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5 restaurants we can’t wait to try in April
From coastal Italian in East Boston to Chinese-Peruvian in Back Bay, these are the restaurants topping our must-try list this month.
Coastal Greek, Chinese-Peruvian and wood-fired Spanish dishes are on the menu this month as spring’s awakening reveals a delicious line-up of new, global restaurants. From South Boston to Eastie to Beacon Hill, we’ll be booking a reservation at these five restaurants as they open throughout April.
Avra Estiatorio
Born in New York City, Avra Estiatorio is a modern Greek restaurant that’s become nationally beloved for its soaring ceilings, airy fish market display and selection of seafood flown in daily from the Mediterranean. Now, owners Nick Tsoulos and Nick Pashalis are entering the Boston market with their forthcoming Back Bay location opening in the new Lyrik development. “We’re thrilled to introduce the same warm Greek hospitality and exceptional Mediterranean seafood that have defined Avra for decades to the Boston community,” said Nick Tsoulos. “Boston has long been a city we’ve admired, and we’re excited to finally share our tradition and energy in the heart of Back Bay.” Inspired by Tsoulos’ coastal hometown of Nafpaktos, the menu pulls from nostalgic memories of his childhood spent fishing for dorado, octopus, and red mullet to offer guests a tangible experience as whole fish are displayed on ice for guests to select their variety and preparation; baked in sea salt or simply grilled with olive oil and Mediterranean herbs (the restaurant’s house olive oil is hand-pressed at a family-owned farm in the Greek Peloponnese). The Rockwell Group brought the coastal vision to life with a salt wall installation featuring crystallized hexagonal panels, Greek amphoras and sculptural olive trees for a truly immersive reservation.
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400 Newbury St., Back Bay
Opens: Mid-April
Dalia
The Broadway Restaurant Group is at it again as they celebrate this month’s opening of their newest concept next door to one of their earliest projects, Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant. Helmed by chef Nicholas Dixon, the Spanish-inspired, wood-fired restaurant is focused on á la brasa cooking, or live-fire cooking, on the custom-built Josper kitchen that features four Basque-style grills and a wood-fire broiler. “There’s something primal, almost nostalgic, about cooking á la brasa,” shares Dixon. “It strips everything back and lets the ingredients speak.” The concept is something that was instilled in Chef Dixon after spending time in Spain where he found himself drawn to the “confidence in simplicity” and “the deep respect of sourcing” of ingredients around the country. Each region has a specialty and he pays homage to this by highlighting favorite Spanish items like Canary Island-seabass crudo, Madrid tapas, San Sebastian pintxos, Valencian paella, and Mallorcan sobresata. One of the menu items that’s sure to turn heads is the whole suckling pig that’s imported from Spain, brined overnight, dried and roasted over three hours. The beverage program is led by Katie Kelly, where Spain’s signature Rioja wine is highlighted among lesser known varieties and a dedicated gin and tonic section pays homage to one of Spain’s most iconic drinking experiences. Of course, the kitchen was designed so guests can eat fireside, thanks to Assembly Design Studio, who also added key decor features like a retracting glass canopy, living plants and hand-painted tiles imported from Spain.
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429 W Broadway, South Boston
Opens: April 2
La Tavernetta
After bringing their beloved MIDA to neighborhoods around Boston, from the South End to Fenway, restaurateur duo Seth Gerber and chef Douglass Williams are about to unveil a new concept in East Boston. The prime waterfront location will welcome their version of a Southern Italian tavern where you can expect “salty, crunchy, yummy, and crave-worthy dishes,” according to Williams. “Think coastal Italian with a kiss.” The inspiration for this new tavern results from the East Boston neighborhood and the space’s three sprawling patios, which will be open just in time for the spring and summer rush. “Think lots of spritzes, fresh juices, and herbs and a beautiful line up of summer coastal wines,” assures Gerber. He adds: “We are having fun with every detail celebrating the waterfront location and the friendly Southern Italian charm and hospitality.”
45 Lewis St., East Boston
Opens: early to mid-April
Rosa y Marigold
Another forthcoming opening at the Lyrik Back Bay development will be from the restaurateurs behind Celeste, Esmeralda, and La Royal. The Cambridge-based duo, JuanMa Calderón and Maria Rondeau, present the highly anticipated Rosa y Marigold, as their first Boston-proper restaurant. The menu celebrates Peruvian cuisine with tiraditos (thinly sliced raw fish with a sashimi-like presentation), anticuchos (a popular street food in Lima of grilled, skewered protein), and Peruvian-Chinese chifa dishes that are part of Calderón’s heritage—all served from an open kitchen. Of these categories, signature items will respectively include salmon tiradito with garlic ($21), beef heart grilled skewer anticucho ($16) and Chanchito asado, or Chinese-Peruvian roasted pork in honey hoisin sauce with vegetables ($32). An architect by trade, Rondeau designed the 100-seat space (their biggest venue yet) to feel like a dinner-party as with the rest of their restaurant formats that pay homage to their early days as a home pop-up. The last personal nod lives in the name of the restaurant as Rondeau and Calderón dedicated it to their late friend and poet, Louise Glück, whose final work was the 2022 novel, Marigold and Rose.
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400 Newbury St., Back Bay
Opens: Mid-April
Willie’s
Thin-crust pizzas and housemade pastas are at the core of the latest restaurant from BCB3 Hospitality that’s now open in Beacon Hill. Though its menu appears primarily Italian, upon further inspection, and tasting, you’ll notice an influence from the group’s Japanese, Korean, and Basque concepts across the city—after all, Willie’s is the fifth opening in less than two years from BCB3 Hospitality. This unique inspiration is notable from the pizzas, like the no mozzarella pizza con tomate, inspired by the popular Spanish tapa of crushed tomato on toasted bread topped with olive oil and parmesan ($18) to the spaghetti carbonara, made with yuzu kosho and parmesan dashima ($23) or the rigatoni amatriciana with guanciale flavored with yak gochujang, a favorite sweet-spicy sauce of Korean cuisine ($23). The small plates designed to be shareable among a reservation have a more personal connection, like the caesar, with Napa cabbage and anchovy migas (fried crumbles) that was inspired by chef Jamie Bissonnette’s admiration for his father’s version. Behind the bar, wine director Nader Asgari-Tari curated a grower-forward winemakers list, spotlighting indigenous varietals like Friulano from Venice and high-altitude Petite Arvine from Valle d’Aosta. The cocktail program also alludes to Italian seasonality with spirits director Oscar Simoza building a vermouth and wine-based list for refreshing and low-ABV libations—like the Cherry Cola with Zucca (an Italian rhubarb-based amaro), red wine, cherry herring, and an amaro-infused cherry.
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20 Charles St., Beacon Hill
Now Open
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