Bakery Square is getting a little taste of big Burrito.
The restaurant group plans to open AVP, an extension of its Alta Via brand, this fall in the East Liberty development. The company also runs Mad Mex, Casbah, Kaya, Eleven, Soba and Umi.
Inspired by the cuisine and lifestyle of California’s wine country, the new spot will serve more casual Italian fare than its namesake in Fox Chapel.
“Opening and cooking at Alta Via has been so much fun, and it’s just getting better,” says chef Bill Fuller, president of big Burrito. “As we have developed the Alta Via focaccia recipe over the last few years, we have been making pizzas with the leftover dough. That experimentation and relentless love of pizza have blossomed into AVP.”
AVP will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week, featuring two kinds of pizza, sandwiches — including a signature burger — and simple dishes that emphasize seasonal vegetables.
The entrance to AVP will be located in Bakery Square’s public conservatory, which connects the former Nabisco baking factory to the newly constructed building in the courtyard that also will house Galley – Bakery Square (opening in May). In addition to big Burrito and Galley Group, the Richard Deshantz Restaurant Group will also bring a new eatery, its second täkō location, to Penn Avenue sometime this year.
The bar program at AVP will focus on classic cocktails, a balanced selection of Italian and American wines and a carefully curated list of draft and bottled beers with an emphasis on western PA producers.
Patrons will have access to an AVP walk-up window to grab takeout or purchase gelato or a drink to enjoy in the atrium, or can chow down in the traditional dining room, the bar or the AVP courtyard.