Published: April 27, 2006 11:25 am      

Bistro New Albany to open Monday for lunch

A new restaurant will offer sit-down service and catered-lunch delivery next door to The Grand along Market Street in downtown New Albany.

Bistro New Albany opens its doors and its patio seating at 10 a.m. Monday for lunch and a limited bar menu, said co-owner Dave Himmel. Dinner service will follow a month later; the restaurant has a capacity of 120 patrons.

The “approachable upscale-casual menu” will include a lot of local products, Himmel said. Kentucky bison burgers, smoked chicken wraps, peel and eat shrimp, and fried fish will be served, as well as vegetarian entrees and desserts.

Wines will come exclusively from the Carroll Wine Company, and beers from the New Albanian Brewing Company and Bluegrass Brewing Company will join domestics and imports.

Customers can call or fax boxed-lunch orders to the restaurant and have them delivered.

The restaurant will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday in May, then 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday after that, Himmel said.

Conceived in January, the restaurant was to open Feb. 6, but that event was scuttled amid former co-owner Greg Merz’s health problems. Merz has since sold his interest to city resident Himmel and co-owner Dave Clancy of Louisville.

Bistro New Albany is at 148 E. Market St. Call 812-949-5227 or fax 812-949-5228.