A new public house serving craft cocktails and ‘really good food’ is coming to Old Town
Old Town Wichita is about to get a new “public house” that will offer craft cocktails, food and even bartending classes.
R.C. Campbell, a Salina native who picked up his pub knowledge while living in Seattle for nearly 20 years, says he’s about to open R&R Public House. It will take over the space at 251 N. Washington that Lotus Leaf Cafe vacated in October and should be open on May 6, he said.
Krista Lowry and Daniel Touchatt of JP Weigand & Sons, Inc. represented Campbell in the deal.
R&R Public House will focus on “really good food,” said Campbell, who is finalizing the menu now but said it will include pub fare like shepherd’s pie and bangars and mash along with offerings like flatbread pizza, burgers, wings and sandwiches. He’ll also offer unique appetizers like Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and Hawaii-inspired “Loco Moco” fries. On weekends, he’ll serve brunch.
His craft cocktail menu will offer a grilled pineapple margarita and a blackberry bourbon mule, among other options. On Wednesdays, the only day the business will be closed, Campbell plans to offer bartending classes. He said he’ll open for lunch and dinner and anticipates staying open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Brunch will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Campbell said his inspiration for the tavern and bar comes from an establishment in Seattle called Gantry Public House. Campbell, a longtime bartender, said that he helped with the opening of that business, which operates near the stadium where the Seattle Seahawks play.
“It changed my life a little bit, seeing all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into it,” he said. “It’s a lot of work but rewarding on the back end just to be able to cater to people.”
Lotus Leaf’s bright interior filled with neon greens and oranges is disappearing, Campbell said. He’s painting the walls and ceiling in darker colors, adding rustic light fixtures and installing a wooden bar and back bar. He anticipates being able to seat 65 people inside and another 12 on a front patio.
He was lucky, Campbell said, to find the kitchen in such good shape, and he also loved that the space came with an adjacent parking lot.
“I love the Old Town vibe,” he said.
This story was originally published March 25, 2024 at 11:30 AM.
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