Popular 25th Street eatery reborn in new location as Two-Bit Bistro
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- An undated photo of the exterior of The Bigelow in downtown Ogden, where Two-Bit Bistro is opening this summer.
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- Two-Bit Bistro General Manager Andrew Shorts poses in an undated photo taken inside the restaurant’s new space at The Bigelow in Ogden.
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- This promotional image advertises the future opening of Two-Bit Bistro in downtown Ogden.
OGDEN — In December, a popular eatery and fixture of Historic 25th Street for two decades served up what was presumed to be its final meals as the Two-Bit Street Café unexpectedly closed its doors. Flash forward to now, though, and the restaurant is set to begin life anew in a different — but also historically significant — location just down the road.
Two-Bit Bistro is opening soon in the café space at The Bigelow on the corner of 25th Street and Washington Boulevard. And while restaurant staff and patrons alike lamented the business’ seemingly uncertain future when the old location was shuttered, General Manager Andrew Shorts told the Standard-Examiner that the mission was always to bring Two-Bit back.
“When it’s a mom and pop operation, there’s way less security than, like, in an Olive Garden or something like that. So, I would say we didn’t have that absolute surety,” Shorts said. “But, ultimately, what (Two-Bit Street Café co-owner Penny Allred-Dayley) always said was, ‘I don’t want to hang up my spatula yet.’ And I kept telling her, ‘I’m going to try and make sure you don’t have to.'”
The new digs and refreshed branding notwithstanding, Shorts says patrons can expect the same kind of food and atmosphere that Allred-Dayley and her husband, James Dayley, brought to Two-Bit’s original incarnation, even as he puts a new spin on the operation.
“They are still very, very hands-on and supporting me and supporting this new iteration,” Shorts said. “And Penny’s still in the kitchen doing what she’s always done best and what she loves to do most.”
For Shorts, maintaining Two-Bit’s ties to its past was important, which included keeping the restaurant in the heart of downtown Ogden and on its most iconic thoroughfare.
“There were a couple options in the further reaches of the Ogden area that expressed interest to us or showed some merit,” Shorts said. “But ultimately … we really felt like 25th Street was our home and it was really our goal to stay there.”
Shorts says that there wasn’t a significant amount of construction that needed to be done at the new location, which has housed other restaurants in recent years. He characterized the renovation process as being in its “homestretch” and even teased a potential soft opening in the coming weeks.
“I would just tell people that they can expect to come and enjoy Two-Bit in the second half of July,” he said.
As the restaurant gets back up and rolling, Shorts says it will lean on many of the menu items that people came to love at the original Two-Bit. However, those offerings will be expanded over time.
Furthermore, a level of integration with The Bigelow itself is also planned, as the historic building — originally built in 1927 — houses apartments and event space. That includes the phased introduction of event catering and a grab-and-go market.
Until that comes to pass, though, Shorts is just excited to see Two-Bit’s legacy continue, especially after the outpouring of support he and the Dayleys received in December.
“It was not a linear exit and it wasn’t a clear place of where we could go or what it would look like to come back online. But the support that we received and the love and encouragement that we received was just immeasurable,” he said.
