Back Bay Beats Marches Towards a Late February Opening

Berklee College of Music will soon be home to a restaurant that takes up the musical cause with gusto. Back Bay Beats, appropriately abbreviated as B3, will take the stage by the end of the month, opening its doors for those who want a taste of Southern-style cuisine and another place to take in some live music in the neighborhood.

B3 is affiliated with the college and located within the school’s new building at 160 Massachusetts Ave. Nicolas Swogger, formerly of Hungry Mother, will serve as executive chef of the restaurant, pulling some global influences into the Southern-inspired menu, as previously reported. Expect, for example, dishes such as Creole-style shrimp and peas; lamb tagine with couscous; ham buttermilk biscuits; and more. The bar will be called the Alley, and the drink list will feature various house-made infusions and syrups, beers from small craft breweries, and lesser-known wines.

The restaurant itself is designed to accommodate live music performances, with a slightly elevated central stage in the middle of the dining space. (A private dining space is, of course, called Backstage, and its design is meant to evoke the inside of a musical instrument case with velvet and leather.) B3 will also feature art installations. Stay tuned for more details on B3, which is slated to open in about three weeks and will feature dinner daily as well as Sunday brunch. The owners of the restaurant are also behind two restaurants in Harvard Square, Parsnip and Night Market.

• Music-Inspired Restaurant to Open at Berklee [EBOS]