First Look: A. J. Rocco’s, Opening This Weekend Downtown

The banner on the back of the building says, “Coming Summer 2021,” but the plans for A.J. Rocco’s have been in motion much longer than that.

A. Brendan Walton closed his convivial Gateway District café at the tail end of 2019, but within months he was planning to reinvent the 18-year-old spot a few doors down (828 Huron Rd.). But this was no simple renovation project; his partners started by stripping the 150-year-old building down to the studs. Now, after nearly four years, the former Huron Point Tavern (and Alesci's Downtown) space is ready to welcome its first guests, which it should do this weekend.

“This is the place I’ve always wanted to grow into – with a full kitchen,” says Walton. “We did a great job through all the years we were there, but it was limited.”

The new A.J. Rocco’s has added much more than just a full kitchen. It more than triples the available square footage, with two floors and a front patio. Down the road, a rooftop aspect might be added.

The shotgun-style layout creates zones with different vibes. Guests walk into a tall-ceilinged barroom ideal for grabbing that pre- or post-game beer. Further into the space there are cozy booths for couples or small groups to enjoy a meal. A second bar in the rear of the main space can be activated when crowds swell before and after special events in the area.

To reach the second floor, guests ascend an open, attractive staircase flooded with natural light. Upstairs is a carpeted mezzanine for dining, a second barroom and an expansive casual dining room. The second level is ideally suited for larger groups, overflow dining and private events.

At full bore, the two-level, three-bar eatery can serve 170 guests, but on a quiet Monday night, for example, the cozy main floor will feel pleasantly occupied.

For now, Walton wants to get the doors open and start greeting (and feeding) guests. The plan is to ease into things with respect to the menu. From his perch in that shiny open kitchen, chef Devin Cerjan will offer approachable food that aims to fill the niche between basic fast-casual and pricy fine-dining.

“It’s going to be a very welcoming menu with something for everyone,” he says. “We’re starting off small to ease into it and to feel out our crowd.”

To start, says Cerjan, he’ll be dishing up “Americana” foods like wings, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and mac and cheese. He’ll roll out nightly specials like pastas, steaks and seafood – items that will make it onto the regular menu if well received. The tavern will be dinner-only to start, with lunch and brunch to join at a later date.

The neighborhood is one that Walton is uniquely familiar with. Since opening A.J. Rocco’s, which is named for his grandfather, nearly 25 years ago in the Caxton Building, the owner not only has watched, but contributed to, the growth of the downtown residential community.

“When I opened up in 2001, there were probably less than 8,000 people living downtown,” he says. “Now it’s 20, 22,000. I think we have a pretty cool spot that will be welcomed back and will be around for a while.”

Check out more scenes from the new space below.

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