A well-known Italian chain in the Boston area will replace a French restaurant that opened in Fenway less than a year ago.
Chef Douglass Williams unveiled D.W. French at 1391 Boylston St. in October 2023, but the restaurant closed for business on Sunday, Aug. 18, according to a press release.
D.W. French will be replaced with a fourth location of Williams’ popular restaurant Italian MIDA.
The new MIDA, which is slated to open in The Fenway this October, will join its other locations in Boston’s South End, Newton and East Boston.
“DW French will always hold a special place in our hearts,” Williams said in the press release. “At the same time, we are thrilled to bring MIDA to The Fenway and are excited for our local community and the many visitors to the neighborhood to experience MIDA’s menu, which draws inspiration from the various regions of Italy and the simplicity of classic Italian cooking,” the release said.
D.W. French was intended to reflect Williams’ immersive journey through Paris by stripping back the over-complexities that some diners often associate with the cuisine.
He told MassLive last October that his vision was to demystify French cuisine and “show how that at its core, it’s about warmth, love, and the joy of shared meals.”
However the concept wasn’t sticking, and after 10 months, Williams and his business partner, Seth Gerber, decided to close D.W. French.
“We love D.W. French, but as a business, we need to have an eye on the future,” Williams said in a statement to Eater Boston. “We know MIDA will really resonate with both residents and visitors and we’re excited to bring it to The Fenway.”
“The enthusiastic response to MIDA’s handcrafted Italian cuisine made it clear that this is the ideal fit for The Fenway,” Gerber said in the press release. “We’re excited to bring MIDA to such a vibrant and rapidly evolving community.”
MIDA is known for its scratch-made pastas and Italian-influenced neighborhood dining. The menu focuses on serving dishes from across Italy’s regions.
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