The Bancroft in the Press

Boston.com: A Lydia Shire protege at Burlington’s Bancroft

Zagat: Chef Mario Capone Preps New Steakhouse, The Bancroft

Boston.com: Gibbet Hill’s Sister Steakhouse Comes to Burlington

Webber Restaurant Group Brings Boston to Burlington with
Urban Inspired Steakhouse and Lounge

 BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS (Spring 2014):  Webber Restaurant Group is excited to announce the spring opening of The Bancroft, a modern American steakhouse and craft cocktail lounge, located in the much-anticipated 3rd Ave development in Burlington.  The kitchen will be helmed by James Beard nominated Executive Chef Mario Capone.

The Bancroft has been designed to appeal to Middlesex County’s densely populated residential areas as well as its rapidly expanding business community.  Neighbors will find the restaurant to be a perfect meeting spot to enjoy a lunch hour or a special evening meal, as well as a lively bar scene.  Additionally, The Bancroft offers a unique option for corporate private dining, catering to business clientele in the nearby vicinity, with four private dining rooms that accommodate groups of up to 50 guests.

Diners can expect both classic steakhouse cuisine and seasonal, farm-to table items, which will utilize produce from Webber Restaurant Group’s own Gibbet Hill Farm in Groton, Massachusetts.  Entrees will range from items such as Lamb Rack with Herb Crust, Corona Beans and Truffle Oil to Sesame Crusted Tuna with Taro, Ginger, Vinegar, and Toy Sum, to Acquerello Risotto with Grilled Lobster Tails, Burnt Rosemary, and Meyer Lemon. The steak program will offer both traditional prime cuts as well as unique options such as Akaushi Japanese Wagyu Sirloin.

Cocktail aficionados will appreciate The Bancroft’s emphasis on the art of the cocktail with a unique craft driven bar program. The cocktail making process will be showcased for the entertainment and enjoyment of guests at a centralized 32-seat bar, with four independent, interactive bartending stations. The cocktail lounge seats over fifty. All service staff will be well versed in wine and spirits education.

ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE CHEF

James Beard nominee Mario Capone is a familiar name to Boston area diners.  Mario partnered with acclaimed chef Lydia Shire to open Scampo at the Liberty Hotel and Towne Stove and Spirits, which were both named “Best New Restaurant” by Esquire Magazine in 2008 and 2011 respectively.  Mario was Executive Chef when Shire reopened iconic Locke-Ober restaurant in 2006. That year, Gourmet magazine named Locke-Ober one of the “50 Best Restaurants” in the USA.

ABOUT THE GENERAL MANAGER

Bancroft General Manager Richard J. Brackett comes from a family tradition in the hospitality industry; the Bracketts date back six generations of innkeepers and farmers. To the initial dismay of his family, rather than pursue an academic degree in nuclear engineering, Richard dropped out of college to pursue a career in the food service industry.  He began at the Le Marquis at the Lafayette Hotel and has since overseen several Boston restaurants including Scampo at the Liberty Hotel and Towne Stove and Spirits. Richard was also a longtime managing partner at Capital Grille.

ABOUT THE LOOK & DESIGN

Webber Restaurant Group and award winning Niemitz Design Group have designed The Bancroft to be both classic and contemporary. Dark natural wood furnishings and white marble reflect the more familiar and traditional masculinity of classic steakhouses, while 20’ ceilings, dramatic 14’ windows and an industrial steel catwalk and mezzanine housing a 3000-bottle wine collection centered in the 200 seat main dining room couldn’t be more modern. The 50-seat lounge and 32-seat standing bar at the entrance flow seamlessly into the main dining room, in order to facilitate a lively and social environment.  In addition, The Bancroft features four private dining rooms, which each seat between 8 and 50 guests in a variety of configurations.

From funky mathematical and chemical art and mid-century modern prints to vintage Parisian flea market finds, the design and art elements of The Bancroft mix and match, to curate a unique one-of-a-kind aesthetic.

ABOUT WEBBER RESTAURANT GROUP

Webber Restaurant Group began in 2000 when the Webber family purchased 500-acre Gibbet Hill Farm in their hometown of Groton, Massachusetts to save it from development.  They restored the farm’s turn of the century barns and opened Gibbet Hill Grill and The Barn at Gibbet Hill.  The family has also maintained the cattle farm operation and cultivated 3 acres of land to grow produce for the restaurants.

With the success of Gibbet Hill Grill and The Barn at Gibbet Hill, the family has expanded their hospitality brand, opening Scarlet Oak Tavern, and Fireside Catering, which caters exclusively to the Estate at Moraine Farm in Beverly, MA, Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA, and LaBelle Winery in Amherst, NH. Webber Restaurant Group businesses have achieved recognition with five-in-a-row “Best of Boston” awards from Boston Magazine, Best of the Knot, and Best of Wedding Wire.

The Bancroft is located at 15 Third Ave in the new 3rd Ave development in Burlington and is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner service.  Daily 11:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Please direct all media inquiries and communication to Chris Haynes of CBH

Communications at 617-267-0070 or chaynes@cbhcommunications.com.

 

 

# # #

Paris Influences The Bancroft

Eleven years ago, Jed and Asia Webber honeymooned in Paris, and have since yearned to return.  Three kids, two restaurants, and one catering company later, research for The Bancroft was a perfect excuse to get back to Europe!

Last year, our designer, Peter Niemitz returned from the Paris Design Show with an abundance of inspiration for The Bancroft.  This is what led Jed and Asia to start in the posh arts district in the 6th arrondissement, around the L’Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts).  There they found incredible art galleries and loads of high-end furniture stores.  This was the place to see the creme-de-la-creme, at astronomical prices.  They took that inspiration to the flea markets to find pieces that a typical person could afford!

Walking nearly ten miles a day, they tucked into hundreds of shops and market stalls.  One trend they noticed was the popularity of mechanical antiques. They saw many scientific instruments used to make interesting and intricate lamps and art pieces.

Some items were too fragile to risk shipping to the United States. Asia has been busy sourcing similar items here at home. Restoration Hardware, a company which gets much of its design inspiration from the Paris flea markets, has made a line of lights that mimic the look and feel of the chemistry cloche lamps.

Our designer, Peter, wanted a rough-hewn table for one of our buffet tables to add a bit of rustic contrast to the finer, more elegant dining furnishings.   Where Gibbet Hill Grill and Scarlet Oak Tavern have a more consistent design aesthetic, this restaurant is a mix of many different styles and eras, all curated and selected to give the space a lot of visual interest.

Aside from furniture and art shopping, Jed and Asia spent a lot of time at restaurants and cafes, soaking in the subtle service flourishes that make a great Parisian cafe so inviting and comfortable.  They especially loved the walk-up bar in a brasserie that encourages conversation over a quick coffee or glass of wine.  There are plans to incorporate that type of mid-day service at the bar in The Bancroft.

A recurring theme reinforced during their trip, was that there are easy opportunities for social interaction and taking a “restorative” at cafes and brasseries throughout the city at all times of the day.  Asia quipped, “It makes the day so much more civilized!”