FOOD & DRINK
Somerset’s garden space P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY SOMERSET
Over-the-Rhine Oasis Slated to open this summer, Somerset will feature a lush outdoor garden, greenhouse bar, doubledecker food bus by Mazunte and unique decor from around the globe BY H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R
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omething extraordinary is growing roots in Over-the-Rhine, but if you’re not looking for it, you just might miss it. Tucked away at 139 E. McMicken Ave., a sprawling new drinking and dining destination soon will open its doors,
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offering an immersive escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Somerset, aiming for a late July opening, will feature two bar spaces — a main one in the plant-filled and glassroofed conservatory and another in the cozy lounge space. The grounds also
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will be home to a double-decker London tour bus that has been converted into a kitchen (with a rooftop seating area); and, the pièce de résistance, Somerset’s awe-inspiring garden space, loaded with tropical plants, unique seating nooks and imported art pieces from co-founder and creative lead James Fisher’s collection, as well as collections from his friends and family. Fisher, the visionary behind Somerset, was inspired by a destination — also called Somerset — that his family would visit on childhood vacations while living in England. “It’s a weird place with Druids, huge solstice celebrations, Glastonbury Festival (our Burning Man) and all kinds of general monkey business,” Fisher tells CityBeat via email. “We usually went on
long trips to Africa or the Middle East, but when we had less time and needed to get away somewhere a little closer to home, it was always Somerset.” “We want our Somerset to be that for our guests; a place that’s just on your doorstep, where you can go to recharge and feel like you are somewhere far away, even if just for a little while,” he continues. To create something so extravagant is no small task and requires a dedicated team. Along with Fisher — a lifelong collector and traveler and also the co-founder of locally spawned travel app Roadtrippers — the ownership is split between Tatiana Parent (also a co-founder of Roadtrippers), Lauren Moore, Charlie Rittgers and Tony Alexander.
