The new concept restaurant that was operating out of Sammy Carlo’s Catering before the COVID-19 pandemic hit will reopen this week.
Food for Thought opened with much fanfare and rave reviews by customers in March only to close a few weeks later due to COVID.
In a statement released last week by owner Jay Grey and Executive Chef Bradley Andries, the Food for Thought team said, “We are happy to announce the reopening of our East Boston location on Thursday, Sept. 1.”
The news was met with excitement from those lucky residents that got to sample some of Chef Andries’s creations in the short time they were open in Eastie.
“It’s been too long without their amazing brunch and dinner, and that one month we had them was not enough,” said Christopher Assante. “Let’s all get out and support them as much as possible during this tough time.”
Sammy Carlo’s Catering, started by owner Steve Scire grandfather Carlo, is in its third generation of ownership.
Scire and his family recently completed a painstaking historical restoration of the popular sub shop’s facade–replacing the old wood shingles with clapboards, new windows and new signage.
After the extensive update to his business, Scire worked with the Food for Thought owners to run a restaurant out of Carlo’s space after the popular sub shop closes for the day.
Scire met the owner and the chef from Food for Thought, a seasonal restaurant in Ogunquit, ME, while vacationing with his wife, Kathy.
Scire said he immediately fell in love with the restaurant’s food, vibe and concept.
“We were talking with Mr. Grey and he told us how he was from Boston, had lived in East Boston for a while and something clicked,” said Scire. “He was telling us how he was trying to open up a shop in Boston but it was too expensive.”
The next day Scire went back and pitched a concept to Grey and Andries that he thought would work for all involved.
“After we rehabbed the building we thought there was something more we could offer the neighborhood after 5 p.m.,” said Scire. “We close the sub shop at 3-3:30 p.m. every day and we felt there was something more we could do with the space and offer something for all the new people moving into the neighborhood.”
Grey said that while Food for Thought is about having fun with food and offering experimental twists on local favorites it’s also about giving back.
“In Maine we gave away five percent of our profits to help combat opioid addiction in the state,” said Grey. “We want to be here for a long time and we want to be a part of this community. If we are able to open in East Boston we will donate five percent of our proceeds back into the neighborhood. We’ve been successful in Maine and five percent wasn’t going to make us or break us so here in East Boston we know the same will be true but that five percent can really help the community.”
Food for Thought will be open for takeout, delivery and outdoor dining Thursday through Sunday from 5-10 pm for dinner with a Sunday brunch from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Carlo’s will continue to open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. serving breakfast lunch and dinner as well catering needs.