Yvonne’s, a modern interpretation of the supper club, opened in Boston, breathing new life into the historic downtown restaurant formerly known as Locke-Ober. With it comes an entirely new social experience; blending cosmopolitan cuisine with high-touch service in chic surroundings, Yvonne’s encourages guests to stay until the late hours, transitioning from dinner and drinks to lounging and carousing.
Yvonne’s nods to the past by maintaining much of Locke-Ober’s original architecture, while bringing a renewed energy. Named for Locke-Ober’s members-only downstairs club, Yvonne’s brings the same revelry to a new generation of Boston sophisticates.
“We’re privileged to become part of the fabric and energy of the revived downtown Boston, and to reinterpret an important aspect of Boston’s fine dining roots,” says Chris Jamison, managing partner of Yvonne’s. “We’re making it relevant for a modern audience while keeping the history alive.”
Divided into a main dining room, lounge area and intimate Library Bar, Yvonne’s merges tradition and irreverence. Guests enter through a door at the back of a blow-dry bar, emerging into a 150-year-old interior appointed with luxurious modern trappings. Leaving the raw brick and other original elements—like Locke-Ober’s Santo Domingo mahogany bar—in place, Yvonne’s contrasts a timeworn backdrop with polished décor, edgy artwork and a custom-mixed soundtrack that blends current music with wind and brass influence.
With a menu built around the idea of social dining, Yvonne’s caters to groups looking for sharable plates. A menu designed by culinary director Tom Berry and Executive Chef Juan Pedrosa offers guests shared dishes weaving in flavors of the Far and Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe, and America.
Yvonne’s social, celebratory setting carries over to the bar program, which offers an eclectic mix of rare wines, elevated cocktails, and a carefully curated selection of packaged beers. The emphasis on communal food and beverage will carry over to the bar as well, with large format wines and etched crystal towers laden with punch or huge renditions of updated classic cocktails.
