New Afro-Caribbean restaurant and lounge opens in former Natalie's space in Worthington

Jim Weiker, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
Sahara Lux restaurant and club is taking over the former Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza location at 5601 N. High St. in Worthington.
Sahara Lux restaurant and club is taking over the former Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza location at 5601 N. High St. in Worthington.

An Afro-Caribbean restaurant and lounge opened last weekend at the former Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza site in Worthington.

The new restaurant at the 5601 N. High St. space, called Sahara Lux, plans a soft opening Friday followed by a public opening Saturday.

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Sahara Lux will focus on Afro-Caribbean cuisine in a "luxury lounge setting," said Perry Molua, a partner in the venture with Divine Ndungana.

The restaurant will have a full kitchen with a menu centered on new African food with a Caribbean twist, with dishes that include oxtail, lamb chops, jerk chicken, snapper, grits and jollof rice, he said.

While Sahara Lux won't have live music like Natalie's did, it will have full cocktail and liquor service and will sometimes feature a DJ in the evening, Molua said.

Molua said the restaurant will initially be open daily except Mondays from noon to 8 p.m., while the club will open from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Sahara Lux will replace Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza at 5601 N. High St. in Worthington.
Sahara Lux will replace Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza at 5601 N. High St. in Worthington.

Plans submitted to the city show seating for about 50, which includes a handful of bar seats. The restaurant is decorated with dark walls and seating, including sofas, highlighted by neon light bars and a disco ball. A VIP lounge area occupies the former Natalie's stage.

Molua plans to use the former Light of Seven Matchsticks speakeasy below the restaurant for private events and parties.

Molua said he and Ndungana, who operate the similar Black Diamond restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland, were drawn to the Worthington site because of the longevity of nearby restaurants, the readily available kitchen, and the relatively low cost of the space.

After 11 years at that location, Natalie's closed in fall 2022 to focus on its much larger Grandview-area venue, Natalie’s Live Music & Kitchen.

jweiker@dispatch.com

@JimWeiker

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Afro-fusion restaurant and lounge opens in former Natalie's space