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BROOKLINE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Chef Emily Vena is redefining dining from the cozy confines of her restaurant Cobble.
Cobble, located on the second floor of the Coolidge Corner Arcade building at 318 Harvard St. in Brookline, is a BYOB restaurant that looks more like an upscale one bedroom apartment than a typical eatery. Its popularity, however, cannot be denied. The restaurant is open three days a week, is reservation only, and booked out months in advance.
Vena opened Cobble in September 2020 with her partner Rachel after hosting test dinners with family and friends. Vena selects the menu and cooks the food; customers need only pre-pay for the meal and bring their own drinks.
"There’s food on the table within minutes of sitting down," Vena told WBZ NewsRadio. "You’ve already opened whatever you brought and you like it. You know you like it because you brought it."
Now, Vena and Rachel are planning to open Barlette, a BYOB bar that will be downstairs from Cobble, in February. The pair have gathered a collection of glassware, mixers, and cocktail shakers to hand over to customers to make their own drinks.
"If you want to go to a bar, then you’ll go to a bar," Vena said. "But if you want a different experience, then you might try a BYOB bar. You might try Barlette."
Future Barlette customers do not have to worry about going hungry, as Vena will also be providing food to go along with the drinks.
"We will be providing a four-course menu of whimsical snacks," said Vena.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports.
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