July 5, 2011
Heavy Restaurant Group announced today that Barrio in downtown Bellevue (beneath Bellevue Towers) will be transformed into the company’s primary event and catering space. The new venue will open this fall and host a series of food and wine events and will function as a private event space for parties of up to 200 people. Catering at the venue will feature food from Purple Café & Wine Bar, Lot No. 3, and Barrio. The transition to the new space has begun, and as of today Barrio Bellevue is closed.
In addition to this venue, Heavy Restaurant Group owns and operates six restaurants including four Purple Café & Wine Bar locations in Woodinville, Seattle, Kirkland and Bellevue; Barrio in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood; and Lot No. 3 in downtown Bellevue.
“Ten years ago, when we launched Purple Café & Wine Bar in Woodinville, we set out to create a new type of dining experience grounded on exceptional food and exceptional service,” said Larry Kurofsky, owner of Heavy Restaurant Group. “We also had a vision for continued growth with new locations and concepts. The addition of a dedicated event venue will clearly fill an existing need and offer new ways to engage those with a culinary passion.”
The new downtown Bellevue venue will allow the company to significantly expand its current array of popular events that take place on a smaller scale at each restaurant. In addition, they will now be able to meet the strong demand for parties between 80 and 200 guests that its current restaurants cannot accommodate.
The vision for the space includes a weekly schedule of specialty food events, wine tastings, cooking classes, and private parties. Full details of the new space will be formally unveiled in early fall. The company will also operate its growing catering business from the downtown Bellevue location.
“The addition of an event venue in downtown Bellevue is a great opportunity for us to grow as a company,” continued Kurofsky. “While closing Barrio Bellevue was a difficult decision, we are excited for what this new space has to offer the eastside community.”
Fans of Barrio still have the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant’s unique approach to Mexican cuisine at Barrio in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Those interested in learning more about the venue as it evolves should follow the project at heavyprivateevents.com.
