Pasta Pop-Up Signs Lease for 3CDC Space on Walnut Street

Seasoned Michelin-Star Chef Making Tasting Menu Accessible for Visitors

CINCINNATI (April 6, 2023) – A new pasta-centric restaurant is coming to a growing block of Over-the-Rhine. Wildweed, a new seasonally driven restaurant, has signed a lease to move into 1303 Walnut Street, part of Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC)’s Columbia Flats project.

Wildweed started out as a popup in 2019 at Oakley Wines under the name Sunday Sauce. Over the past four years, it has taken other iterations and is ready to plant roots in OTR.

While Wildweed will offer plenty of pasta on its menu, chef/owner David Jackman was very clear that this concept is not meant to be an Italian restaurant. “Wildweed wants to celebrate and showcase the best cultivated and wild-harvested products our region has to offer,” he said. “We will put an emphasis on that and will also serve pasta, though we aren’t an Italian restaurant.”

Jackman has tapped Cincinnati-based Team B to design the space, which has completed other restaurant projects, including Tablespoon Cooking Co. and Decibel Korean Fried Chicken. In addition to a dining room that can accommodate larger parties as well as intimate, romantic tables that are accessible to everyone, the 1,848-square-foot space will feature a 12-seat chef counter offering a tasting menu.

Jackman is designing Wildweed to be a restaurant that will build equitable opportunities for people to grow within the industry by supporting local farmers, hosting guest chefs, and allowing hospitality professionals to experience things in different cities.

“I love that this is such an accessible space in the city,” Jackman said. “I’m excited about building a team and community around our restaurant and building something that helps the culinary scene in Cincinnati grow.”

Jackman is a 20-year industry veteran with a list of Michelin stars on his resume from his time working at restaurants in the Bay Area, New York City and Chicago.

“Chef Jackman is so passionate about what he does, and his focus on community equity and growth is inspiring,” said Lindzie Gunnels, Commercial Leasing Manager for 3CDC. “Wildweed has already built up a loyal following thanks to his highly successful pop-up events, and we’re excited to partner with him to bring his delectable dishes to a broader audience.”

Construction on Wildweed is expected to be finished in the fall of 2023. Wildweed will be located directly across the street from Homemakers Bar, in 3CDC’s Columbia Flats project, a $10.6 million development of a historic building that resulted in 36 mixed-income apartments above four street-level commercial spaces.

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