Fort Point is getting a new anchor restaurant this September, as the team behind Coda Restaurant Group — the Boston hospitality company known for The Salty Pig, SRV, Gufo, and Baleia — takes over the former Blue Dragon space at 324 A Street. The new restaurant is called Celine, and its concept lands somewhere between a classic American tavern and a Montreal bistro: hearty, technique-driven, and deliberately unfussy.
Executive Chef Joe Cooke leads the kitchen. A Medfield native, Cooke spent time in Philadelphia before returning to Boston, where his résumé includes stints at Catalyst under Chef-owner William Kovel, Commonwealth Cambridge, The Publick House in Brookline, and Viale in Central Square. His menu at Celine reflects that range: everyday comfort food anchored by French bistro discipline.
The food program pulls from both raw bar tradition and French bistro classics. Shareable plates include a Salmon Rillette with sauce gribiche, smoked trout roe, and chicharron; a Chicken Liver Mousse with chestnut hot honey and schmaltz crumbs; and a Steak Tartare with horseradish, fried capers, and gaufrette. A rotating raw bar will feature oysters on the half shell with granny smith mignonette and roasted oysters with spinach and Pernod mornay.
Mains lean into French comfort: Moules Marinière comes as a cassoulet with confit duck leg and flageolet beans; the Half Chicken arrives with chanterelles, pommes frites, and what the team calls “lights out” gravy; and Steak Frites features a grass-fed strip with tallow fries and sauce au poivre. A smash burger and the signature Celine Burger round out the approachable end of the menu. Dessert highlights include a Pouding Chômeur — a nod to Québécois cuisine — and a Chanterelle and Black Pepper Ice Cream with peach compote.
General Manager Shawn Wolfgang leads the front of house, bringing experience from Danny Meyer’s Maialino in Manhattan, Popina in Brooklyn, and Boston’s Traveler Street Hospitality Group, where he most recently managed Black Lamb.
The dining room design — handled in-house by the Coda team — centers on turmeric-colored wrap-around banquettes, walnut wainscoting, reef-green bar tiling, and a custom black-and-white tile floor throughout. Three individually themed bathrooms in the rear are designed as small discoveries for guests willing to look.
Celine opens with dinner service; lunch and weekend brunch will follow. For more details, visit the Celine website or follow @CelineBoston on Instagram.
Dining and Cooking