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La Gallina brings coastal Mediterranean cuisine to Lynnfield
The warm, rustic restaurant debuts this fall.
A new Mediterranean restaurant is heading north of Boston: La Gallina is the latest project of owners Matthias Kiehm and James Wierzelewski, who envisioned the restaurant at MarketStreet Lynnfield as a coastal Mediterranean farmhouse. La Gallina will open on Sept. 22.
“Both James and I lived and worked in the [Mediterranean] region for many, many years,” Kiehm said. “I happen to be married to a first generation Greek-American. That part of the world has always meant a lot to me. James and I feel that the flavors that are coming out of the Mediterranean, stretching from Portugal all the way to Lebanon and Africa … the flavors are so vast and so different from country to country, yet very similar.”
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“We felt that a true Mediterranean restaurant, which not only offers the Mediterranean food, but gives the whole experience, in terms of the design component, was something we were very passionate about,” Kiehm said.
On the menu, guests will find creative charcuterie and cheese boards, as well as grilled skewered meats. Tapas selections range from Spanish croquetas with serrano ham and manchego cheese, to pan-seared Grecian meatballs. Oven-baked pizzas will be prepared using a sourdough starter that is over 125 years old. Vegetarian dishes like the Moroccan tomato soup and roasted cauliflower with whipped feta will make non-meat eaters feel at home. The beverage list includes sangrias and spritzes, as well as regional brews and ciders, balanced out with cocktail options and affordable wines.
“You get the best of both worlds,” Wierzelewski said. “You get great breads, put things in the middle, chat with your family and friends, and exchange flavors and textures. But then you can still focus on that center of the plate, the main course, where you can get the flavors that you’re looking for.”
Red framed doors greet visitors, who enter a beautiful dining room. La Gallina also serves guests at a wraparound bar and indoor and outdoor patios, and the restaurant is able to seat a total of 235 guests. The warm, rustic design of the interior features exposed brick, blue tufted leather banquettes, and wood tables with Oxblood red barn house chairs. An open kitchen allows diners to see their food being prepared.
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“When you walk in, you see the pizza oven. You see the fire,” Kiehm said. “You have the hotline … You can see cooks making food. It was important to us to bring the soul to the people. The kitchen is not tucked away where you can’t see it. At the end of the day, what they’re doing in the kitchen is artisanal. … If it weren’t for food, restaurants wouldn’t exist. It binds us, and it brings people together.”
Kiehm’s hospitality consultancy developed Time Out Market in the Fenway and private social club The ‘Quin House. Kiehm and Wierzelewski met while working at Harrods in London.
MarketStreet Lynnfield is an open-air shopping destination, with over 80 shops and restaurants. Having launched in 2013, it is known for its diverse shopping, dining, and entertainment.
La Gallina, 1150 MarketStreet, Lynnfield
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