BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A new restaurant and wine bar serving up “seasonal neighborhood eats” will open on Malcolm X Boulevard this week, according to its owner.
Octavia’s, an eatery with market-fresh produce and locally sourced meats, will offer a variety of dishes including charred chicken, pan-seared salmon, slow-cooked pork ribs and a vegan burger.
The restaurant at 216 Malcolm X Blvd. near Jefferson Avenue takes over the former space of Khemistry Bar.
The new establishment from husband and wife Earl Silas and Shana Cooper-Silas is a nod to Cooper-Silas' mother, whose middle name is Octavia.
The namesake follows suit with Cooper-Silas' former spot, Mazie's Bites, which she formerly operated at the DeKalb Market.
“That was my grandma’s name, Mazie, so I thought, let me go back to my roots, something personal to me — the lineage of women in my family,” she said.
Dishes on Octavia’s menu use recipes from her mother and great-grandmother, she added.
Selections range from $6 to $18, with appetizers like a “stinky cheese board” and chopped kale with citrus apples and raisins.
The executive chef and beverage director hail from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Cooper-Silas said, and the restaurant will offer a natural-focused wine list with a selection of craft beers and ciders.
Customers can dine at a backyard patio with seating for up to 30 guests starting in July, and the eatery will be kid-friendly, with select half-off specials for children, the owner added.
Following a soft opening for family and friends this past weekend, Octavia’s will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. starting June 16, and the owners look to launch brunch on the weekends on July 1.
