Towne Stove and Spirits
Towne is the word on the entire town’s lips. Impossible to ignore, Back Bay’s brand new establishment’s stunning and enormous exterior has had everyone gaping since its soft-opening in late June. But when oh when will the sure-to-be hotspot open itself to the public? The website evades the subject, and the telephone number provided continues to be disconnected. Alas, we must rely on rumors, and word on the street is that the doors will open in the next 10 days.
Featuring 300 seats inside and 80 on the patio, the $9 million, 14,000-square foot restaurant in Hynes Convention Center has two floors, three bar areas, three dining rooms, and outdoor seating on the Prudential plaza. As for the interior, we must again put gossip to use. Chowhound’s “Tatsu,” who attended the soft opening, had this to say: “Quite frankly, it is second to none in terms of curbside and inside appeal, not even the Mandarin, and that is quite the architectural boast.” She also noted, “the bar at the entrance rivals all of those on Boylston,” and “massive plate glass windows in every room” offer stunning views, “easily 150 meters across the entire length of Hynes.” The interior features “charming whimsical touches,” but the expansive cement courtyard is “not so gorgeous.”
But let’s get down to what really matters: the food. Created by renowned Boston chefs Lydia Shire (of Locke-Ober) and Jasper White (of the Summer Shack chain), the menu features a grand total of 15 lobster selections, as well as steak, pasta, and tandoori meat dishes from all over the world. But while one might expect expensive cuisine from such an opulent looking restaurant, most entrees ring in at around $27.
With high hopes that the hearsay is accurate and the restaurant will in fact be open by the end of the month, every girl in town will be on the edge of her seat until that seat is at Towne.
