PEABODY — As several Main Street restaurants push to open this spring, one local shop may have a new owner and name.
Zhixiong Wu of Malden wants to transfer a special permit from Mike and Lil’s Black Sheep Pub and Grill Restaurant at 5 Central street into his name and open an Asian and sushi restaurant at the location, according to Albert Talarico, the city’s building inspector.
Zwu’s Asian Cuisine would be a full-service establishment serving Japanese and Asian fusion food along with alcoholic beverages. The restaurant would still seat up to 132 people, but there would be some interior renovations for a new sushi bar, according to the building inspector.
Zhixiong will also try to transfer existing liquor and entertainment licenses for the new restaurant. He has over a decade experience in the restaurant business and is co-owner of Feng’s Asian Cuisine in Wakefield.
The Black Sheep Pub and Grill opened in 2013. Before that, the space was home to the Fire Bull Brazilian restaurant.
This summer should see several new or relocated restaurants in downtown Peabody.
Last week, the city council approved a special permit for Granite Coast Brewing to open a brewery and tasting room at 77 Main Street.
Owners Jeff Marquis and Robert Dunn have said they want the 2,700-foot space to be a place where people can enjoy a rotating selection of homemade brews either inside or on their proposed patio. Marquis and Dunn stated they do not plan on providing any food service at the brewery.
However, there will be options close by. The NexMex Thing restaurant, currently on Lowell Street, is making a move to bigger quarters on Main Street next to Granite Coast.
And the renovated O’Shea Building at 1-3 Main Street will be the new home of Brodie’s Pub and La Siesta Restaurante, which currently has a location in Winthrop.
