Less than seven weeks after Stage Kitchen & Bar served its final dinner in Boca Raton, chef Pushkar Marathe and business partner Andy Dugard have reopened their Restaurant Row space with a dramatically different concept.
Boca Brasserie opened Aug. 20, replacing the globally inspired restaurant that closed July 5 after a 16-month run.
The opening represents the latest move for Marathe and Dugard, whose growing portfolio includes Stage Kitchen & Bar in Palm Beach Gardens, Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado.
Why the change?
When Marathe announced Stage's closure in July, he said the restaurant had become increasingly dependent on weekends, holidays and special occasions rather than the consistent weekday business needed to support its nearly 200-seat dining
room.
Guest feedback also pointed toward demand for more familiar dishes, approachable pricing and a restaurant people would visit more regularly.
Those insights shape Boca Brasserie.
Built for everyday visits
Designed as a neighborhood restaurant, the goal is to attract patrons throughout the week for lunch, dinner, drinks and casual nights out.
The menu focuses on American brasserie fare, steakhouse classics and comfort-food favorites, with average entrée prices ranging from about $25 to $35.
The concept also leans into happy hour and a martini-focused beverage program, with drink specials and bar bites offered daily from 2 to 6 p.m.
The goal is to attract patrons throughout the week for lunch, dinner, drinks and casual nights out.
Familiar food, chef-driven execution
While Boca Brasserie moves away from Stage's global influences, Marathe's cooking style remains evident throughout the menu.
The dishes are more familiar in scope, but the attention to technique and seasoning that earned Michelin Guide and James Beard Awards recognition for his previous restaurants remains.
Rather than reinventing himself, Marathe is applying the same culinary approach to a format designed to appeal to a broader audience.
What's changing and what's staying
Fans of Stage will recognize much of the space.
The open kitchen remains, as does much of the design that made the dining room one of Boca Raton's most striking restaurant spaces. Of note, the restaurant adds more booth seating and a handful of subtle updates while preserving the room's overall look and feel.
Boca Brasserie seats 140 guests indoors and another 65 on its patio.
Growth continues across Palm Beach County
The opening comes during a period of rapid growth for the hospitality group.
In addition to Boca Brasserie and the Michelin Guide-recommended Stage Kitchen & Bar in Palm Beach Gardens, the company operates Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado. Both concepts are preparing second locations at CityPlace in West Palm Beach, broadening the company's reach across the county.
Ela earned a Michelin Guide recommendation in May, while Mango Mercado has developed a loyal following (including this reporter) for its breakfast, lunch and grab-and-go offerings.
Viewed in that context, Boca Brasserie's debut looks less like a retreat and more like a company fine-tuning its strategy while continuing to expand.
"We’ve put a lot of heart into this restaurant, and now the best part begins, seeing it come to life through our guests,” said Marathe.
Hours: Sunday through Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The bar stays open one hour later nightly.
Details: 5377 Town Center Road, Boca Raton, 561-409-2376, bocabrasserie.com
Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post's food & restaurant writer. Care to share news tips about the local dining scene? Please send them to dbiederman@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Chef Pushkar Marathe opens Boca Brasserie in former Stage Kitchen spot
