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Tavern Road will close later this month, the Fort Point restaurant announced today. Located at 343 Congress St., Tavern Road opened in early 2013 and has been an important part of the neighborhood’s growth over the past four years, from its well-loved bar scene to its approachable menu, spanning charcuterie and “nose-to-tail” cooking, global small plates, and more.
Brothers Louis and Michael DiBiccari, both alums of Sel de la Terre, are behind the restaurant, serving as chef and general manager respectively. Tavern Road pays tribute in a number of ways to the brothers’ uncle Adio, whose sculpting studio was located on Boston’s Tavern Road. The restaurant is also decorated with artistic homages to Adio, particularly the dining room’s 30-foot mural, inspired by Adio’s body of work. It was painted by Josh Falk, Dana Woulfe, and Kenji Nakayama, members of Fort Point-based art collective Project Super Friends.
The restaurant underwent some conceptual changes throughout its four years. For the first few years, for example, it had a lunchtime takeout offshoot called TR Street Foods located in a small adjacent space, serving street foods with inspiration from around the globe. But TR Street Foods closed in late 2015, and Tavern Road itself started serving a more street food-oriented menu.
One constant was Tavern Road’s beloved bar scene. The late Ryan McGrale, an alum of No. 9 Park, was beverage director from the opening until his death in November 2015. His cocktail program included local sourcing, cocktail flights, and “cocktails from friends,” recipes from bartenders around the country. Boston-based wine start-up Second Glass collaborated on Tavern Road’s opening wine list, and the craft beer selection was limited to bottles, no taps. Trade alum Tenzin Samdo stepped into the beverage director role in mid-2016; he is currently transitioning into his new role as beverage director at Cafe ArtScience in Cambridge.
While saying goodbye to Tavern Road, Louis DiBiccari is also gearing up for his sixth annual CREATE Boston event, which has been growing by the year. This year, it’s at the Boston Innovation and Design Center on September 10. CREATE Boston began as an event where six chefs collaborated to create a dish inspired by the work of six local artists, and year by year, it has evolved with the addition of bartenders, musicians, and more.
• Tavern Road Coverage on Eater [EBOS]
