Long-time Strip restaurant The Crimson Café is reopening after extensive renovations with a focus on fresh food and a fresh perspective on tradition.

The café has been on the Strip for 19 years and has been completely revamped with a new look, menu and atmosphere.

“A coffee shop was not the perfect fit for the way the Strip and campus has evolved,” Crimson Café owner and President Amy Mullins said about the choice to convert the café into a tavern.

Co-owner and Vice President Rhett Madden said the café’s new look is reminiscent of an Irish tavern, but with an Alabama sports bar twist.

“An Irish pub is nice, but it’s just Irish. We want to bring their tradition here and make it our own,” Madden said.

Renovations to The Crimson Café include new woodwork, a full bar and a completely revamped kitchen. A portion of the wall beside the bar has been cut out and the Roast Room has been opened up to allow more seating and to create additional bar seating.

Where students used to stand in line to order, there is a full bar space that features the largest number of taps of any location on the Strip. On tap will be craft beers from Sweetwater and Guinness, as well as popular choices such as Budweiser. Two to four of the taps will be changed weekly to offer a variety of beers. The bar will also offer specialty drinks in flavors like marshmallow cream, granny smith apple and hibiscus.

Rather than selling expensive flavored vodka in the drinks, the drinks will be flavored in-house with a variety of syrups housed at the bar in order to make them affordable for students. The bar will also feature a Bloody Mary and mimosa bar during brunch, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. In keeping with the café’s fresh philosophy, drink specials will be based on the availability of products like fruits and vegetables.

The Crimson Café has also revamped its menu to be based on fresh, seasonal items and most of the food is made in-house and sourced from local farmers markets. As with drink specials, food specials will be based on the availability of fruits and vegetables and what is in season. There are also plans to grow an herb garden on the roof that will provide fresh mint and basil among other herbs.

“Probably the only thing you will have on the table that we didn’t make is the ketchup,” said Oakley West, The Crimson Café’s hospitality manager.

The new menu also celebrates Southeastern Conference tradition, including burgers and sandwiches named after SEC mascots like the Razorback Burger, the Tiger Burger and the Gamecock Chicken Tender Sandwich.

With its new look and atmosphere, The Crimson Café hopes to become a venue for live music. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights the café will host bands. Cover charges for those under age 21 will be based on the popularity of the performers. On Saturdays and Sundays, acoustic performers will play during brunch.

The owners explained that The Crimson Cafe will not become a “party bar,” but will be a place people can relax, hear live music and still enjoy their conversations. Unlike many bars on the Strip, it will be smoke-free all night. For a late-night menu, Crimson Café will offer their appetizer menu that offers selections such as chicken bombs and quesadillas.

Along with its many renovations, the owners of The Crimson Café have chosen to keep the exposed ceiling, the walls, the floors and the name.

“It has history; we don’t want to change too much,” said Madden. “The location, they just know this as The Crimson Café.”

For people that have been to The Crimson Café in the past, the owners insist that the new restaurant will offer a completely different experience.

“It’s completely revamped,” Madden said. ‘The menu is completely different. The atmosphere is completely different.”

“We’ve adjusted to the times,” Mullins added.

The Crimson Café is scheduled to officially open Thursday. The owners will host a trial run tonight that is invitation only.

Hours for the first few weeks will be from 10:30 a.m. until 10 or 11 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday and from 10:30 a.m. until 2 or 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.