January will see a new family-owned Italian restaurant open in west Cobb. Modena Ristorante Vinoteca promises to be a modern restaurant and wine bar at 3412 Ernest Barrett Parkway, the former site of Vincent’s Italian Restaurante. Vincent's served the community there for over 10 years, according to its Facebook page. The new restaurant is planned to open in early to mid-January, said Maritza Padua, managing partner.

After Vincent’s closed in March, Padua and her husband, Andrew Kearton, who live nearby, saw it as the perfect opportunity to realize their dream and open a restaurant. Padua said Kearton used to work for an Italian company that took him to Milan frequently, and the couple went to northern Italy together several times, which has inspired their restaurant’s menu.