Jody Adams to Open Italian Restaurant La Padrona at Raffles Boston

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 2016after 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.)