A New Orleans-Inspired Restaurant Could Open in Boston’s Theater District

A New Orleans-inspired restaurant and bar may be opening in Boston’s Theater District in the space currently occupied by Salvatore’s (545 Washington St.). Salvatore’s is petitioning the city to transfer its liquor license to the team behind Downtown Crossing restaurant Back Deck — the hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 17 — and the new Washington Street restaurant would be called French Quarter.

Back Deck chef Paul Sussman confirmed the news with Eater, saying that if the plans are approved, the team would begin renovations sometime in September, with an opening timeline set for late fall.

The menu will skew more Creole than Cajun, Sussman said, and the bar will feature common New Orleans cocktails, such as a Sazerac, Ramos gin fizz, hurricane, and milk punch. There will also be several New Orleans beers available, as well as a limited wine list.

“We plan on recreating a French Quarter neighborhood watering hole,” Sussman told Eater. “We are trying to do pretty much traditional New Orleans — maybe updated a bit, but not chef-interpretations.”

A preliminary menu provided to Eater by Sussman includes dishes like fried okra, fried chicken livers, various crawfish preparations, fried catfish, gumbo with chicken, andouille, and shrimp, Creole sausage and shrimp jambalaya, and shrimp etouffee. Dessert options include bourbon pecan pie, bananas Foster, and bread pudding.

As for Salvatore’s, this will be the mini-chain’s second closure since original owner Sal Lupoli sold his five restaurants to four former managers in 2015. The Seaport location closed in April 2018.

When French Quarter opens, it’ll be part of a fairly small New Orleans-inspired food scene in Boston. While a number of local restaurants touch on Cajun cuisine — especially Cajun and Vietnamese-Cajun-style seafood boils — and Creole cuisine, few Boston-area spots explicitly describe themselves as New Orleans-inspired. Buttermilk & Bourbon in Back Bay and the Revelry food truck are a couple that do.

Stay tuned for updates on French Quarter’s potential late fall opening.

• French Quarter May Be Opening in Salvatore’s Space in Downtown Boston [BRT]
• Sal Lupoli Sells His Salvatore’s Restaurants to Several of His Top Managers [BG]
• The Salvatore’s Location in the Seaport District Closed Last Week [EBOS]