Jody Adams to Open Italian Restaurant La Padrona at Raffles Boston

The ground-level bar at La Padrona at Raffles. / Rendering by AvroKO

The international hotel brand Raffles is coming soon to Boston, and the culinary lineup at the mixed-use property is going to be stellar. Boston’s own doyenne of dining, Jody Adams, will be opening an Italian restaurant, La Padrona, as her restaurant group A Street Hospitality announced today. This is in addition to Raffles’ already-announced Portuguese restaurant, Amar, from George Mendes (of New York’s now-closed, Michelin-starred Aldea).

Rather than stick to one region, the menu at La Padrona will touch on a variety of Italian cuisines, showcasing ingredients sourced from Italy as well as New England: Think plenty of fresh seafood, cured Italian meats, cheeses, and house-made pastas. (We’ve got our fingers crossed for a return of Adams’ signature slow-roasted, balsamic-marinated duck.)

Italian cuisine is certainly nothing new for Adams, a James Beard award-winning chef. She’s probably best known for her acclaimed Italian restaurant Rialto, which closed at Harvard Square’s Charles Hotel in 2016 after over two decades. Since then, Adams and A Street Hospitality—which includes CEO Eric Papachristos and COO Jon Mendez—have built a stunning Mediterranean portfolio. Porto in Back Bay leans Italian, while Trade and the casual chain Saloniki are more in the Greek realm. (Porto executive chef Amarilys Colón will be executive chef at La Padrona.)

The Raffles overall vibe is intended to be luxurious and grand—it’s a $400 million project, after all, stretching 35 stories into the sky—and it sounds like La Padrona, which will span two floors, will follow suit. Today’s announcement promises a transportive space that draws inspiration from sources like the late Italian post-war architect Gae Aulenti (who contributed to the design of Paris’ Musée d’Orsay, among other notable projects) and the glamorous golden years of Italian cinema. Lush fabrics, an eye-catching staircase, and an intricately designed array of custom furniture and lighting are meant to be warm and welcoming as well as beautiful. The ground floor will feature a bar and lounge, with the main dining area on the second floor.

Raffles is currently accepting hotel reservations starting in September 2023, and La Padrona is slated to open in December. While La Padrona will run independently, chef George Mendes of Amar will oversee the rest of Raffles’ dining and drinking options, including a bar and terrace serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with lobster rolls, seafood towers, and such; a café; and a speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar.

40 Trinity Pl., Back Bay, Boston, raffles.com/boston.