Dining Scene in Andover Picks Up
It wasn't too long ago that this tweedy New England town, home of Phillips Academy (enter stuffy cough here) resembled a restaurant wasteland. The cupcake shop, Serene, The Andover Inn and charming French bistro Cassis pulled out in a puff. Over the summer, Starbucks and the Andover Gift Shop looked like the only viable businesses on Main Street. Fast forward to early 2010 and things have perked up like a grande macchiato. In March, Casa Blanca (the Mexican hotspot with locales in Billerica and No. Andover) will move into Serene's second floor hideaway. Yella, a Lebanese bistro, has opened in Cassis' space in romantic Post Office Square. The Andover Inn has new owners and is under repair and Mawby's, the gourmet grocer on Barnard Street, is now La Rosa, an Italian bakery/takeout spot. So you see closings are not always a reason to throw a pity party. These eclectic options are sure to put a positive spin on this quaint downtown that we here in Lowell are lucky to call our neighbor. I will be reviewing these spots over the next few weeks, if you beat me to it, submit your's below.
There will be a new wine bar opening here too- Bin 28 across the street. This spring.
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When is Bin 28 opening? May 2010?
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The Bin 28 folks are saying June is the target opening. Out of respect for them I won't give away more, except to say you wine drinkers are in for an experience found nowhere else in Massachusetts.
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It is open. Has anyone been? I can't find a website.
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Yes, I was just there tonight with coworkers. GROSSLY overpriced for the tapas-type dishes. Any type of "main plates" are just that dish. Coworker got hanger steak; she said it was good and it was a decent amt for $17. I ordered a scallop dish that was $16 - ended up with TWO scallops - granted, they were perfectly done, with a nice corn/lima bean salsa, but TWO scallops for $16?
Wine choices seem to be rather limited in the whites; some extremely high prices on a few per-glass choices; others were more reasonable.
Surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night; I see a lot of Andover-types going here, but I think Glory is a better bet for tapas-style dishes.
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