MarketStreet is about to get a major taste of the Mediterranean as the hospitality power duo Matthias Kiehm and James Wierzelewski are set to open La Gallina (the hen), a relaxed, farmhouse-style restaurant on September 22nd.
The newest addition to the restaurant lineup at Lynnfield’s upscale open-air marketplace will feature flavors of coastal Spain, Italy, Greece and the surrounding islands, including hummus dips and spreads, burrata with peaches, whipped feta, charcuterie and cheese boards, Spanish croquetas with Serrano ham and manchego cheese and Grecian meatballs with Kefalotyri cheese, tazati, mint and pita chips. You can also feast on crispy pizzas made with a sourdough starter that’s over 125 years old, or dig into hearty mains like pan-roasted chicken with pan drippings, rosemary and grapes. The drinks list echos the laid back yet sophisticated vibe of the food, and features both boozy and zero-proof classics and clever new riffs like a fig and ginger mule (figenza fig vodka, lime, pomegranate, fever tree ginger), plus mimosas, sangrias, spritzes, and a solid selection of local drafts and ciders. You’ll also find a thoughtfully-curated list of Mediterranean wines that are affordably priced by the glass and bottle.
The dining room, designed by Robin Gannon Interiors, feels warm and rustic like a Mediterranean farmhouse, with grey wood flooring, exposed brick, blue tufted leather banquettes and wood tables with oxblood red barn house chairs. Vintage windows hang between the booths, and a large antique mirror hangs behind the white Carrara marble-topped wraparound bar. The kitchen is open, inviting guests to peer into the pizza oven as they head to a table, and there are both indoor and outdoor patios.
The new owners bring a wealth of experience to the table from the Boston area and around the globe. Kiehm’s hospitality consultancy are the brains behind Fenway’s Time Out Market food hall and the private social club The ’Quin House, and he spent many years working in directorial and managerial roles worldwide with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and Sharm El Sheikh. Matthias has served as the business director of food at Harrods department store in London, which included developing and opening 12 restaurants at Harrods Food Hall. He also oversaw all catering operations for the English Premier League’s Fulham Football Club, and was the vice president of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. The pair have put together a team of familiar faces from Boston’s hospitality scene, including chef Daniel Xavier, formerly of Chickadee in the Seaport, and general manager Randy Hill, who was previously the Boston area manager of Wagamama USA.
La Gallina will be open for lunch and dinner to start six days a week (closed Mondays), and weekend brunch beginning later in the year; private dining is also available. For La Gallina’s opening day on September 22, the restaurant will be open for dinner only. Check out their website for sample menus and to make reservations, or call 781.776.7600, and follow them on socials (FB, Insta, TikTok) for updates.
