Dining down in taverna town

New, improved Dave's Downtown Taverna feeds the crowds

Karen Kupelian / staff photographer The new Dave's Downtown Taverna is located at 121 South Main Street, three doors south of the old Dave's Taverna restaurant.

As the sun goes down, the automatic halogen lighting system at Dave's Downtown Taverna gradually brightens the room. Original glass columns from Harrisonburg's Old Virginia Theatre shimmer behind the bar as local business patrons, JMU students and Taverna regulars pace across a 100-year-old refinished floor to their seats.

"When you walk in the door, you can see the passion," owner Dave Miller said. "It's a labor of love."

Miller's new restaurant, located three doors south of the old Dave's Taverna, opened July 12 to finalize the culmination of his 22-year-old dream.

"Everything we did right down there (at the old Dave's Taverna), we took and just enlarged to make it even better," Miller said. "Before, we had great food and great service, but the facility was too small. Now, nothing's holding us back."

From January to August, Dave's Downtown Taverna was constructed to create a mixed environment between modern and old-fashioned ambiance. The 150-year-old building is complete with an air ventilation system which circulates fresh air every 30 minutes, as well as a metal ceiling plate delivered straight from Brooklyn.

Despite the difference of atmosphere between the old Dave's and new, a contemporary spiral staircase still stands as a reminder of Miller's original restaurant.

"No Dave's is complete without a spiral staircase," Miller said.

Dave's Downtown Taverna is triple the space and double the seating of the first building, with the dining rooms split into four sections to maintain an intimate feel. A full service bar serves house drinks for $2.50 a pop, while filet mignon, pork chops and a few other main entrees add to the Greek-infulenced menu. The elevated stage in the main dining room features an improved venue for nightly entertainment. Upstairs, posters of James Dean, Miles Davis and Marilyn Monroe line the brick walls among old Harrisonburg memoribilia.

"It's the nicest looking restaurant in Harrisonburg," junior Suzanna Thomas said, bartending to the local crowd.

Senior Chris Clarke said, "The new place is very clean, very new and a lot fresher and modern-looking. There is a lot more energy in the new restaurant."

Live acoustic music fills each room with blues and jazz Tuesday through Thursday, from 8 to 11 p.m. An improved sound system allows a better distribution of music throughout the restaurant.

Close to one million dollars was allocated toward Dave's Downtown Taverna, and 50 to 60 cooks, servers and hosts were added to the staff. According to Miller, the new facility better suits the restaurant as he always envisioned it.

"It's been a long time coming and worth the wait," Miller said. "If you liked it before, you're going to love it now."

Dave's Downtown Taverna is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to midnight and is located at 121 South Main Street.