Just when you thought the amazingly talented Chef John Varanese couldn’t get any better, he announces his plans to open a brand new restaurant with an entire new inventive menu.
Chef Varanese has seen nothing but success since opening his first original restaurant, Varanese, on Frankfort Avenue in 2007. His menu is full of the freshest cuisine Louisville has to offer and his pairings are simply perfect. But something the community may not know is that Frankfort Avenue’s Varanese was not the chef’s original idea once he began to plan his own restaurant.
The creative mind of Chef Varanese had always pictured a beautiful restaurant that offered a riverside dining experience along with a one-of-a-kind menu. And in 2004, he found the perfect location on River Road. However, because he was only beginning to develop his career as a chef and a business owner, the plans for opening his dream restaurant were weighed down by the economy.
Three years later, he was able to open Varanese on Frankfort Avenue. And though it was not his original plan, the restaurant has been quite a success with thousands of patrons flocking to the delicious menu each year. And with the experience gained during the first eight years of owning Varanese, the chef is ready to take on the task of opening his dream restaurant, River House.
River House will be located in a building that was previously used for boat storage at 3015 River Road. This classic nautical setting will offer diners a beautiful view of the Ohio River and a variety of selections from the new original menu which will feature a theme of fresh seafood with Southern Flair along with a raw bar.
River House is scheduled to open in spring of 2016 and will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. More details will follow as the restaurant’s construction progresses. But until then, you can continue to dine on your favorites at Varanese, located at 2106 Frankfort Avenue.
Photos (Almond encrusted cod from Varanese, River House restaurant virtual plan) courtesy of Varanese.
