Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group last week opened the new Reef Bar at Boston’s New England Aquarium. Patina took over the Aquarium’s food service operations – including catering, events and visitor dining – on Jan. 1.
The waterfront space, located on the Aquarium Plaza with views of Boston Harbor overlooking Long Wharf, is one of the city’s most scenic outdoor dining locations. Reef Bar opened with a new open-air look and culinary program featuring a creative menu focused on fresh, sustainable seafood, sandwiches and salads.
Menu highlights include an iced shellfish bar; a traditional mayo, celery and lemon lobster roll on brioche; and charcuterie boards with a choice of meat, seafood or plant-based offerings.
Following the trends of rosy-hued, fresh fruit-infused libations, Reef Bar’s craft cocktails include the Cunning Cuttlefish (with Bacardi Silver rum, fresh ginger, lime juice and mint), the Rockhopper (Tito’s vodka, St. Elder, grapefruit juice and sparkling rosé) and The Myrtle (Jose Cuervo Silver tequila, hibiscus liqueur, ginger liqueur and lime juice).
Reef Bar showcases ocean-friendly seafood, an ethos in keeping with the Aquarium’s longstanding interest in sustainable practices and Delaware North’s proprietary environmental management platform, GreenPath.
Working with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, as many ingredients as possible are sourced locally, including local oysters, lobster, mussels and clams. Additionally, straws are available only upon request, and are made of paper. All the disposable products are compostable.