A veteran Greater Portland chef aims to open a bar and restaurant on Preble Street this summer.

The Velvet Dog will launch at 24 Preble St., the original space for Arcadia. Chef-owner Matthew Burns said he’s conceived The Velvet Dog as an “elevated dive.”

The space will seat 60-70 customers, including at a 10-seat bar. Burns’ early draft menu focuses on small plates like roasted bone marrow, Maine mussels with Cajun seasoning, fried sardines and a pork belly tostada. Main dishes include braised beef cheek, chicken and waffles, and grilled whitefish with andouille sausage and butter bean ragu.

“I want a little bit of something for everybody from all over,” Burns said. “There’s going to be some Latin, French, Midwest American. A greatest hits of the things I’ve loved to make over these years. “

The bar program will offer craft cocktails, wine and local beer. Burns said the venue’s vibe will be a “love letter” to Portland places he enjoyed in his youth in the 90s, like Zootz and The Elvis Room, with “couches, music, neon and good art on the walls. A place you walk into and you’re like, ‘This is where I want to hang out.'”

Burns said he also aims to keep the prices as affordable as possible. “We want to have a price point to where people can come three times a week and not have to take out a second mortgage for it. I want to see the same people come back, just like it was back before cell phones, when people actually talked to each other.”

Burns has been a chef for about 30 years, most recently at Legends Rest Taproom and Paper City BBQ in Westbrook. He’s also cooked at Nonesuch River Brewing in Scarborough, and Gates BBQ in Kansas City, MO.

Burns hopes to launch by June. The Velvet Dog will be open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 3-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 3-10 p.m.