Comfort Food Expert to Open Downtown Boston Restaurant This Fall

A downtown Boston restaurant space at 120 Kingston St. left vacant a year ago when Townsman shuttered won’t remain that way for much longer: Former Lulu’s Allston executive chef and general manager Sarah Wade plans to open her own restaurant, Stillwater, in the space this coming fall.

The menu will feature “redefined comfort food,” Wade told Eater via email, and Stillwater will serve lunch and dinner, along with brunch on the weekends. During her tenure at Lulu’s from its 2014 opening until earlier this month, Wade was known for her comfort food, including elaborate burgers and hearty brunch dishes.

The sizable Kingston Street space is getting a facelift, with Boston-based designer Maggie Wraight at the helm of the aesthetic shift from Townsman to Stillwater. The restaurant will be “modern, industrial, cozy,” Wade said.

Wade has been working in management roles in kitchens for a decade but always aimed to own her own restaurant.

“I have been working toward my goal of owning a restaurant for 15 years,” Wade told Eater. “I won Food Network’s Chopped a year ago and told the world I would be using my winnings to open my restaurant, and I am so proud to be at this point.”

Wade is excited to be opening downtown, in a neighborhood that’s experiencing something of a boom in its drinking and dining scene — Stillwater will be situated down the road from the forthcoming High Street Place food hall, which will boast a stacked lineup of local vendors and chefs.

“I love how much growth is going on downtown. The neighborhood we are in is very close-knit and has been so welcoming. There is so much flavor and vibrancy in the area, and I am so excited to be a part of it.”

Townsman closed in July 2018. Chef and owner Matt Jennings indicated in a Facebook post at the time that the closure was partially due to the fact that he wanted to “craft a life that is more thoughtful, healthy and sustainable for himself and his family.”

Keep an eye out for Stillwater to open downtown this fall. Those interested can follow the restaurant’s progress on Instagram.

• Townsman Shuts Down This Week After Three Years [EBOS]