Celeb chef opening new riverfront restaurant concept this weekend

The long-awaited replacement for Milestone 229 is finally set to open.

Amara, the new Mediterranean restaurant from star Columbus chef Josh Dalton, will hold its grand opening on July 10. The eatery will begin offering dinner service only, before rolling out lunch service by the end of the summer.

Dalton–the lauded Columbus chef behind concepts like Speck Italian Eatery, Veritas and more–drew on inspiration from his travels to create the new riverfront spot.

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“Amara is inspired by the Mediterranean as a whole–the food, the people and the way life happens around the table,” he said in a press release. “It’s about doing that justice and expressing it through our own lens.”

Amara will be “selective” about ingredients, leaning into freshly-baked bread, meat, seafood, “vibrant” vegetables and house-made dips.

Located at 229 Civic Center Dr., along the Scioto Mile, Amara is taking over the former home of Milestone 229, which closed its doors in December of 2024. The new eatery will offer space for 65 guests indoors, and 65 guests on its riverfront patio.

“A vibrant riverfront needs great food and beverage experiences that give people a reason to stay, gather, and return,” said Amy Taylor, President of Downtown Columbus, Inc., in a press release. “Amara brings an exciting new dining anchor to the Scioto Mile and strengthens the Riverfront as a destination that can support everything from casual daytime activity to memorable evenings Downtown.”

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