A new restaurant and beer bar is set to open just after Labor Day on Baltimore's west side, replacing the former Lucy's Irish Pub.
Alewife's owner Daniel Lanigan plans to serve new American cuisine, with an emphasis on Maryland food. Lanigan, who owns four beer bars and restaurants in Massachusetts, will offer 40 beers on tap and 100 bottled beers.
Though other restaurants at 21 N. Eutaw Street have had a somewhat short shelf life, Lanigan says he believes he has the recipe for success.
Alewife will focus more on the food and shy away from the Irish cuisine that had been a staple in the restaurant's former incarnations.
"Irish cuisine is not known for being spectacular," Lanigan says.
The former Lucy's owner contacted Lanigan to see if he would be interested in the 6,000-square-foot restaurant. Lanigan says he is so far charmed by Baltimore.
"I love it. I think there's a lot of Baltimore pride here."
He is counting on theater patrons at the Hippodrome and Everyman Theatre � scheduled to move to the west side fall 2011 � to fill seats at the 300-seat restaurant. He also hopes to entice neighboring students and workers at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
"It's an underserved area," Lanigan says of the west side neighborhood. With 1,200 residents living within two blocks of the restaurant, there are a "lot of people who don't have anywhere to go."
The restaurant will offer valet parking and employ 50.
Source: Daniel Lanigan, Alewife
Writer: Julekha Dash