Kevin and Jenn Bednarz’s grilled-cheese-and-more spot moves to The Shoppes at Main & Maple, sharing a plaza with Purcellville Pub.
By Cristina Buffington | Purcellville News
PURCELLVILLE — Purcellville Eats is on the move, and for the first time the popular sandwich shop will share a shopping center with its sister restaurant on East Main Street.
Owners Kevin and Jennifer “Jenn” Bednarz are relocating the fast-casual eatery from the Purcellville Center at Blue Ridge Station to The Shoppes at Main & Maple at 745 E. Main Street, the same complex that houses their full-service restaurant, The Purcellville Pub. The Bednarzes, longtime Purcellville residents, also own the 30-year-old Ashburn Pub in eastern Loudoun.
The new Eats is still small. It is still cozy. But Kevin Bednarz says almost everything else has been reimagined.
“Total upgrade,” Bednarz said of the new space. “Cool and cozy, a bit of a fun funky vibe.”
He and Jenn remain the local owner-operators, and Bednarz said that part has not changed. “Jenn and I are still locally owned and operated,” he said. “We kept a few fan favorites on the menu but a lot of new items.”
What stays: the California Smash — the brie, turkey, fig jam, avocado and bacon sandwich that helped put Eats on the map — along with the Beef on Weck and the 12-inch authentic Philly Cheesesteak. The Monte Cristo, previously a rotating special, is moving onto the permanent menu. New additions include what Bednarz described as several healthier options and a chicken salad he is particularly proud of.
“Our chicken salad, dirty sodas and boozy milkshakes,” he said when asked what he most wants customers to try.
Those last two items hint at the biggest change of all. The new Purcellville Eats will operate under an ABC license, allowing the restaurant to serve alcohol for the first time. That opens the door to spiked shakes, the increasingly popular flavored “dirty sodas” in boozy form, and other beverages the original storefront could not offer.
On sourcing, Bednarz said the restaurant is continuing to work with local partners, including a locally sourced bread program that now includes a gluten-free option.
The new space carries amenities the original location could not. Bednarz pointed to an upgraded interior built for hanging out and gathering, along with free Wi-Fi and a TV. The footprint remains intentionally compact, in keeping with the original Eats experience, but the layout has been redesigned with a different feel.
As for when diners can walk in the door, Bednarz said the rollout is close.
“It’s coming along,” he said. “Look for those days in early June.”
Soft opening and grand opening dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Purcellville News will share those details as they are confirmed.
