MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala., Jan. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Salon owner and entrepreneur Tonya Jones will be extending her work in hospitality with the opening of southern-contemporary concept Civitas Restaurant & Bar in Mountain Brook's English Village.
With an official grand opening scheduled for Feb. 2, the establishment presents itself with a modern and welcoming atmosphere, along with a menu selection featuring contemporary embellishments to classic southern dishes. With a generous wine and cocktail selection, Jones and her team anticipate the concept to invite both a light eating social crowd, as well as fans of more complete southern fare.
"It's no secret that Birmingham has developed into a culinary leader for the country," says Jones. "We are thrilled to add our dash of flair to what is already a very exciting scene."
The Civitas menu has been created by Executive Chef Chris Melville, who boasts culinary experience across the nation. Locally, he has been a protege of renowned Chef Frank Stitt at Birmingham's Highlands Bar and Grill. Melville has also worked alongside Chris Hastings at the popular establishment Bottega.
"This is such an exciting opportunity," said Chef Melville. "I'm really energized to be able to continue to serve the Mountain Brook community in such a beautiful and intimate setting. With our cocktail menu and the dishes that we have planned, this is going to be a lot of fun for our guests as well as our staff."
Serving lunch and dinner, the restaurant is also planning a lively Sunday brunch in its patio space. Jones adds, "We are very excited about brunch with our guests. With the walkability of the neighborhoods around English Village, we feel like brunch will be must-do for our friends nearby."
The cocktail menu is directed by Head Bartender Quinton Chandler-Green, and it features hand-crafted soon-to-be classics with a few contemporary twists.
"We are almost too excited about the cocktail menu," added Jones. "It has been so much fun working with Quinton on crafting these unique specialty drinks, and I'm so excited to share them with our guests."
The restaurant shares a name as well as the spirit of the bronze sculpture situated just outside its front door. The Civitas statue by sculptor James Barnhill has been a fixture of English Village since 1998.
Jones adds, "The statue is representative of so many things that align with what we are trying to do here with our restaurant Civitas. It represents the invisible bind of a community and its local culture. We see ourselves as a place where people can meet, laugh, share, and enjoy each other's company."
Joining Jones amongst the ownership group is her husband Bryan Combs. Jones is energized about the opportunity to work alongside her partner in this endeavor. "We're partners in everything we do and, when this opportunity presented itself, Bryan and I just felt like our ability to work together as a team works in our favor here. This is going to be fun."
Civitas Restaurant & Bar is located at 2031 Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook's English Village. The menu can be viewed at civitasbham.com.
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Tonya Jones is the owner of TonyaJones SalonSpa, a collection of style salons across North Alabama with locations in Huntsville, Mountain Brook, and the Summit.
For additional information, please contact Harry Long of 81 Shop, LLC. 205 919-1746 or hlong@go81shop.com.
Related Images
Image 1: Tonya Jones of Civitas
Tonya Jones, co-owner of Civitas and owner of TonyaJones SalonSpa in Alabama
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