The DCU Center announced last week that it has begun discussions with potential candidates to fill the restaurant space located in the arena.

The incubator restaurant space on the corner of Foster and Commercial Streets has been occupied by Figs and Pigs after the completion of renovations in 2015.

According to the Telegram & Gazette, Candace Murphy, the operator and manager who brought the cafe to fruition, stepped away from the restaurant last month to accept a position with Sodexo.

The Civic Center Commission was presented with two leading candidates currently in consideration for the arena at its monthly meeting.

The first option is a lunch-dinner concept and would primarily serve Poké. Poké is described as a cross between sushi and a salad and derives from Hawaiian cuisine. This concept would work similar to a Chipotle or Subway restaurant with food for taking out. It was noted that this concept would not pursue a liquor license. The individual behind this concept will be opening other locations in the greater Worcester area with plans to expand franchises throughout the northeast.

The other concept would be expanding a craft beer taproom that is open in another area of the city with the intention of expanding their reach into the downtown area. This concept would also be a lunch-dinner concept, serving paninis and sandwiches alongside their line-up of craft beer. It was noted that with this concept that the DCU Center would have to modify their liquor license and with due to it being a separate liquor license space, patrons would not be able to take any drinks purchased onto the arena concourse.

The new tenant of the restaurant space could be in place and open for business as early as October.

Figs & Pigs will remain open and will operate with staff and management from the DCU Center until a decision is made on the future of the restaurant space.

Additional information will be added to this story as it becomes available.