Italian restaurant/ comedy venue making itself known on Athens' east side

Mixing comedians, pizza and pasta, Abrio's Brick Oven is one of the latest additions to East State Street's lunch and dinner offerings.

The restaurant opened Oct. 17, 2008, and created 44 local jobs. Many of its cooks are from Hocking College's culinary arts program, serving handmade pizzas as well as Italian entrees like pasta and homemade lasagna. The restaurant also features comedians from the nationally touring Comedy Caravan every other Saturday, and general manager Nicole Essman said the comedy nights usually sell out.

"It's an individually locally owned and opportunity restaurant that has a lot of variety, and we try to keep it fun and make it a fun experience," Essman said.

Aiming to be authentically Italian, Abrio's offers its own homemade sauce, bread and soups, as well as homemade pizza dough. The restaurant also offers a homemade stout cheesecake, made from Marietta Brewing Company's stout beer.

Abrio's is in discussions with Marietta Brewing Company about creating its own beer, but as of now the bar offers beer from Marietta Brewing Company on tap, as well as more well-known national beers and imports.

As for opening in the middle of a recession, Essman acknowledged that Abrio's is seeing some effects but is doing just fine.

"We feel it. On the weekends people still want to come out but don't want to spend as much on a meal," Essman said. "They'll get less appetizers or less desserts. We opened in the middle of the recession, though, so we don't know what the good times really are."

The restaurant's weekend specials usually sell well, Essman said. The restaurant sells a good mix of pizza and entrees, and Essman said its chicken parmesan is a big seller.

During Athens' Brew Week in July, Abrio's hosted a Brewers' Feast, which was a five-course meal complete with a local beer with each course.

"Everyone seemed to enjoy the food, but the main thing was that they liked the venue. We had the room and the parking," Essman said.

Partners Joe Limoli and Jim Bernoski own Abrio's Brick Oven, and moved the business to the old Damon's building at the Athens Mall when they had the opportunity to purchase it. The business was originally located farther down East State Street where Della Zona is today, but the building was too small for what the partners envisioned.

Abrios is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.