New restaurant to occupy former Vineyard 55 space in Old Town Bluffton

A new dining option will soon be added to Old Town Bluffton's restaurant scene, in a familiar Calhoun Street spot.

The Pearl Kitchen and Bar is expected to move into the first floor of 55 Calhoun St. next month, according to spokeswoman Erin Wasem. The restaurant is owned by Earl and Alex Nightingale, who also own ELA'S Blu Water Grille on Hilton Head Island.

Wasem said the restaurant will feature a "wide variety of tastes," including steak and seafood, but that the final menu has not yet been decided.

ELA'S is an upscale restaurant that primarily features seafood and steak. The Pearl will include similar fare, but is expected to be lighter and "more contemporary," Wasem said.

She added ELA'S owners wanted to enter the Bluffton market with a boutique-style restaurant because they felt the historic Old Town was a good fit for a "refined" level of service and product.

The restaurant is tentatively planned to open in January, once compliance and local ordinances have been met.

The first floor space at 55 Calhoun St. has been vacant since late September, when the former tenant, wine bar Vineyard 55, moved out. Owner Jon Rinaldi said on the restaurant's Facebook page at the time that the Vineyard 55 closure was "due to unforeseen problems with the landlord."

In September, Rinaldi said to The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette that the building's landlord would not renew the restaurant's lease, but declined to comment further.

Vineyard 55 had operated at 55 Calhoun St. since March 2011. He added at the time that he planned to relocate the restaurant.

Follow reporter Ashley Fahey on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Ashley.

Related content:Vineyard 55 now closed in Old Town Bluffton, September 22, 2015Vineyard 55 in Old Town Bluffton to relocate next month, September 16, 2015

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 4:58 PM with the headline "New restaurant to occupy former Vineyard 55 space in Old Town Bluffton."