Matchbox Expansion Coming Soon

In addition to shopping for space to open a new restaurant in town, the owners of Matchbox are preparing to unveil a sizable expansion that will nearly double the restaurant's current seating capacity.

The 125-seat expansion (check out a pic here) should be ready in the next two months, partner Ty Neal told me in an interview for Roll Call (subscription required). With the 75 seats they have now, diners wait as long as two hours for a table on weekends.

“Demand is really strong,” Neal said. “With all the growth and condos … it’s a fantastic time to be in this neighborhood, and the expansion is really needed.”

The expansion will include a 20-seat patio, a private dining room and a new kitchen with a second wood-burning pizza oven to accommodate the additional diners. But even with the increased capacity, Neal said the restaurant won’t lose its quaint charm. “It’s still Matchbox.”