Canada-based Earls Kitchen + Bar continues its Massachusetts expansion on September 8 with the opening of its Prudential Center location in Boston’s Back Bay, joining the Somerville location, which opened at Assembly Row in 2014. The new spot could prove to be a crowd-pleaser among the Back Bay after-work crew thanks to the three-season rooftop lounge, complete with a retractable covering. The menu, too, seeks to appeal to just about everyone, covering all the bases: sushi and poke, burgers and wings, tacos, noodle and rice bowls, steak, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, and more.
Here’s a peek at the opening menu for the Back Bay location:
On the beverage side, the cocktails at all Earls locations are overseen by Cameron Bogue, a veteran of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud’s empire. At Earls, Bogue’s team serves a variety of “new classics,” from four variations on a Moscow Mule (a special for September) to the Spanish Gin & Tonic (Avion gin, Fentiman’s tonic water, cucumber bitters). For those who like to mix college and childhood memories, there are also cereal-inspired shots, dangerously priced at four for $10. Corporate sommelier David Stansfield oversees the wine and beer selection. The wine list is mostly focused on Italy, which complements Earls’ Prudential neighbor, Eataly, the giant Italian emporium.
This will be the 10th United States location of Earls, and the company is considering it to be the flagship; it’s the biggest of the bunch, spanning 14,500 square feet on multiple levels. There’s a television-filled bar (aka “The Cocktail Lab”) on the Pru’s arcade level and a 300-seat dining room, open kitchen, and bar area on the second floor. The aforementioned rooftop space seats 200. Earls helps differentiate its locations (internationally, this is the 66th) with art by local artists; look for pieces by Christopher DeLorenzo, Scott Listfield, and Timmy Sneaks when the Back Bay location opens next month.
Update, 8/29/17: This piece has been updated to reflect that fire pits are no longer part of the plan for the rooftop area.
