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When the restaurant moved to its new space in 2008, L’Espalier went from requiring reservations months in advance to accepting reservations days ahead of a planned visit, thanks to an increase in size with three spacious dining rooms and the addition of a more casual salon featuring a small bites menu. So while you may not need a reservation for L’Espalier, on weekend nights or during busy travel times in Boston (the end of April during the Boston Marathon, followed by graduation weekends in May) you’ll want to book ahead to guarantee seating. If you want to be seated in a specific area of the restaurant (like by the windows overlooking Boylston Street in the Corner Room), a reservation is required; you can request a certain table at the time of your reservation. Our favorite dining room is the Library, a dimly-lit space that’s lined with shelves of books in shades of blue and is perfect for a romantic dinner for two or an intimate business meeting.

L’Espalier has long been considered Boston’s best French restaurant. Before you settle in for a meal at this Four-Star dining room, you should know the following:

1. The dinner menu is prix fixe only. Your only choice is whether to order the evening’s three-course offering, the vegetarian four- or six-course seasonal degustation (a farm-to-table treat, even for carnivores), or the chef’s tasting journey, a presentation of multiple courses designed to give you a flavor of the kitchen’s prowess at French cuisine.

2. There is no bar at L’Espalier, but there is a salon. The lounge-like concept is a comfortable room where you can lounge on velvet sofa or settle into a cushy armchair and order cocktails or wine from the wait staff. The room also has a small bites menu, which is a great chance to sample chef Frank McClelland’s clean, seasonal food without committing to the full prix fixe menu.

3. Reservations are a must on weekends and busy travel times in Boston (think graduation weekends or during the Boston Marathon). If you don’t have a reservation, you will likely not be seated.

4. The cuisine is French-inspired, which means a lot of heavy creams and sauces. Be prepared to cheat on your diet when you dine here.

5. The L’Espalier cheese cart is known as one of the best in the world. No matter how full you may be, save room for this legendary cheese course. Trust us, it’s decadent and with every bite you’ll thank us. You can also slip into The Salon and order one of the cleverly-named cheese flights-from "Soft and Gooey" to "That Stinks!," you’ll be introduced to fine fromage you won’t find elsewhere.

L’Espalier offers three dinner menu options: our 3-course Prix Fixe menu is $85, our 7-course Seasonal Degustation is $105, and our 10+-course Chef’s Tasting Journey is $185.

At lunch, we offer an a la carte menu, our 7-course Seasonal Degustation for $60, and our Chef’s Tasting Journey for $100.

L’Espalier is located in Boston’s historic and picturesque Back Bay neighborhood at 774 Boylston Street. It is adjacent to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

We have valet parking available for lunch, via the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. At dinner, the valet service is available at the restaurant for a fee of $17.

L’Espalier serves lunch seven days a week, Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and on weekends from 12 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Following weekend lunch service, L’Espalier features our signature “Fantasy Tea” from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Dinner is served daily from 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Our Salon is open for cocktails and small bites Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

L’Espalier requires a credit card guarantee to hold to all reservations, as well as 48 hours notice for a cancellation.

Guests can make a reservation by calling L?Espalier at 617-262-3023 or by visiting our website.

No matter the size of your group, L'Espalier is the perfect place for dining in numbers. The restaurant hosts group dinners on an intimate scale or the entire space can be rented out for larger parties like wedding receptions and celebratory events. You can also reserve special sections of the restaurant for larger groups (parties of nine or more). L'Espalier will ensure that your group is set away from other diners, offering an intimate ambience for all guests.

We offer any of our dining rooms for private events:

SALON
A marble tiled foyer leads into the Salon, where a periwinkle blue area rug complements the room?s dark hardwood floors. Cozy up with a copy of Chef McClelland?s book Wine Mondays in this modern lounge in the soft and inviting booth underneath the light cast by an awe-inspiring clean lined chandelier. The salon is also perfect for people-watching from one of the window-side tables while sipping a glass of champagne from a bottle chilling on ice in the butler?s pantry.

CORNER ROOM
Floor-to-ceiling windows, unveiling lively Boylston Street below, illuminate the largest of the three dining rooms. Larger parties are comfortably accommodated and seated in luxurious cushioned chairs with dark mahogany accents. Plush fawn-colored carpet underfoot leads seamlessly into the Crystal Room.

