La Baguette French Bread & Pastry Shop (Credit: Michael Donahue)

An additional location of La Baguette French Bread & Pastry Shop is slated to open out East.

The second location will move into the upcoming new home of Ciao Bella Italian Grill โ€“ the casual Italian eatery is moving from its former home at 565 Erin Drive to 5101 Sanderlin Avenue, Suite 100, in the Sanderlin Centre โ€“ according to Judd Tashie, group co-owner with David Tashie of Tashie Restaurant Group.

 Last March, the group bought the iconic La Baguette at 3088 Poplar Avenue in Chickasaw Oaks Plaza. The bakery/restaurant is open, but currently under renovation.

โ€œThat is our plan going forward,โ€ Tashie says. โ€œBasically, itโ€™s about 30 percent of the space of the new Ciao Bella, formerly Fox & Hound/Craft Republic.โ€

A date for the opening of the new Ciao Bella has not been set, Tashie says. โ€œWeโ€™ve taken possession of the space, but we have not really started yet until we get the (original) La Baguette renovation done.โ€

The new La Baguette location, slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2021, โ€œis going to be a full-fledged La Baguette with storefront and lunch service. Itโ€™ll have its own identity and its own entrance and its own patio. Weโ€™ll have the same offerings. Weโ€™ll have the same menu, the same traditional classic favorites.โ€

As for more La Baguette locations, Tashie says, โ€œNot at present. Itโ€™s always an option.โ€

Michael Donahue began his career in 1975 at the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar and moved to The Commercial Appeal in 1984, where he wrote about food and dining, music, and covered social events until...