Thru the Lens: Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group held their grand opening of its second location

Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group (SWRG) held their grand opening of its second location. The Atlantic Wharf restaurant is located at 290 Congress St. and marks the 9th restaurant for the company. SWRG celebrated the opening of the Atlantic Wharf location with a "Rib Eye Cutting" event yesterday. The event included a traditional ribbon cutting with Feighery, Mark DeBlois, a managing partner with Bunker Hill Capital, and Peter Christie, president and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA). The event concluded with a check presentation to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism from beverage and event proceeds generated from opening activities. "Laurie and I are honored to accept this check on behalf of the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism" said Doug Flutie. "We are committed to supporting families affected by autism and with assistance from companies, such as Smith & Wollensky, we are able to continue funding local autism programs." "We selected this organization because it is near and dear to the Smith & Wollensky family," said Kim Lapine, vice president of marketing for SWRG. "Smith and Wollensky is a world-class steakhouse and Boston is a world-class city," said Christie. "The MRA is pleased to have them as a member and the city is pleased to have them opening a second location at Atlantic Wharf waterfront. We wish them continued success." The "Rib Eye Cutting," a twist on the traditional ribbon cutting, followed with Chef John Piccolino, corporate chef for SWRG, and Chef Matt King, executive chef for both Boston locations, slicing the featured USDA Prime rib eye. Stuart Roy, national director of wine and spirits for SWRG, Shawn P. Ford, executive director of Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, and representatives from ABSOLUT, toasted the new location and museum now in development, with the "Boston Tea Party Martini," a signature cocktail made with ABSOLUT WILD TEA. "Smith & Wollensky is a brand with a rich heritage and reputation as the premier American steakhouse," said Michael Feighery, president of SWRG. "Our restaurants offer unparalleled hospitality, the best USDA Prime dry-aged steaks and an impeccable dining experience. We are excited to be a part of the transformation of the Fort Point Channel into a contemporary waterfront district with our new restaurant located on the historic Atlantic Wharf." "We selected this organization because it is near and dear to the Smith & Wollensky family," said Kim Lapine, vice president of marketing for SWRG. "The family of Joe Floyd, our northeast director of operations for SWRG, has been directly affected by autism. We are happy that Joe was able to join us in Boston to participate in the check presentation." Smith & Wollensky Atlantic Wharf has the classic steakhouse design, with an updated feel and hints of the building's industrial warehouse origin. The restaurant features a full-service oyster bar and large outdoor patio. The inside dining room and bar seat up to 280. The outside patio offers dining, full-service bar and lounge seating for up to 125. Several intimate private spaces are perfect for social and business events for eight to 45 guests. Known for its unique on-premise dry-aging process, Smith & Wollensky procures beef from the top two percent in the nation—with the rich, even marbling only found in USDA Prime. The restaurant's menu will feature a wide variety of signature steaks and filets, along with an impressive collection of fresh seafood. Atlantic Wharf will offer new menu items, developed by Chef Piccolino and Chef King, to be introduced at all locations in October. New items include the "Deconstructed Rib Eye," and "Cracklin Pork Shank." The wine and spirit menu was thoughtfully crafted by Roy. For the twenty-fourth consecutive year, the Smith & Wollensky wine list has earned top honors from Wine Spectator magazine. Roy has created a unique wine and spirits menu for the new restaurant, which includes featured varietals, such as Rodney Strong, Banfi, Franciscan and Ferraro-Carano, as well as the Smith & Wollensky Private Reserve Cuvée. SWRG has added more than 100 employees to operate the new Atlantic Wharf restaurant, to be led by seasoned 14-year Smith & Wollensky veteran, David Doyle, as the general manager. The restaurant is open seven days a week. Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11.30 a.m. to midnight. About Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group is a portfolio company of private equity firm Bunker Hill Capital of Boston, Mass. Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group owns and operates nine iconic Smith & Wollensky locations in Miami Beach; Chicago; Las Vegas; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Columbus, Ohio; Houston; and two restaurants in Boston. Since its establishment in 1977 as America's premier traditional steakhouse, Smith & Wollensky has been committed to delivering unparalleled hospitality and the best USDA Prime steaks, dry-aged for tenderness and flavor and hand cut on-premise daily. The acclaimed wine list, rich ambiance and exceptional service are designed to provide guests with a truly memorable steakhouse experience. Smith & Wollensky has received numerous local and national awards, including the "Grand Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator and the "Award of Excellence" from Distinguished Restaurants of North America. To learn more about Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, visit www.smithandwollensky.com for locations, menus and reservations.