Rome small businesses celebrate grand openings in arts district

The Balanced Chef, which first opened its restaurant to customers on March 3, 2021, at 242 W. Dominick St., recently received a transformation as part of Chef Robert Irvine’s “Restaurant Impossible” show on the Food Network. The business got its start in 2015 as an e-commerce company, delivering pre-portioned meals to customers’ homes or chosen pickup locations.

During his visit, Chef Irvine helped The Balanced Chef complete the transformation from takeout business to brick-and-mortar restaurant with a revamped menu and interior.

“We plan on growing each year and helping as many people as we can,” owner Brian Donovan said in a news release. “We provide a simple way to eat well.”

The Balanced Chef is open Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Located just down the street at 260 W. Dominick St., Franca’s Wine Room is the result of three friends getting together in the fall of 2020 and talking about what to do with the space, which had sat vacant for at least 15 years.

Building owner Glenn Erikson, general contractor Paul Dowd, and property manager Brian Snow, a commercial real-estate broker with Pavia Real Estate Services, discussed a variety of uses for the property and how it could promote the growing arts district in downtown Rome.

Ultimately, the trio decided a wine bar was the perfect fit and put plans in motion for Franca’s Wine Room, named after Dowd’s mother. She passed away in 2020 at the age of 97.

The wine bar opened to customers on March 9, 2022. It features wine by the glass or bottle, a cellar selection of high-grade wines sold only by the bottle, and craft beers from local and regional breweries. Food selections include meat and cheese boards, pub-style smash burgers, pulled pork, flatbreads, custom charcuterie boards, and a variety of American comfort foods.

The wine bar also boasts a live music venue and features regional jazz performers with live performances every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Franca’s Wine Room is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3-9 p.m., Friday from 3-10 p.m., Saturday from 12-10 p.m., and Sunday from 12-7 p.m.