WORDS & IMAGES BY DANIELLE GARCIA
Who knew, a beautiful, stunning and (almost) 360 degree view of our beloved town has been collecting cobwebs on the 8th top floor of the historical Wells Fargo building on the corner of Hickory St and Locust? As of the last month, the top floor has been contracted to be transformed into a restaurant dubbed Sunago Bell which should open by next summer. You may soon find yourself dining on Mediterranean-influenced cuisine and admiring Denton’s landmarks such as the courthouse and TWU towers, from on high. Read on for more details on this brand new spot!
“Unforgettable…world-class,” is the aim of the upcoming restaurant, Narciso Tovar, publicist for Radical Hospitality, said. Both restaurants on the square, with their enjoyable views and defined restaurant vision have seen radical success since their opening.
A view from inside the space which just so happens to be under renovations currently.
Sunago Bell is being brought to life by The Radical Hospitality Group (RHG) who are also the owners and operators of local restaurants such as Earl’s 377 Pizza, Bumbershoot Barbecue, LSA and Barley and Board.
If the view and new cuisine isn’t exciting enough, expect to see an elevator built next to the east side of the building connecting guests exclusively to the 8th floor restaurant via a sky bridge. Additionally, there will be a rooftop deck on the 3rd floor preserved for special events such as a wedding reception or an anniversary party, Tovar said.
At the root of all of the excitement is the group’s focus: craft, collaboration and community, hence the restaurant name. “Sunago” in Greek means “gathering place” which is an aim of the business - to be a place that brings people together. The second word “Bell”, is in honor of Jack Bell, the property’s owner since 2013, who himself as well as his family has a rich history within the Denton community.
“Sunago Bell just rings together really nicely, Tovar said.
The interior design itself is going to tie together with the Mediterranean-influenced menu which is still in the works. The menu is set to blend together Spanish, French and Italian influences, with a focus on seafood, Tovar said. Additionally, expect to see some elements of African cuisine on the menu in order to get people outside of their normal comfort level. The group found a real need for that type of food in the metroplex.
Head chef Chad Kelley says not to walk in and expect to find just hummus and kabobs. Kelley, a professional chef of 20 years has worked with RHG on their other restaurants and is overseeing all of the concepts for this one including food, menus, culinary programs, training, staff and kitchen design. He says they tailor it to the restaurant space, “it all has to feel seamless.” It is an ambitious plan to say the least.
The dining spot is to be distinctive and unforgettable yet still accessible to everyone, which will help to guide the price range when they sit down to create it.
“Everything is going to tie in with the kitchen, the views, the community, it will be one big nice melting pot,” Tovar said.
It will be nothing short of extraordinary, Bell said.
While we anticipate the grand opening next summer, people may be able to snag a sneak peak behind the scenes with possible time-lapse videos of the transformation, Tovar said. We’ll be on the look out!