Newbury Street Mainstay Cafeteria Will Transform Into Eva This Winter

Newbury Street restaurant Cafeteria, featuring two floors and a giant patio, closed in 2020 after 13 years in business, and now its owner George Aboujaoude will open a new restaurant at the same spacious address (279A Newbury St., Boston): Eva is slated for a late winter 2022 debut.

The restaurant will have a modern American menu that includes some old favorites from Cafeteria; the spinach artichoke dip, Bolognese, and tuna burger are among some potential returnees, a representative for the restaurant tells Eater. On the drink side, the focus will be on cocktails.

The restaurant’s attorney went before Boston’s licensing board late last year about the forthcoming restaurant, noting that “the general concept will be remaining the same [as Cafeteria]” but requesting a small increase in the number of seats. But don’t expect Eva — named for the initials of Aboujaoude’s children — to simply be Cafeteria 2.0. The space is undergoing a complete revamp with lots of natural wood tones, blues, greens, and leaf-like decor, with Newton-based firm Tiffany Barqawi Design working on the project. The gigantic patio, which offers prime Newbury Street people-watching, is expected to be up and running for spring 2022.

Eva

“I can’t wait for longtime regulars to experience our new menu, new look, and energy,” Aboujaoude said via press release. “I expect new customers will quickly become regulars.”

Aboujaoude is also part of the team behind several other Boston restaurants, including Greek spot Committee, a full-service restaurant with a bustling nightlife scene in Boston’s Seaport.

When Eva opens, the plan is to serve lunch and dinner on weekdays and brunch and dinner on weekends, closing at 11 p.m. most of the week and 1 a.m. on weekends.

Watch the restaurant’s nascent Instagram account for updates.