by We’re looking forward to a variety of eating experiences this month, including a two-story masterpiece in the South End, a rooftop playground for Champagne lovers, and a subterranean venue with live music. Take a look at the five new eateries that are scheduled to open in August.
-
5 can t-miss restaurant openings and dining updates in Boston this week
Bubble Bath
With Bubble Bath, a secondary location of their extremely popular Champagne and wine bar, Tiffani Faison and her team at Big Heart Hospitality are at it again, elevating their sparkling experience to new heights. Thanks to its location atop the CitizenM Hotel on Newbury Street, this venue will provide the same amazing list of sparkling wines by the glass and bottle, but it will also offer an entirely distinct gastronomic experience served alongside expansive views of the Charles River and Boston skyline. Snacks include smoked salmon and Brillat-Savarin triple cream cheese with pickled red onion, cucumber, and dill; speck and sottocenere, an Italian cheese flavored with truffle, served with honey; or a small lobster bun with brown butter aioli and sherry. Additionally, there will be tableside caviar service, which includes a cart of garnishes (such as red onion, blini, and chives) for the decadent nibble that goes well with sparkling wine or Champagne. For a heartier meal, Bubble Bath will provide small plates including sirloin steak frites, hamachi tostada with avocado, and cod cheeks and chips with togarashi. With a ceiling that sparkles to reflect the bubbles and a design inspired by the inside of a champagne glass, visitors can anticipate a vibrant, immersive experience here whether they want to sit inside or take advantage of the seasonal patio, which is open through October.
Back Bay, 408 Newbury St.
Beginning in early August
Capri Italian Steakhouse
Fans of its sister restaurant, Prima in Charlestown, could recognize South End’s newest eatery since it emphasizes a variety of dining experiences, including private dining on the garden level, an upstairs lounge, and the main dining space beneath a tall, two-story atrium. However, the new location, Capri, is more of a destination with an atmosphere reminiscent of the Italian Riviera, skillfully done by Assembly Design (imagine a dining area with olive trees scattered throughout, bespoke wooden booths, and umbrellas with white and green stripes). The main dining area’s centerpiece piano and the expansive outdoor patio with its al fresco Cabana bar, fireplace, and firepit seating are two other ways that Capri varies from Prima. Prima’s menu includes only hand-rolled, handmade pastas, such as rigatoni all vodka ($24) and tortellini di mais with spicy Calabrian butter ($26). As the name suggests, there are plenty of steaks and chops, such as Brandt Tomahawk ($160) and large cuts of dry-aged Florentine beef ($160). Italian staples including chicken or veal Milanese ($26), chicken piccata ($24), and al forno parmesan with chicken, veal, or eggplant ($22–26) are also available. Using fresh botanicals and ingredients, signature cocktails such as the Bell Pepper Gimlet ($16) with Hendricks gin, raspberry, g n py, and lemon or the Just Peachy ($16) with Aperol, peach, lemon, basil, and Prosecco were created to be enjoyed on Capri’s terrace under the stars of the Italian Riviera.
South End, 500 Harrison Ave.
Open Now
Currentea
Currentea is opening its first physical location at Hub Hall, the food hall adjacent to TD Garden, which is unlike anything we’ve ever heard of. Monica Xu, who utilized her thirty years in the food industry to establish a venue with a contemporary twist on traditional Eastern tea culture, is responsible for the daring combination of cheese-filled corn dogs and bubble tea. According to Nick Moniz, general manager of Hub Hall, “We’re always looking for innovative, high-quality concepts that bring something fresh to Hub Hall.” We are confident that our customers will enjoy the lively, flavorful, and contemporary experience that Currentea provides. The menu’s primary savory snacks are a selection of mozzarella cheese dogs (which start at $8.50) that are a fun twist on corn dogs. Other versions include the Flaming Dog with hot Cheetos, the Potato Dog, and the Original Dog, which is a half mozzarella, half sausage version. Other entertaining goodies on a stick include fried egg rolls ($3.99 $9.99), BBQ sausage ($4.99 $11.99), and beef, hog, and lamb skewers ($3.99 $6.99). Sweet selections include from strawberry jasmine slushies and smoothies (from $8.50) to Bobo soft ice cream swirls ($6.50), in addition to the famous bubble tea.
West End, 80 Causeway St.
Open Now
Lou s
Lou’s, Harvard Square’s newest restaurant, bar, and 289-seat concert venue, opened its doors last weekend. Under the direction of three seasoned musicians and restaurateurs, Lou’s was created to give the locals a place to book for dinner or drinks and then turn the evening into a night out by remaining for a show in the 5,600-square-foot underground venue. With executive chef Jason Bond (Bondir), assistant general manager Bree-Anne Zeek (Faccia a Faccia and Pammy’s), and general manager Allison Finney (formerly of Roadrunner), Lou’s boasts superior food and beverage programs that set it apart from other concert venues in the area. The music program, which highlights the diversity of the greater Boston area, will be led by Finney and Jeremy Cohen, founder of the New England Jazz Collective. It will feature a nightly mix of live musicians and DJs in a setting of deep reds, mahogany millwork, and mosaic tiles reminiscent of speakeasies from the 1920s. Bond oversees the supper menu, which features dishes like Lou’s linguine with clams ($35), oven-roasted local fish with sauce alla norma ($28), and ceviche of local fleet fish ($16), all of which highlight local vendors. A cesar-style veal schnitzel with anchovies and endive, Lou’s burger ($28), a grilled six-ounce patty on a potato roll with aged white cheddar, grilled onions, tomato, and lettuce ($24), and gnocchi Parisienne with green and wax beans in a garlic-mint sauce ($28) are among the vegetarian-friendly and carnivorous dishes that will be offered.
Cambridge, 13 Brattle Street
Open Now
Row 34
His most recent cookbook, Everyday Chef: Easy Recipes for Family and Friends, will be released shortly.Chef Jeremy Sewall will open Row 34’s newest location in Kenmore Square in the middle of September. Nestled within Hotel Commonwealth, the fifth Row 34 location, which was once home to the renowned Island Creek Oyster Bar, brings oysters back to a beloved spot. Co-owner Shore Gregory says, “We feel really lucky to be stewarding it into its next chapter because there were so many incredible memories made in this space.” With a massive mural of Skip Bennett, the founder of Island Creek Oysters, that spans 34 separate panels, Sewall and Gregory pay homage to its former existence. In a new design space with fresh textures and colors, including a back bar lit up with opalescent tiles, diners can expect the same chef-driven menu of premium New England oysters, raw bar, and seafood that supports local fishermen (favorite dishes include the oyster sliders, locally caught Jonah crab, grilled whole fish, and lobster roll).
Fenway-Kenmore, 498 Commonwealth Avenue
Beginning in early August
Jillian Dara writes about all things food and drink for Boston.com.
Sign up for The Dish
Get the most recent news on food and beverages from Boston.com.
