The Current’s restaurant space came available in 2024 when Hatch Local closed. (Mike Platania photo)
After sitting idle for nearly two years, a portion of the former Hatch Local food hall in Manchester is set to be revived by an out-of-town restaurant.
Otto Eats & Catering, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant out of Charlottesville, has signed on to open at 424 Hull St.
The new eatery will be on the ground floor of The Current, in a 3,500-square-foot space that was previously part of Hatch Local. The food hall closed in 2024 after about two years in business, and its space has sat vacant since.
Otto was founded by Turkish immigrants and friends Haldun Turgay and Ali Sevindi in 2020. Its menu is led by döner kebab, a Turkish style of cooking beef or chicken on a vertical rotisserie. It’s served over bowls along with rice, vegetables and Mediterranean sauces.
Haldun Turgay and Ali Sevindi (Photos courtesy Otto Eats)
“We serve authentic Turkish döner kebab and house-made falafel as protein options. We make everything daily, fresh, in-house, and we let our customers make their own bowls, and we offer some Turkish and some Mediterranean sauces,” Turgay said.
Otto has both a storefront near Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall and a food truck, as well as a catering operation that has already helped introduce Otto’s food to the Richmond area. Turgay and Sevindi said they’ve had catering clients in the region, which led some folks from the area to check out the Charlottesville location.
“There’s been a high demand for us. Everyone’s been asking us, ‘You guys should come to Richmond,’” Turgay said, adding that they think there are few other Richmond-area restaurants that serve authentic Turkish döner kebab.
“No one does, actually. That’s why we’ve been looking for an opportunity (in Richmond) for a while,” he said.
In addition to its fast-casual food options, Sevindi said they’re planning for the Richmond location to have a bar.
“We have delicious Mediterranean cocktails that people will be craving for, and we are really excited to introduce our bar menu as well as our regular concept,” Sevindi said.
Otto has been serving its bowls in Charlottesville since 2020.
Sevindi and Turgay said they’re targeting a mid-April or early May opening, and that Otto will also offer catering in Richmond.
Otto is going into the southern section of The Current that’s below office space and next to Benchtop Brewing Co.’s Richmond taproom.
The Current, which also houses 215 apartments, was built and is owned by Richmond-based developer Lynx Ventures.
Lynx principal John Gregory said the company is thrilled to have landed a proven operator in Otto.
“It’s something new to the Richmond market that I think will be a really big asset for the neighborhood,” Gregory said. “It was unfortunate that the food hall closed down, but we always knew that this was the right space for some great food options. (Otto is) just the perfect fit for it.”
The Current has about 4,500 square feet of restaurant space remaining on the building’s northern end, which was also part of Hatch Local. Gregory said he thinks that space lends itself more to a sit-down restaurant concept.
“We’ve got a few different people interested in it. I think with getting Otto signed up, then it’ll move quickly on the other side as well,” Gregory said.
Thalhimer’s Annie O’Connor and Reilly Marchant handle leasing at The Current.
Print Article
Dining and Cooking