CRYSTAL ROOM
This centrally located dining room is bordered on three sides by a striking steel bar wine case that is enveloped in brilliant sheets of glass. Be seated alongside the wine display in one of the olive satin-lined banquettes, or across the dining room in one of two lush mauve booths.

LIBRARY
Take a quick peek of the impressive sterling kitchen on the way to the library, nestled in the rear corner of the restaurant. This romantically dim lit space is perfect for a special dinner for two or an intimate business meeting, and is cleverly decorated with books of various shades of cool blues lining its shelves. Tall shelves lead the eye up toward exposed dark wood beams overhead, adding a rustic finishing touch to this warm dining room.

L’Espalier offers three dinner menu options: our 3-course Prix Fixe menu is $85, our 7-course Seasonal Degustation is $105, and our 10+-course Chef’s Tasting Journey is $185.

At lunch, we offer an a la carte menu, our 7-course Seasonal Degustation for $60, and our Chef’s Tasting Journey for $100.

If there is one thing Four-Star L’Espalier is known for (beyond its delicious, masterful French food), it’s the incredible cheese course designed by maître d’ and fromager Louis Risoli. Risoli, who has been with L’Espalier for more than three decades, is passionate about cheese, and has designed a program that is unparalleled in Boston, and perhaps in the country. The cheese selections come from around the globe, and Risoli selects and pairs each cheese with McClelland’s seasonal concepts and presents them on an attractive cart that’s rolled to your table for tasting and cutting. Cheese at L’Espalier can be ordered à la carte or as a course featured in the grand degustation menu. If you discover a new cheese that you like at L’Espalier, you can take it home. Most of the cheeses offered are also available for purchase direct from the restaurant. If you’ve come to L’Espalier for the fromage itself, take a seat in the Salon and order Risoli’s cleverly named cheese flights (My Blue Heaven, for example), which come in small portions ($12) and large ($25).

The one thing L'Espalier has always been know for — regardless of where it calls home — is its impeccable service, and that hasn't changed at the restaurant's new location on Boylston Street. From the minute we walked off the elevator and into the waiting area of the Four-Star restaurant, there was a helpful and welcoming staff member nearby. You're given plenty of time to luxuriate over your meal, but as soon as eye contact is made or an eyebrow is raised to signal a need for assistance, a member of the L'Espalier staff will appear to heed your request.

As if your meal at L'Espalier could get any grander, each night you'll be presented with a small gift from the chef as you leave the restaurant. On the night we visited, a coconut macaroon wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon was handed out to each guest as they boarded the elevator. The departing gifts change daily, but they are generally small enough for you to digest (even after a full meal at the Four-Star restaurant).

Erich Schliebe is the sommelier at L'Espalier. He works hand-in-hand with wine director Erik Johnson to pair the best wines with the restaurant's delicious cuisine, creating a unique dining experience. Schliebe walks the floor on any given night, answering questions and talking in depth about various wines. He also hosts the Wine Mondays program at the Boston restaurant.

Those who remember the Four-Star L'Espalier when it was housed in a small, classic Back Bay brownstone will be surprised by how contemporary, sleek and airy the restaurant?s new location is. Designed by New York based-Projects Design Associates, the space, which is adjacent to the Four-Star Mandarin Oriental, Boston, is big, bold and hosts as many as 50 tables at a time. Gone are the drab shades of brown and crown moulding of the old space; the new restaurant is bathed in creamy neutrals and illuminated by sparkling chandeliers, with the glass-encased central wine cellar as a focus. The Corner Room features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Boylston Street and is the largest of the three dining rooms. This room leads to the Crystal Room, where a huge steel wine bar serves as a focal point for those seated on one of the olive-satin lined banquettes or in one of the mauve-colored booths. Past the Crystal Room is the Library, where those who are familiar with the old L'Espalier will feel most at home. This room is dimly lit and decorated with shelves of books bound in various shades of books. If you want to spend time in the Salon, you'll be seated at one of the small tables surrounded by deep-cushioned chairs with views of Boylston Street or the restaurant's Corner Room.

The best table at L’Espalier largely depends on your reason for dining here. If you’re counting on a romantic evening, choose a table along the window wall in the Corner Room and let the lights of Boylston Street set the mood. Or, you can opt for a small, secluded table in the cozy Library. The dimly lit, book-filled room is located in the back of the restaurant and offers the utmost privacy. We also enjoy the tables in the Crystal Room, which look into the kitchen - not quite a chef’s table, but a great spot for a group of friends or business colleagues who want to enjoy a more energetic L’Espalier atmosphere.

