The Wine Cellar Massachusetts

Creativity and sustainability are the guiding principles of the restaurant co-owned by Johnson & Wales food-science professor Lynn Tripp. Mingling the disparate flavors of France, America, and Morocco, chefs treat palates to tapas, cheeses, and desserts in an intimate atmosphere warmly inspired by medieval chateaus. If not sidling up to the 35-seat wine bar or sinking into an Italian-leather sofa, diners feast amid cozily antiqued surroundings trimmed with stone arches and rough-hewn wooden columns. Wine barrels, a large, communal dining table, and romantically lowered lights bring a rustic charm to the storefront to welcome customers more warmly than a bear-hugging doormat.