For the better part of the fall, the scuttlebutt around Lakewood’s culinary scene had to do with changes afoot at Detroit Avenue restaurant Lindey’s Lake House, which opened its doors in 2019.

It turns out that the rumors were true, with Lindey’s Lake House being renamed and rebranded Bar Italia. The new eatery is expected to open later this month. “Honestly, COVID killed us,” said Next Cool Restaurants (NCR) CEO Rick Doody, the restaurateur behind Cedar Creek Grille, 17 River Grille and Lindey’s Lake House.