COMING SOON: Shoefly Public House

Shoefly Public House (122 E. 22nd St.) is scheduled to open in February in the Fall Creek Place neighborhood that is home to Goose the Market and Tea’s Me Cafe. Two years ago, owner Craig Mariutto and his wife, Kaitlin, decided Shoefly was exactly what the near-downtown neighborhood needed as it experiences a period of renaissance: a family-friendly place with good food that residents could call their local restaurant.

Mariutto, who has more than 20 years of chef experience at places like Hilton Hotels and House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, recruited Canaan Allen as kitchen manager. Allen currently works at Twenty Tap and Yats, and before that, H2O Sushi. Together, Allen and Mariutto are developing a seasonal menu of upscale pub food, including beer-battered fish and chips made with walleye.

With its two-way liquor license, Shoefly will have a wine list and 12 beers on tap, including local brews from Sun King and Three Floyds. Mariutto plans to get as much of the menu from local sources as possible.

The restaurant will open in a two-story brick building that, over the years, has served as a pharmacy, a doctor’s office, and a rehearsal space for a dinner theater company. Renovation plans for Mariutto’s first restaurant include two dining rooms, a patio for outdoor seating, and a new parking lot in the back.