First Look: Kitchen Social, Opening Thursday, July 14 at Pinecrest

Kitchen Social, a Columbus-based restaurant group with two locations, is one day away from adding a third. Tomorrow, Thursday, July 14, the doors to the Pinecrest store (211 Park Ave., Suite 115, 216-202-6444) in Orange will open to the public for the first time. The former Next Door space at Pinecrest has been reshaped into a contemporary eatery with plenty of indoor and outdoor dining.

The popular concept was created by a team of Bravo-Brio vets who saw a need for an attractive hospitality-driven eatery with an affordable from-scratch menu.

“We got into this because we really wanted to provide a great experience for the guests,” says partner Brian O’Malley. “I truly feel that hospitality is a lost art in our industry today. Everybody is so focused on making that nickel. As long as we can provide the same experience and hospitality that we’ve done at the first two, then we’ll continue to grow.”

O’Malley, along with partners Brian Harvey, Phil Yandolino and Justin Stratford, opened the first Kitchen Social in late 2019 at Polaris shopping center in Columbus. Two years later they capitalized on the success of the first spot by adding added a second location in Dublin.

“We wanted to create something with the feel of Short North but at Polaris,” O’Malley says of the launch. “Everything was chain, corporate America, four walls. We said, let’s create something with a little different ambiance, different design. I wanted a place with food made from scratch. And we wanted a price point where people could afford to eat there once or twice a week – and they do.”

O’Malley describes the broad menu as offering something for everybody.

“It’s a little bit of everything for everybody,” he says. “If you look at the menu, we’ve got Indian, Asian, Mexican, Italian and Southern. We have fresh seafood and steaks, but then we’ve got great burgers and pizza. The menu works for everybody and that was an important part for us.”

The menu is created with affordability in mind, and Social Hour, the restaurant’s version of happy hour, is a popular affair.

“I’d rather have you in twice a month at $20 than once a month at $30,” O’Malley adds.