After years as a mercenary chef, Michael Scelfo finally added “owner” to his title, and his overdue solo debut is a smash. Alden’s array of shareable plates leans heavily on bold flavors, especially smoke, and achieves stunning effects even with (gasp!) vegetables: Few chefs could make charred broccoli on winter-squash hummus feel like a revelation. A cozy redo of Harvard Square’s old Casablanca space and a first-rate beverage program nudge the year’s freshest debut ahead of a very competitive field.
Alden & Harlow
40 Brattle St., Cambridge • (617) 864-2100
aldenharlow.com
Other Winners
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New Restaurant
2015 Winner: Townsman
Homecoming king Matt Jennings shuttered Providence’s fabled Farmstead Inc. to open this newcomer in his native Hub, and we couldn’t be happier to have him back…...
- 120 Kingston St., Boston
- (617) 993-0750
- townsmanboston.com
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New Restaurant
2016 Winner: Yvonne's
For jaded Bostonians, a restaurant with nightclub-chic good looks engenders a sinking feeling: “Here be mediocre food and drink.”...
- 2 Winter Place, Boston
- (617) 267-0047
- yvonnesboston.com
Photo Credit: Diego Navarro -
New Restaurant
2017 Winner: Little Donkey
At their two previous collaborations, Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer had to stay in specific small-plates lanes: Italian at Coppa, Spanish at Toro...
- 505 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
- (617) 945-1008
- littledonkeybos.com
Photo Credit: Holly Rike -
Photo Credit: Galdones Photography
