A new Colombian cafe, an ice cream parlor expands and more from Savannah’s dining scene

The Colombian cafe Maizal is poised to open Monday in Savannah; Leopold’s Ice Cream, which was founded in 1919, opened a new shop in Savannah’s Starland district in October; V Cocktail Lounge is now open underneath the Italian restaurant La Vetta in Savannah; and two annual Savannah events return — the Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival and the Georgia Oyster Revival.

Colombian cafe Maizal opening Monday in Savannah

Big Bon Bodega owners Kay Heritage and Shahin Afsharian are opening Maizal, Savannah’s first Colombian café and totally gluten-free restaurant, on Monday.

“Our vision for Maizal is to create a place where people can gather and enjoy delicious, healthy comfort food,” said Maizal partner and executive chef Mari Borr, who is originally from Bogota, Colombia.

Borr has a background as a pastry chef and learned how to make arepas, tres leches cakes and other Colombian delicacies from her grandmother in Bogota.

The casual café menu includes bowls inspired by various regions of Colombia as well as arepas with fillings like egg and cheese, shredded beef, chicken and pork belly. Desserts range from cassava waffles served with guava jam to tres leches cake.

The menu at Maizal is completely gluten-free, seed oil-free and free of genetically modified ingredients. Instead of using seed oils, the culinary team will be using options like avocado oil, butter and beef tallow.

Maizal will serve 100% single-origin coffee from Colombia’s mountainous Inza region. All beans will be roasted locally by Origin Coffee.

Specialty drinks include guava matcha latte, coconut lemonade and tropical fruit smoothies.

Located in a new mixed-use building at the intersection of Habersham and East 37th streets, Maizal will offer indoor and outdoor dining as well as off-street parking. The venue will be available in the evenings for private events, including weddings, rehearsal dinners and corporate functions.

Borr originally developed the concept for Maizal (a Spanish word meaning “cornfield”) through Big Bon’s Ghost Kitchen pop-up, which creates local opportunities for culinary entrepreneurship.

Maizal will host a ribbon cutting Thursday at 11 a.m. The cafe is slated to open Monday.

Maizal will be open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Maizal, 2018 Habersham St., Savannah. instagram.com/maizalarepasav

Leopold’s Ice Cream expands with new location in Savannah’s Starland district

Leopold’s Ice Cream, which was founded in Savannah in 1919 by three brothers from Greece, expanded its footprint with the opening of a new store on Bull Street in the Starland district in early October.

“Opening in Starland gives Leopold’s a chance to serve families with the same handcrafted quality and recipes they love,” said Stratton Leopold, who owns the business with his wife Mary Leopold. “I learned from my dad to have a positive work ethic, and to never change what you do in terms of ice cream.”

Leopold’s flagship parlor opened on East Broughton Street in 2004. The business also has a shop and a kiosk at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, as well as a location east of Savannah on Whitemarsh Island.

The new Starland parlor offers 20 flavors of ice cream, plus soda fountain favorites like sundaes, shakes and malts. The store is close to a number of restaurants that have opened in recent years, including Flora and Fauna across the street and Brochu’s Family Tradition around the corner.

The Starland parlor includes a vintage Seeburg jukebox and historic photos of company founders George, Peter and Basil Leopold. One wall showcases framed posters of nine movies from Stratton Leopold’s career as a Hollywood producer, including “Mission: Impossible III.”

Leopold’s Ice Cream, 2400 Bull St., Savannah. 912-775-7006, leopoldsicecream.com

New subterranean cocktail lounge V now open in Savannah

V Cocktail Lounge, the latest venture from Southern Cross Hospitality, is now open at 15 W. Broughton Lane in downtown Savannah.

An intimate space inspired by the volcanic terroir of southern Italy, V lies beneath the modern Italian restaurant La Vetta, which Southern Cross opened in August.

The menu includes original cocktails such as the fuoco rosso, with mezcal, amaro, grilled orange and strawberry, as well as batched freezer cocktails like the signature V martini, made with gin, olive leaf, preserved lemon and fino sherry.

Executive chef Michele Minchillo, who also leads the kitchen at La Vetta, has created a food menu that includes luxury items like caviar service and a variety of bites, including a dish with arancini, wagyu and caviar.

The soundtrack at V is curated by New York City-based DJ and music curator LIV KAT, who has created five distinct, full-evening playlists that blend a variety of influences.

V is open from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday through Saturday.

V Cocktail Lounge, 15 W. Broughton Lane, Savannah. 912-712-2757, vcocktaillounge.com

Upcoming food and dining events in Savannah

37th Annual Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival

The 37th annual Shalom Y’all Jewish Food Festival, hosted by Congregation Mickve Israel in Savannah, returns Sunday to the streets around Monterey Square, just north of Forsyth Park.

The annual celebration includes live entertainment, family-friendly activities and, as noted on the event website, “Southern hospitality with a Jewish twist.”

The menu includes pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, potato latkes, chicken soup with matzah balls, egg creams and hamentaschen. Knishes made their debut at the festival last year and will be available again this year. Barrel pickles will return after a hiatus.

Admission is free. Food tickets can be purchased on arrival or in advance via the event website.

Congregation Mickve Israel was founded in 1733 and is the third oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. The current sanctuary, built in the Gothic style, was completed in 1878.

11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Nov. 8, Monterey Square, 20 E. Gordon St., Savannah. mickveisrael.org/jewish-food-festival.html

3rd Annual Georgia Oyster Revival

The nonprofit ECO (Education, Community, Oysters) Georgia will hold the third annual Georgia Oyster Revival on Sunday at Starland Yard in Savannah.

The event will include a selection of fresh oysters, chef-prepared dishes, local beverage partners and live music. Last year’s revival featured 18 chefs and five Georgia growers who provided more than 6,000 oysters.