Topside Bistro – formerly Topside Grille & Pub – will drop its new anchor in Gloucester on Wednesday, March 29.

Topside Bistro – formerly Topside Grille & Pub – will drop its new anchor in Gloucester on Wednesday, March 29. The 35-year restaurant landmark will reopen with a refreshed look, a popular Cape Ann chef dishing out the best from land, sea, and garden as well as a new management team.

Staying true to its legacy, Topside Bistro will carry the same welcoming vibe that locals and visitors have grown accustomed to. Helming the kitchen is Salvatore (Sal) Valenti who most recently served as executive chef of Topside’s nearby sister restaurant, The Studio. Chef Sal’s all-day menu is comprised of thoughtfully priced and locally sourced elevated comfort fare brimming with seafood delights. On the beverage side, there is a collection of craft cocktails, 15 beer options, and even nonalcoholic wines. 

Topside Bistro Anchors in Gloucester

Across from Harbor Cove, Topside Grille & Pub reemerges with refreshed look, new chef & management

Staying true to its legacy, Topside Bistro will carry the same welcoming vibe that locals and visitors have grown accustomed to. The interior has been refreshed, showcasing a collection of black-and-white photos of local scenes and characters, while original features like the hardwood floors have been lovingly restored. Undergoing minor cosmetic updates but with the same charm, this bilevel hangout accommodates 130 guests with a traditional dining room setting boasting spacious booths on the first level and on the second level, a completely refinished 18-person bar anchors the space surrounded by a mix of low-top and high-top tables as well as booth seating. 

 

Helming the kitchen is Salvatore (Sal) Valenti who most recently served as executive chef of Topside’s nearby sister restaurant, The Studio. Chef Sal’s all-day menu is comprised of thoughtfully priced and locally sourced elevated comfort fare brimming with seafood delights. For starters, highlights from the menu include Clams Casino with local littlenecks stuffed with garlic-butter, bacon and breadcrumbs that are topped with Romanesco sauce; Broccoli Rabe Spring Rolls with whipped ricotta, toasted garlic chili flakes with sweet honey aioli; chef’s famous New England Clam Chowder; Bistro Brined Wings finished in a choice of buffalo, truffalo (a truffle-buffalo hybrid) or lemon-pepper sauce; and Chef Sal’s Raviolis with seasonal fillings enveloped in house made pasta dough. For entrees, standouts include a crispy skin, honey-soy glazed grilled Atlantic Salmon with orzo salad, sundried tomatoes, cucumbers and feta; Pork Osso Buco, a 12-hour braised 1.5lb bone-in pork shank with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed broccolini and a pork demi-glace; an eight-ounce brisket and short rib Bistro Burger with butter lettuce, tomatoes and crispy onion strings topped with signature sauce on a toasted Virgilio’s brioche bun with fries; Vegetarian Stir Fry with sauteed local farm seasonal vegetables and soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic white rice and peanut-curry sauce; and a creamy parmesan Scallop Risotto with spinach, confit heirloom tomatoes and local pan-seared U-10 scallops. 

 

The beverage program is a collaboration of General Manager Teddy Spiegel and his wife, Hope (General Manager, The Studio). The collection of craft cocktails is unique, well-balanced, and creative with its base liquors all from local distillers. In addition to shaking up the best espresso martinis in town courtesy of their Lavazza espresso machine, other premier sips include the Bistro Manhattan with Larceny Small Batch bourbon, Carpano Antica, angostura bitters and Luxardo; Topside Sidecar with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, Grand Mariner, fresh squeezed lemon, expressed lemon peel and a turbinado sugar rim; and Hope Feels French with Dita Von Teese Sweet Gwendoline French gin, simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon, prosecco and a lemon peel. There are eight draught lines, where the resident Guinness is complemented by seven rotating local beers, including Maine Beer, Allagash, Rockport Brewing Company and more. There also will be alcohol-free wines available. 

 

In homage to Gloucester’s famed arts community, Topside Bistro will feature local artist installations every two months with the option to purchase artwork. The first showcase will be works from Jason Mailo, a celebrated Gloucester-based photographer. 

 

Topside Bistro is located at 50 Rogers Street in Gloucester. Beginning March 29, Topside Bistro will be open daily from 11am through midnight with the kitchen closing at 10pm. There also will be a bar bites menu available nightly from 10pm through 11:45pm. For more information, please call (978) 879-4222 or visit www.topsidebistro.com. Follow Topside Bistro on Instagram at @topsidebistro.