774 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02199
617-262-3023
Often credited with being the first independently owned restaurant to bring haute cuisine to Boston, L'Espalier opened on Boylston Street in 1978, moved to a historic Back Bay townhouse in 1982, and returned to Boylston Street in 2008 where it currently resides adjacent to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Throughout the relocations, the menu of sophisticated and modern New England-French cuisine, with an emphasis on artisanal and New England ingredients, continues to dazzle.
Chef-owner Frank McClelland, who purchased the restaurant in 1988, has racked up an impressive list of honors including the distinction of having been the first restaurant in New England to receive four hard-earned stars from the Boston Globe. Since 1998 L'Espalier has remained the only independent restaurant in New England to receive Five Diamonds from AAA.
L'Espalier's Fond of Fungi
Indulge in everyone's favorite forage-able forest food at L'Espalier when they bring back their ever popular Mushroom Dinner ...
Gordon's Summer Sommelier Series
Gordon's Fine Wine & Culinary Center taps some of the area's most knowledgeable wine-drinkers for their upcoming Sommelier Series ...
Farm Fresh Dishes from L'Espalier
Now that he's a chef and a farmer (he acquired the Apple Street Farm in Essex just over a ...

If L'Espalier is a symphony - Chef-Owner Frank McClelland is the composer and Chef de Cuisine James Hackney is the conductor. Hackney brings a passion and precision of execution to the kitchen that is essential to the continuing development of the eclectic cuisine that L'Espalier is known for. His creativity is vital to the crafting of the menu, which changes daily.
Originally from Leicestershire, England, Hackney, has been ensconced in the service industry his entire life. He grew up working in the country inn his parents own, and although he became well-versed in all aspects of the business, from dishwasher to server to prep cook, it was clear that Hackney had an affinity for cooking and kitchen management
After graduating from culinary school, Hackney worked in the award-winning country-house hotel, Stapleford Park, a Bob Payton and Rick Tramonto collaboration just outside London. He eventually made the decision to travel to the United States where he worked at yet another award-winning establishment, The Blantyre, a Relais & Châteaux property in Lenox, Massachusetts. During the off-season Hackney would travel to Florida to work in Boca Raton's La Vieille Maison and Charlie Palmer's Palm Beach restaurant, Aquiterra.
Craving the city life and intrigued by Chef McClelland's energy and style of cooking as well as the opportunity to put into practice all of his acquired skills, Hackney joined the L'Espalier team in 2001.
