Photos Provided Owner Melissa Freeman Starkey and staff pose during the soft opening of All American Family Restaurant on Thursday in Bellaire.

BELLAIRE — All American Family Restaurant held its soft opening for family and friends on Thursday.

“Although we had a few bumps in the road, we did well. We are still working out some kinks with supplies, equipment, recipes and just trying to create a system that works,” management posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

The restaurant is located at 3293 Belmont St., Bellaire — formerly the site of Sakura Family Restaurant and the longtime staple Rigas’ Family Restaurant, which opened in 1963 and remained in operation until 2017. Sakura opened there in 2020 but closed in 2022 after a tragic fire struck the owner’s Powhatan Point home.

Now, the building will again house an eatery in downtown Bellaire.

According to a post on the All American Family Restaurant’s Facebook page, “Our menu was designed with you in mind! We wanted a mix of home cooking/comfort food, as well as crowd-pleasing appetizers, decadent desserts, fulfilling lunch options and our favorite steak, seafood and pasta dishes — all of which won’t break the bank.”

All American Family Restaurant offers breakfast from 7-11 a.m. and lunch and dinner after 11 a.m. The menu features a variety of dishes including kids’ meals and many drinks including teas, coffees, brews and specialty cocktails.

The full menu and prices can be viewed on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

According to a post on that page, “The name ‘All American Family Restaurant’ got its name after Bellaire being known as the ‘All American Town’ back in the 1930s. We are excited to bring back a family-style dining experience to the town.”

Melissa Freeman Starkey, the owner of All American Family Restaurant, also owns Sonny Boy Family Restaurant in Bridgeport and Frosty Treat in Powhatan Point. She announced her plans to open a new restaurant in Bellaire on Sept. 1 in a Facebook post.

“Well, it’s official. I am expanding my restaurant business to Bellaire. I signed the lease today to take over the old Sakura/Rigas building,” she posted.

The restaurant plans to host its grand opening sometime soon but has not set a date yet.

All American Family Restaurant can be contacted on its Facebook page or by sending an email to allamericanbellaire@gmail.com. The restaurant currently does not have an office phone.

According to the restaurant’s Facebook page, the restaurant will offer takeout once the it gets a phone and “works out some kinks.”

All American Family Restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and closed on Sunday, Dec. 3. Regular business hours will start on Monday, meaning that the restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

“Please, if you come see us these next few weeks, remember we are brand new, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate through this journey,” the owners posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page.