will shift from Italian-focused drinks to about a dozen craft cocktails, plus rotating beer taps, and a strong zero ABV lineup. There are 109 wines on the menu, with each available by the glass (with a two-glass minimum).

“When was the last time you went grocery shopping with a martini in your hand?” Lipman exclaims. “We’re taking the Disney philosophy for our business. When was the last time you had fun grocery shopping?”

Patrons can dine at the bar and ring up their groceries there, too. “We’ll still be serving food; it just won’t be Italian,” he says. Bottled beer and wine will also be sold on the retail side.

A counter-service cafe will serve house‑made pastries, including croissants and cinnamon buns, as well as local eggs, sausage, pork, and stone‑ground grits. A separate “all‑day menu” will feature Piastra favorites like spaghetti bolognese and rigatoni, as well as vegan roasted tomato soup matzo ball soup, muffaletta and miso salmon on house‑baked Japanese milk bread.

Courtesy of Asher & Rose

The grocery will continue the restaurant’s commitment to local sourcing, from cheese and chicken to beef and pork. Lipman says prepared foods comprise at least half the offerings.  Items range from mushroom ravioli to meatloaf, beef stew, lamb shank, fried rice, and dumplings, each with heating instructions. A Whole Foods-style prepared foods counter will offer fresh eats, in addition to the refrigerated and frozen sections. A variety of gluten-free offerings will be available with advance notice.

Lipman, who served as executive chef at Piastra and previously worked in pastry at Alon’s, will continue to lead the kitchen. Piastra general manager and lead bartender Jessica Lakos will fill those roles at Asher & Rose, too.

The team will collaborate with the Marietta Square Farmers Market through a weekly chef’s stage. The store will also host monthly “meet the maker” events to showcase local farmers, producers, and artists.

Advertisement