Looking for a new venue for your next event? Here are the most anticipated Boston restaurants, corporate event venues, hotels, conference centers, and party rooms slated to open in 2019. These new and renovated Boston venues will accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, conferences, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.
1. Formerly called the John Jeffries House, the Beacon Hill venue has undergone a 12,000-square-foot expansion and renovation to become the Whitney, a luxury boutique hotel. Featuring contemporary design and residential touches that channel its historic Beacon Hill location, the Whitney will make its debut in the spring. In addition to its 66 rooms, the hotel will boast a full bar and restaurant, plus a lush courtyard with a tranquil fountain and a fire pit for chilly evenings.
2. Fusing contemporary finishes with rustic charm, the Briar Barn Inn will debut on the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway in Rowley in early 2019. The 30-room boutique inn will feature a wellness spa and 100-seat full-service restaurant in a picturesque, white post-and-beam barn with 35-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, and exposed beams. The barn will also have two bars and multiple private dining and event spaces. A refined but approachable menu will serve dishes that showcase local ingredients.
3. From the team behind Brooklyn Boulders is BKBX, an adventure training center that opens in mid-January on the ground level of Continuum, a mixed-use development in Allston. The 9,000-square-foot facility has features from climbing walls and group fitness classes to a recovery studio and cryotherapy. There will also be an Adventure Bar, where guests can have personalized consultations with coaches or plan and book group excursions operated by BKB Wild, a Brooklyn Boulders’ adventure travel brand.
4. This spring, the new 50 Binney Street building in Cambridge will welcome Lily P’s, a dramatic, colorful restaurant helmed by chef Chris Parsons. The 200-seat space is filled with natural light and will serve fried chicken and oysters. The venue will include a restaurant and bar, a patio, an open kitchen, and a sound system for live music. The space will be available for full or partial buyouts.
5. The TD Garden’s $100 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion will include the addition of Rafters, a communal party deck located on the top floor of the arena that’s part of the Boston Garden Society. Fans and concertgoers will have an overview of the action on the court, stage, or ice. Rafter Studios will be expandable studio spaces that can accommodate groups of 20 to 200, and it will feature a private bar, a dedicated bartender, unique food offerings, and sweeping views. The separate Back Row Bar will be an all-new level behind the last-row balcony seats featuring an additional 50 seats and fixed bar stools.
6. Slated for a summer opening, the 61-story Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences One Dalton Street will tower over Back Bay. In addition to One Dalton’s private residences on floors 26 to 61, floors one through 23 will feature 215 luxury hotel rooms, making Boston one of a select number of cities with two Four Seasons Hotels. The hotel will feature a ballroom, meeting rooms, a gym with a spa, and a signature restaurant.
7. In late January or early February, Mercato Kitchen & Bar will open in the forthcoming Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall. Described as a culinary, cultural melting pot inspired by European food halls and public markets, the space will offer fare from charcuterie to mezzes, gourmet fried foods to creative seafood snacks. There will be 48 dining room seats and 18 seats at the bar, which will have an extensive vermouth program.
8. The former site of the iconic seafood restaurant Anthony’s Pier 4 will be transformed into Pier 4, a luxury residential development. Anchoring the building will be Woods Hill at Pier 4, a sister restaurant to the beloved Concord location and the Seaport’s first farm-to-table restaurant. Woods Hill at Pier 4 is projected to open this summer.
9. Kitsch is back at Tony & Elaine’s, a throwback to old mom-and-pop Italian joints of the '60s and '70s. Set to open in early 2019, the restaurant will have the cozy comforts of an old-time spot—think red leather booths and checkered tablecloths, wood paneling, and retro decor. The menu will feature red sauce classics like chicken parm, Italian subs, and spaghetti. Spread out over two floors, the 50-seat restaurant will also include a 26-seat private dining space on the lower level.
10. South Boston will continue to evolve with the opening of the Cambria Hotel Boston Downtown in the spring. Located on West Broadway within walking distance to the Seaport, the Choice Hotels property will boast 159 guest rooms, a rooftop bar, a full restaurant, and 1,600 square feet of meeting space.
