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L’Espalier was created in 1978. Located on Boylston Street, it was the first independently-owned restaurant to bring haute cuisine to Boston. In 1982, the restaurant moved to its present location in an historic 1886 townhouse in the Back Bay.
In 1988 Frank McClelland and his wife, Catherine, purchased L’Espalier. Under the McClelland’s stewardship, L’Espalier has received numerous accolades including the “Distinguished Restaurant Award” from Mimi Sheraton of Cond� Nast Traveler, the highest rating in Boston’s 1992 Zagat guide as well as the first New England restaurant to receive four stars from Boston Globe food critic, Alison Arnett.
The cuisine at L’Espalier has evolved to include greater use of regional foods, both from farms in Vermont and central Massachusetts, and from the ocean. While the style of the food was conceived in New England, he has created innovative techniques of infusing vegetables, allowing for a full concentration of flavors. In doing this, L’Espalier is truly contemporary with its emphasis on minimal fat and healthy food.
The kitchen is comprised of ten professional cooks, an executive sous chef and a pastry chef who are responsible for making their own bread daily. “My goal in the restaurant is to create the truly perfect meal and one that is the topic of conversation during dinner due to its flavor, presentation and uniqueness,” explains McClelland.
Food & Wine calls McClelland,”one of the top 25 chefs in the nation.” L’Espalier was given the “Four Diamond” award by AAA, and Money Magazine rated L’Espalier as one of the top three restaurants in Boston.
Recently, L’Espalier has undergone a major interior renovation to bring its environment more up-to-date with McClelland’s imaginative, yet classic cuisine. The dining room now exude a simple, elegant warmth with whimsical touches throughout.
Frank and Catherine reside upstairs from the restaurant at 30 Gloucester Street with their two children, Keppler and Annie and their dog, Agnes.
