At Maris, Media’s newest Mediterranean restaurant, seafood will be ‘the star’ of the show
The new restaurant, from La Belle Epoque owner Loïc Barnieu, is taking over the former Two Fourteen space and will have a raw bar.
A new Mediterranean restaurant is opening in Media, where it will serve seafood towers, grilled fish including whole branzino, and lamb chops.
Maris, slated to open in late October, will take over the former Two Fourteen space at 214 W. State St. — and it will have a familiar face at the helm.
Loïc Barnieu, the restaurateur who was a partner in Two Fourteen and is behind popular Media spots like French wine bistro La Belle Epoque; Sterling Pig Brewery; and pub Tap 24, is transforming the former restaurant and cocktail bar for his latest endeavor.
Maris, which translates from Latin to “of the sea,” will feature a seafood-forward menu inspired by Mediterranean cuisine with “a bit of a Greek touch,” General Manager Elise Rehoric said.
While the menu is still being finalized, Maris will offer a raw bar, complete with seafood towers. In addition to the whole branzino and lamb chops, entrées will include grilled swordfish and tuna, as well as steak. A Greek-style cheesesteak and a burger will also be on the menu.
“We want the seafood to be the star here,” Rehoric said.
Appetizers will include mixed olives, crab cakes, grilled octopus, and spreads served with pita and vegetables. Salads, seafood pasta dishes, and dessert will round out the menu, which Barnieu is developing alongside Jose Rodriguez, who is also the chef at La Belle Epoque and Tap 24.
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Menu prices will range from about $8 to $50, Rehoric said.
Maris will also have a selection of wines, draft and bottled beer, including from Sterling Pig, and cocktails.
In determining what direction to take the new restaurant, Rehoric said the team considered dining options not currently available in Media; seafood and Mediterranean soon came to mind. They began working on the idea for Maris this summer.
They are currently in the process of updating the roughly 2,000-square-foot restaurant to match their aesthetic vision. Some elements from Two Fourteen will remain, such as the bar, but other parts, like the lounge area up front, are being overhauled. Where Two Fourteen had a darker look, Maris will have a brighter feel with a white and Mediterranean blue color scheme. It will also incorporate pink flowers, something reminiscent of the sprays of bougainvillea found throughout Greece.
Barnieu is no stranger to the space, having previously partnered with Michael Hackett of House, also in Media, to launch Two Fourteen. Their cocktail bar and restaurant debuted in March 2022 before shuttering in early August. This time, however, Barnieu is the sole owner of the new restaurant.
Maris will have seating for about 75 people throughout the dining room and additional seating at the bar.
When it debuts, Maris will be open for dinner with plans to expand to lunch soon after. Initially, the restaurant is expected to be open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
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