The InterContinental’s Dining Revamp Puts an Italian Steakhouse on the Waterfront
Farewell to Miel and RumBa; hello to Matria and Bar Fellini, opening late this spring.
Rendering of Matria at InterContinental Boston. / Courtesy image
Italian steakhouse fare is landing on the Boston waterfront: The InterContinental Boston hotel is revamping its dining program after nearly two decades. Gone is Miel, a Provence-inspired brasserie, and the rum-focused bar RumBa; coming soon is Piedmont-inspired steakhouse Matria and a new drinking spot, Bar Fellini, both set to open in late spring.
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Matria’s menu will nod to the hearty, meaty cuisine of northern Italy with dishes like agnolotti, a stuffed pasta, not to mention other pastas made in-house, and plenty of steaks, including a New York ribeye. Also planned: mozzarella “balloons,” sure to be fun for Instagram, and pan-seared wild shrimp from the west coast of Africa. The wine list will be “extensive,” per a press release. Bar Fellini, adjacent to the restaurant, will showcase cocktails.
Matria is taking over the expansive Miel space, which includes a private dining area and a large seasonal patio with Fort Point Channel views. (The patio’s getting a facelift as part of the revamp.) The interior of the restaurant will be “simultaneously elegant, comfortable, and unpretentious,” according to the release, featuring softwoods, glass-and-brass chandeliers, and some marble accents.
French chef Didier Montarou, who has been with InterContinental for over 30 years and the Boston location since its 2006 opening, continues with the group as executive chef for Matria and Bar Fellini. Chef de cuisine Jeffery Bianchi had long tenures at Davio’s (also an Italian steakhouse) and chef Ming Tsai’s now-closed Blue Ginger before joining the team here.
The overhaul feels a bit like the end of an era: Miel and RumBa, which each closed earlier this year in preparation for the upcoming changes, had been open at the InterContinental since the beginning and were well-regarded by travelers and locals alike. But after almost 20 years, it’s a good time for a refresh, and Boston seems to be in its Italian steakhouse era anyway, celebrating recent openings like Umbria in the North End and Prima in Charlestown. Sure, the city might have a surplus of steakhouses in general—including a location of Smith & Wollensky right around the corner from the InterContinental—but we won’t say no to more steak and pasta, especially when there are gorgeous waterfront views involved.
Rendering of Matria’s patio at InterContinental Boston. / Courtesy image
510 Atlantic Ave., Downtown Boston, 617-747-1000, ihg.com.
