After about 14 months of service, Gabriel Zeller and Julie Mesenburg are ready to make some pretty significant changes to Indie, the music-themed restaurant they opened in the former Greenhouse Tavern space on East 4th Street.
“We felt that after the first year, people either loved Indie or they just didn’t get it,” Zeller explains. “I think that a different atmosphere and a slightly more elevated menu is what people are looking for on Fourth.”
Zeller and Mesenburg, the team behind Char Whiskey Bar in Rocky River, Avo Modern Mexican in Ohio City and Lago at Lakeside in Marblehead, say that they’re still trying to get a handle on the downtown restaurant market.
“It’s a lot different even than Avo, which is just like five minutes away,” Zeller says.
The name Indie is a nod to independent music, a topic very near and dear to the owners. The monochromatic restaurant essentially is a shrine to the bands that they follow and the shows they have experienced. On display are 240 framed concert posters that span the musical spectrum. All that will change in the coming weeks as Indie gives way to Gabriel’s Southern Table and Whiskey.
Already, work has commenced to change the look and feel of the space. Lunch service has been paused to let contractors begin the work of painting, swapping light fixtures, tweaking the seating and stripping all but a few of those posters. The goal is to create a more elegant dining experience.
“Some diners thought the atmosphere in here… they liked it, but I know it’s very hard with the colors, so we’re going to soften it,” adds Zeller.
Gabriel’s will keep some of the Southern-comfort dishes of Indie but chef Mark Sanford will greatly expand the offerings. The “fine-casual” menu will nearly double, moving from a trim 19 to a robust 32.
Diners also can look forward to more activity on the rooftop this season thanks to the launch of full-service dining up there.
The Speakeasy, formerly the rear mezzanine, will continue to be used for small private events like whiskey tastings.
Indie will continue operating until the debut of Gabriel’s in May, save for a day or two as needed for construction.
Coming soon: Cleveland Scene Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting Cleveland stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing. Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
This article appears in Mar 22 – Apr 5, 2023.