Tonino Opens in JP

Brian Samuels Photography for Tonino

Jamaica Plain peoples have a new option for dinner as of tonight – Tonino, located at 669A Centre Street (in the space most recently occupied by Little Dipper), will be open at 5:00pm. 

The Italian-inspired spot is a joint effort from industry pros (and JP residents) Claire Makley (Koji Club, Hojoko, o ya) and Luke Fetbroth (Sarma, Giulia, Moody’s Delicatessen), and neighborhood restaurateur David Doyle and his wife Mari Pérez-Alers, who operate neighborhood go-to’s Tres Gatos and Casa Verde

Taking their cues from trattorias, enotecas and aperitivo bars in and around Rome, Makley and Fetbroth aim to create a neighborhood space where folks can relax, gathered together over a good meal. The scratch menu makes the most of each ingredient (it’s the Italian way, after all) in dishes like Tomato Pie (a favorite from Fetbroth’s youth) and Chitarra and Clams, a culinary homage to Osteria da Tonino a family-run, 100+ year old restaurant Naples that the couple visited and loved (so much so they named their restaurant after it).  

The dining room, which Makley and Fetbroth renovated themselves (with a little help from their friends), feels like an extension of home. Aglow with warm lighting, the walls are adorned with art from local artists and personal elements including pieces from Jared Stone, a local artist and former Hojoko colleague of Makely’s, a shot of the abandoned Franklin Park Bear Dens courtesy of photographer Kai Foster and Fetbroth’s great grandmother’s pizzelle press.

To start, Tonino will be open for dinner Thursday through Monday starting at 5:00pm with plans to roll out lunch and late afternoon aperitivo hours a little down the line. Check their website for the debut menu or follow them on Insta for updates and additional info. 

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