Just days after permanently closing, we now know what the future plans hold for Celtica Public House.

95 Long Wharf Mall, home to Celtica Public House, has been sold to some familiar folks in Newport County and What’sUpNewp was able to find out more about how the sale came together and what the plans are for the restaurant.

The property was recently purchased by Scott Kirmil and Chef Joey Piotti. Kirmil and his team from Inked Restaurant Group own Diego’s, which has locations in Newport, Middletown, and Providence, and The Wharf Southern Kitchen in Newport.

Celtica Public House

Piotti previously brought his culinary expertise to both Ida’s Kitchen and Puerini’s restaurants.

Residential Properties Ltd. Sales Associate Marisa Ferris represented the seller as the listing agent in this transaction. Ferris, a Rhode Island native and friend and associate of both the seller and buyer, shares that she leveraged her network of relationships to bring this deal together.   

“I knew Scott and Joey were looking to find a location for a new venture,” Ferris, who has been with Residential Properties since acquiring her license over 10 years ago, says. “I had an agreement with the seller that if I had a viable and legitimate buyer, I could present the property, so my role was to vet potential buyers while maintaining privacy for both parties as they worked through their agreement. Finding a buyer who was going to keep the establishment and build on the current business was appealing to me as a fellow Newport-area resident. I’m so pleased to have played a part in making this deal work out and congratulate Scott and Joey on their latest endeavor.”  

For more than two decades, the Celtica Public House was a staple of Newport’s restaurant, bar, and nightlife scene, offering a lively, dockside atmosphere for beer, wine, spirits, karaoke, and food.

“Celtica has always been a great local watering hole, and we love that it’s right downtown but also a hideaway from some of the hustle and bustle,” Kirmil told What’sUpNewp. “Joey and I also used to live on The Point and know that lots of people miss having a close-by restaurant. All of this made Celtica an appealing option for our team.” 

Kirmil and Piotti hope to bring an exciting dining experience to the city in the form of fun bar with rustic Italian food under the new name “The Quencher”.

Kirmil says that the property will include a large renovation to create a full kitchen and expansion upstairs to a new rooftop deck and bar with a harbor view.

“We are going to create a fun funky vibe inside with live music on the weekends, Karaoke that Celtica was famous for, approachable Italian food from scratch, and a fun cocktail and wine program,” Kirmil said.

With an aim to complete the transformation in six months for a springtime opening, Kirmil and Piotti say that they are excited to add their spin to what Celtica brought to the location for many years. 

more from what’supnewp

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.