Trade Co-Owners Are Bringing a Concept to Back Bay

Jody Adams, Sean Griffing, and Eric Papachristos, the ownership team at Trade at Atlantic Wharf, are bringing a restaurant to Back Bay, licensing documents reveal.

In April, the trio filed for a new LLC, Ring Road Restaurant Group at 780 Boylston St., which is registered at Trade's address, 540 Atlantic Ave.

The new concept isn't named in the licensing agenda, so it's not clear if it will be another Trade or a different venture. Adams is also chef/owner at Rialto in Harvard Square, and Griffing formerly worked there with her, but the public details of of this new venture — especially Papachristos' involvement — suggest it has more connection to Trade.

Trade opened in 2011 as a casual restaurant and bar, inspired by James Beard Award-winning chef (and former BRAVO "Top Chef Masters" contestant) Adams' travels. It offers a raw bar, flatbreads, small plates, and more.

The new venture is going in at a building called Avalon at Prudential Center, which appears to be located behind the vacant Sel de la Terre space. The main entrance is on Ring Road. It is taking over the the licenses from The Melting Pot, a Park Plaza Hotel restaurant that shuttered in March.

Adams', Griffing's, and Papachristos' newest concept will seat about 117 inside with formal and more casual dining rooms, a lounge, a 14-seat raw bar, and a 15-seat wet bar. From April - October, the restaurant will offer outdoor dining with its own bar and lounge. The license trade with Melting Pot would allow the whole place to stay open until 2 a.m., patio included.

Griffing is slated to appear before the Boston Licensing Board on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

UPDATE, 8/20/15 at 1:50 p.m.: A rep for Trade confirms that the team is in the preliminary stages of opening this new restaurant; a name and concept haven't yet been finalized.

UPDATE, 8/27/15: Universal Hub attended the licensing hearing yesterday, where a lawyer for the Trade team said the yet-unnamed restaurant is a high-end seafood concept.

UPDATE, 4/29/16: Jody Adams has announced that she's leaving Rialto in June 2016, and this new concept could open later the same month.

UPDATE, 5/18/16: The new restaurant will be called Porto.