Italian eatery, Georgia wine hall and medieval torture museum among past proposals for former Olympia Cafe space

May 17, 2026 – After Olympia Cafe recently announced it would not return to its longtime River Street home, the city of Savannah is preparing to reopen the bidding process for the Thomas Gamble Building restaurant space that previously drew proposals ranging from an Italian eatery to a Georgia wine-and-food hall and even a medieval torture museum.

The city received at least six proposals last year in response to its RFP for the ground-floor lease space in the Thomas Gamble Building at 5 East Bay St., the longtime home of Olympia Cafe. The submissions were recently obtained by Savannah Agenda through an open-records request.

Before pulling out of lease negotiations this year, longtime tenant Olympia Cafe, submitted the winning proposal, which was to continue operating the Greek restaurant at the site while renovating portions of the space to add private dining areas and improve takeout operations. In its proposal, owner Vasilis Varlagas said Olympia planned to modernize the restaurant while preserving its “family atmosphere” and Greek-inspired cuisine. The business, which has operated on River Street since 1991, also emphasized its longstanding ties to Savannah and River Street’s evolution into a major tourist destination.

One of the more detailed competing proposals came from Savannah hospitality operators Tim and Jennifer Strickland, submitted through RSRM LLC. Their concept, called “First City Cafe,” envisioned a full-service bistro cafe offering coffee, pastries, lunch, cocktails and dinner service in a modernized riverfront setting. The Stricklands, owners of River Street Sweets and several Savannah restaurants including River House Seafood, The Shrimp Factory and Warehouse Bar and Grille, said the cafe would serve as an all-day gathering place for locals and tourists alike. The proposal called for preserving historic architectural elements while adding a bakery counter, cocktail bar, open kitchen and communal seating. The group proposed a five-year lease with a renewal option and said it would privately finance all renovations without city assistance.

Another proposal came from Koalaty Trading Inc., operator of The Georgia Tasting Room in City Market. Owner Jason Fackler proposed a combined “Georgia Tasting Room & Eat Savannah Experience” featuring Georgia wines, artisanal charcuterie and a chef-driven food hall showcasing Savannah restaurateurs. The proposal described the concept as an immersive destination celebrating Georgia food, wine and hospitality, with rotating chef stalls and Georgia-inspired ice cream flavors.

Benaur LLC, based in St. Augustine, Fla., submitted perhaps the most unconventional proposal: a Savannah branch of its Medieval Torture Museum attraction. The company operates similar museums in St. Augustine, Chicago and Los Angeles and described Savannah as a strong fit because of its tourism market and historic character. The accompanying concept deck highlighted the company’s existing museums and visitor numbers, describing the business as “the largest torture museum in the US.”

Another proposal package outlined a concept called “Cornicello,” an Italian restaurant centered on handmade pasta, wine and contemporary Mediterranean dining. The proposal pitched the restaurant as a “young, vibrant, authentic” concept inspired by Tel Aviv chef Bentzi Arbel and designed to blend traditional Italian cuisine with a modern social atmosphere. The proposal envisioned transforming the former Olympia Cafe site into an energetic Italian dining destination focused on “value for money” and accessible pricing.

The city is now preparing to restart the competitive bidding process for the ground-floor restaurant space, after receiving notice that Olympia Cafe, would not move forward with the lease agreement previously approved by Savannah City Council.

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