Steakhouse News
Steakhouse brings chef's table dining to historic building in Celina
Steaks at Forge 1912 in Celina
A family-owned steakhouse with a farm-to-table chef leading the culinary side is opening in Celina: Called The Forge 1912, it'll open in a century-old building in Historic Downtown Celina, at 132 N. Louisiana Dr., previously home to Carmela Winery, which moved to Gainesville.
The Forge 1912 is from husband-and-wife Brian and Kristen Ethridge, residents of Celina who wanted to create a gathering place where the community could enjoy steak, cocktails, and wine. They plan to open in June.
Kristen says that the concept was at least partially inspired by the location.
"We are Celina's first family-owned Texas-sourced steakhouse down on the historic town square,” she says. “My husband and I had actually been at the building one day, and I thought, 'This would be really great as a steakhouse.'"
They'll offer three dining experiences: a main dining room, a patio bar, and a chef’s table, starring executive chef Joey Dawkins, already a well known name in Celina as former chef and co-owner at Celina’s Toasted Walnut Table and Market, which he left in January.
The chef’s table experience will be a custom meal paired with cocktails and wine, limited to 14 guests per seating, about $250 per person.
“We'll be the first chef's table experience in the area north of US 380,” Kristen says. “Joey will personally come in and talk about each one of the courses. You'll have a dedicated server, and it's going to be a really elevated dining experience, great for milestone birthdays, celebrations, and company dinners."
The regular menu, served at lunch and dinner daily, will feature cuts of steak such as porterhouse and filet, to which you can a la carte toppings like blue cheese butter or grilled shrimp, plus the usual steakhouse assortment of sides like baked potato and mac & cheese.
Beyond steak, there’ll be pecan-crusted chicken, pork chop, and bacon-wrapped shrimp, plus a burger and appetizers like prime rib crostini, French onion soup, and spinach-artichoke dip. There'll also be a salad bar which you can choose as an add-on or make it your entree for $15. Steaks are $46 to $88, and the burger is $18.
A major part of the charm is the location, built by a man named Grover Sheets to house his blacksmith shop, which he opened in 1912. It remained in operation until 1971 — the longest operating business in Celina at that time.
Sheets inspired the name of the bar, called Grover's Bar and Patio, which will serve cocktails such as a French 75 and an old fashioned, referencing each decade the blacksmith shop was open.
Kristen says that preserving the history of the structure was a priority, as well as creating a restaurant they'd want to take their own family.
“My husband and I just wanted to create the place that we wanted to go eat, that we wished was there — and as it turns out, a lot of other people in Celina and surrounding areas wanted the same thing," she says.
