Neapolitan Pizza Will Figure Prominently at New Revere Beach Restaurant

An evolving landscape on Revere Beach has already seen some major recent change: Storied pizza restaurant Bianchi’s closed last September in anticipation of a new development project on its site, transitioning its operation (possibly temporarily) to another nearby restaurant, Renzo Pizzeria (381 Revere Beach Blvd.).

Meanwhile, further down the road at 500 Ocean Dr., the aptly named 500 Ocean development complex is slowly rising opposite the beach, with a designated walkway over the road linking the project directly to the beach. Within the development, two new restaurants will make their debut toward the end of the summer, and they have ties to several establishments in Boston. (See November 11 update below.)

Michael Aldi of Boston-area restaurants Pier 6, Reelhouse, and Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar is part of the management team behind the forthcoming Dryft and Fine Line, two distinct restaurants that will open in the 500 Ocean development.

“We saw an opportunity to create something in Revere that’s special,” Aldi told Eater. “Dryft is going to have a seafood influence but it’s also going to have an Italian twist. We’re trying to bring a higher-end restaurant to the beach because no one’s ever done that over there before.”

Dryft will seat 140 to start, and beginning next year (due to adjacent construction on a Marriott hotel) it will add an outdoor bar with seating on a plaza. Capitalizing on its beachside real estate, Dryft will operate a takeout kitchen, leaning into the history of beach pizza in Revere, serving Neapolitan-style pies.

“That was the whole thing. We wanted to give back what people wanted,” Aldi said. “We know they enjoy pizzas, and Bianchi’s was there for so long.” (Bianchi’s may eventually return to its original site within a new building at 320-327 Revere Beach Blvd.)

“It’s not the same, but it is,” Aldi said. “We’re trying to bring a different style of pizza to Revere. We’re just trying to go with something more unique.”

Fine Line, meanwhile, will share the same space as Dryft but with a decidedly different vibe. More of a beer bar and taproom, Fine Line will have casual fare like pizza, craft beer, and whiskey.

“We’re just trying to bring a taste of Boston to Revere,” Aldi said. “We’re gonna be a little more expensive than your average place in Revere. That’s what they need — they need a nicer place.”

Aldi said that in addition to Neapolitan pizza, Dryft will have a raw bar, assorted seafood entrees, pasta dishes, and more. There will be local craft beer, tapping into breweries like Mystic in Chelsea, Idle Hands in Malden, Bent Water from Lynn, and Night Shift from Everett. There will also be cocktails and wine.

The timeline for Dryft and Fine Line depends a bit on the progress of the development as a whole, but Aldi estimates Dryft will be ready by the end of August, with Fine Line following shortly thereafter.

Update, November 11, 2019: Dryft opens today, according to a press release. For now, it’s serving dinner (5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday) as well as weekend brunch starting at 11 a.m., per a post on the restaurant’s Instagram story, with expanded hours apparently starting next week. Stay tuned for updates on Dryft — and a timeline for Fine Line’s opening.