Villani to Open New Restaurant Next Spring in Portland; Co-hosts Benefit at Bunker Brewing Co.

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Jay Villani, Co-hosting a Benefit for Farmers’ Market; Opening New Barbecue Restaurant Spring of 2013

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,223)

“I’m going to be opening a new restaurant next spring.  It’ll be a  barbeque place and it’ll be at 919 Congress Street,” said Jay Villani Saturday afternoon. The location isthe former Portland Architectural Salvage building and thus the name; Salvation Barbeque.  It’s near Maine Medical Center.  Villani already owns two successful restaurants, Local 188 and Sonny’s.  He’s also a co- owner of  the new Bunker Brewing at 122 Anderson Street in East Bayside.  His business partner is Chresten Sorensen, a former baker for Villani.

Villani  was co-hosting a benefit for the Farmers’ Market at Bunker Brewing on Saturday.  The benefit was to raise money to support those who are on food stamps.  Most of the banquet was donated by farmers who participate at the Congress Square Farmers’ Market; that included a pig who got roasted for the occasion early Saturday morning.  Over 100 people bought advance tickets  and the group expected to sell another 100 tickets before the event ended that evening.

“This event is important for people with food stamps. It allows them to purchase at the Farmers’ Market like the rest of us do. I believe in the cause,” said Stasia Brewczynski, of MaineStay.