It’s a well-trod trope: the upscale new eatery that caters to yuppies and isolates a gentrifying neighborhood’s longtime residents. But Nicholas Dowling, chef/co-owner of Snappy Pattys, which opened this month in Medford, is banking on the premise that “upscale” doesn’t have to equal “pretentious.”

“I’ve worked a lot of places where a customer doesn’t know what a word on the menu is. They feel intimidated,” Dowling says. “I hate all of that. I do not enjoy the pretentious air that comes with good food.”

The Dorchester-bred Dowling freely admits that he could barely locate Medford on a map a year ago when he and co-owner Adam Gazzola first began scouting locations. But he’s an unabashed fan now, pointing out rising property values and the planned Green Line extension. He’s hoping that his first eatery will stand out amid High Street’s hole-in-the-wall takeout joints and win over residents with its simplicity, something he’s long wanted in a restaurant.

“The moment of clarity came in staff meals, and working with some of these servers who don’t know certain things. And you realize, ‘It’s not them; it’s me.’ I’ve worked with so many chefs who don’t get it. They want everyone to know everything. That’s not ever going to happen,” Dowling says. “If you want to do really nice food, great. Do really nice food. You don’t have to be a dick about it. I want to keep doing really nice food that’s fun.”

For Dowling, fun means patty melt sliders, the signature at Snappy Pattys. The 1.5-ounce patties of grass-fed, hormone-free beef arrive three to an order ($6.25) on toasted house-baked bread. There are six varieties, from plain to Californian (topped with young cheddar cheese and a secret bacon sauce) to jalapeno (topped with nacho cheese and pico de gallo). The menu doesn’t stop at sliders, however, as other fare such as white fish tacos, cherrywood-smoked lamb ribs and shrimp on the barbie are offered for dinner. The full-service bar serves barrel-aged cocktails, wine by the glass and an impressive variety of craft beers, including multiple selections from New England breweries Notch, Slumbrew and Foolproof.

The menu’s unfussy theme carries over to the interior, with six tables for two and a couple dozen stools scattered at hightops, the bar and window counters. Large spray-painted portraits by a Lowell artist adorn the walls, while recessed lights dot the wood-beamed ceiling.

Dowling is confident the vibe will strike the right chord with locals: “Eventually all the people who might be gravitating to the older places here, they will come here and they’ll enjoy it.”

Snappy Pattys, 454 High St., Medford (781-214-4440) snappypattys.com

Snappy Pattys


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