Say Goodbye to Via Matta

Photo provided

Chef Michael Schlow, revered for restaurants like Café Louis and Radius, has announced that he’ll be shuttering his rustic Italian restaurant, Via Matta, at the end of May. After 13 years of service, the chef said he made the “bittersweet” decision to close his popular downtown spot to reinvent the space as a traditional Greek concept called Doretta Taverna and Raw Bar, which loosely translates to “a gift” in Greek.

Set to open this fall in the same 7,500 square foot space, Doretta will pay homage to his wife Adrienne’s Greek heritage, with family recipes that have been passed down through the generations. Guests can expect an array of raw bar selections, Mediterranean spreads (tzatziki, hummus, and taramasalata), house-made flatbreads, slow roasted lamb shoulder and other meats, grilled Branzino, salads, and small plates like Schlow’s Kolokithi, lightly fried zucchini shavings.

Leading up to the closing, Via Matta will hold a Jeter-esque farewell tour with special dinners and events. For example, for the month of May, the menu will feature a section of “Originals,” dishes from Via Matta’s very first menu. Schlow is also putting together a tasting menu of Via Matta’s “Greatest Hits,” which he’s accumulated over the past decade.

“While it’s with great sadness that after so many years we are closing Via Matta, we are really excited for this new chapter,” said Schlow via a press release. “Boston has so many talented chefs and we’ve become one of the best food cities in the country; the time is right to take this great opportunity and create a restaurant that showcases the beauty and simplicity of Greek cuisine.”

The new Greek restaurant will be designed by Michael Nadeau and Andrea Morton who have been tasked with giving the space a completely new look and feel with an emphasis on reclaimed woods, beamed ceilings, stone, and worn leather.

79 Park Plaza, Boston; 617-422-0008 or viamattarestaurant.com.