While the past few years have seen a surge in waterfront dining spots, the area near Lovejoy Wharf has remained untouched. Restaurateur Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, who’s worked at Eastern Standard, Craigie on Main and Island Creek Oyster Bar, aims to change that with his first solo venture, Alcove, set to open its doors in mid-October in the shadow of TD Garden and the Zakim Bridge. 

“I felt like this was a really unique part of the city that had yet to be fully highlighted,” he says. “When I walked down here for the first time, it hit me—I knew that this was a special location. There’s not as much waterfront dining for this being a port city, so the opportunity to offer an independent restaurant on the water really was appealing to me.”

Alcove restaurateur Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli

FEELING THE LOVEJOY: Alcove aims to up the food scene on Lovejoy Wharf.

Taking up residence on the bottom floor of condominium complex Lovejoy Wharf, Alcove will have a modern rustic vibe, with decor inspired by materials found on coastal farms and distilleries, such as limestone tile walls, gray flooring suggestive of white-washed shingles and persimmon tabletops made in Westport. “There’s a natural tension between modern design and farmhouse design, and we were trying to weave those elements together,” Schlesinger-Guidelli says of the 200-seat space, which will also include a patio with capacity for 60 guests during the warmer months.

Helmed by executive chef Maxime Fanton, the kitchen will serve dinner nightly, with plans to add lunch service soon. The seasonally driven menu will draw from Schlesinger-Guidelli’s coastal influences and include a full raw bar and lots of charcuterie—highlighted by a portable slicer for prosciutto and other meats—as well as bigger bites, like a roasted squash served with housemade ricotta, mint pesto and brown butter hazelnuts, and the TSG Salad topped with endive, fine herbs and a stone fruit dressing. The bar program will feature locally sourced ingredients in classic cocktails, as well as a wine list emphasizing smaller producers committed to varietal purity, including a section titled “Love Pantsuit” dedicated to female winemakers. 

“This concept is really an amalgamation of my work history and growing up in New England,” Schlesinger-Guidelli says. “It takes a little piece of my time from each different place. My time working with my uncle at the Back Eddy and Island Creek—they each have their own influence over the inspiration for this restaurant.”

Alcove 50 Lovejoy Wharf, Boston alcoveboston.com

UPDATE: Alcove opened on Oct. 17.