Under Construction: Mediterranean fare with Southern twist comes to Chattanooga's Southside

Steve Waters, left, and Bruce Stewart use a table saw at Bella Vita.

Project: Bella Vita Restaurant

Location: 1400 Cowart St., Chattanooga (formerly Nikos Southside Grill)

Owner: Tammie Taylor

Size: About 12,000 square feet

Contractor: Holderfield Development Corp., Knoxville

History: Southside Grill was the buildings original tenant. Nick and Amy Kyriakidis, operators of the Acropolis Grill, bought the property in 2007 and renamed the restaurant Nikos Southside Grill. They operated it successfully until Nick Kyriakidis, who cooked at Nikos, suffered a spinal injury and had to scale back his involvement. Nikos closed Dec. 22, 2012, after helping the Southsides growth and renaissance. Restaurateurs Mike and Taylor Monen bought the property with plans for a ground-level restaurant and office space up top. The property is now owned by Cowart LLC., a group of Chattanooga investors with restaurant experience.

Scope: Bella Vita will feature Mediterranean fare with a Southern twist and a full bar area with TVs. Live performances, produced by an entertainment group out of Nashville, will be held on the second story on select nights of the week.

Schedule: Bella Vita is expected to open sometime in mid-December

Contact: Bella Vita, 423-668- Online: http://www.bellavitasouthside.com

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Under Construction: Mediterranean fare with Southern twist comes to Chattanooga's Southside