Some of the best views at L'Espalier can be seen from the Corner Room, which features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Boston's bustling Boylston Street. On any given night, Boylston Street is packed with people making their way home from offices, bars and restaurants. If you want to really impress your dinner date, take him or her into the Four-Star restaurant's Library dining room. There are no views here because there are no windows (just beautiful book-lined walls), which will make your date the best view in the house.

Each table at L'Espalier is set with precision — a clean, empty canvas ready for the Four-Star restaurant's seasonal cuisine. Crisp, white tablecloths serve as the foundation for a butter plate, folded napkin, water glass, crystal-clear wine glass and votive candles or small flowers in bud vases. Flatware is set for one course when you sit down and is replaced as each stage of your multi-course menu is delivered to your table.

L'Espalier has a legendary reputation in Boston for being one of the city's most romantic restaurants. Its rich food and wine pairings make for a decadent, sensual meal that serves as a strong start for a romantic evening. While we can't deny that the ambience isn't quite as charming as it was in its former Back Bay brownstone location, today's L'Espalier makes every effort to set the mood in its new home on Boylston Street. The Library dining room is arguably the most romantic spot in the Four-Star restaurant thanks to its dark walls, low ceilings and subtle candlelight. There are no windows in this room, making it a great place for a romantic rendezvous.

The prix fixe menu at L'Espalier changes with the season, which can make it difficult to choose the five best things to order in advance. Thankfully, we've had the pleasure of enjoying the upscale French-influenced cuisine for years, so we can recommend a few must-haves if they make an appearance when you visit:

1. The cheese course. L'Espalier's long-time maitre d' Louis Risoli is a cheese aficionado, and it is responsible for elevating the cheese program at this French restaurant to establish it as one of the best in the country. With cheeses sourced from around the world, you're bound to find something you've never tried before - Risoli can walk you through each cheese's history and flavor to match you with a fromage you'll love. The best part? You can purchase many of the selections from the restaurant to take home with you.

2. Splurge on a few ounces or shells. The caviar and oysters are a menu must-have, so be sure to indulge. The Island Creek Oysters, sourced from nearby Cape Cod, are our favorites and are always featured at L'Espalier.

3. Look for the lamb. The herb-crusted loin of lamb is one of the restaurant's standout dishes, and it's often featured as one of the main courses at dinner. It?s a petite, perfectly seared morsel of succulent lamb, and one you'll never forget.

4. Feast on foie gras. L'Espalier's menu is based on French cuisine and concepts, so you can be sure that foie gras will make an appearance on any given evening. Keep an eye out for creations such as the Hudson Valley foie gras torchon with anise hyssop-infused plums, pistachio, hibiscus gelee and black walnut brioche.

5. End the night sweetly. There's no reason to skip dessert at L'Espalier, so we recommend you dive right into the signature desserts, such as the chocolate decadence with blood orange fluid gel, wafer streusel and fruit of cacao. Paired with a good port, this dessert will leave a lasting impression.

Chef and owner Frank McClelland has been at the helm of Boston’s Four-Star L’Espalier since purchasing the restaurant while working there as a sous chef in 1988. McClelland is known for the precision of his French-influenced food and the consistency of the top-notch service that’s delivered in his Back Bay restaurant. In April 2000, McClelland opened a second eatery, the French bistro-style restaurant Sel de la Terre, on Boston’s Rowes Wharf. It was the first time Bostonians could dine on McClelland’s French cuisine in a casual setting; today, there are three locations of Sel de la Terre in greater Boston.

McClelland is assisted in the kitchen by chef de cuisine Shane O’Neill, who hails from Ireland and joined L’Espalier in 2008 as McClelland’s sous chef. O’Neill has cooked in restaurants from Australia to Asia, and has worked with culinary experts including Gordon Ramsey and Marco Pierre White.

Chef Frank McClelland takes a farm-to-table approach to cooking at L’Espalier. McClelland grew up in New Hampshire, where he developed and nurtured his love for fresh, farm ingredients. This passion for seasonal flavors has transcended over the years to L’Espalier’s various menus and served as the foundation for McClelland’s and Chef de Cuisine O’Neill’s new culinary concepts. McClelland combines local and fresh with a European flair, creating a menu that successfully combines New England and classic French cuisine.

Chef Jiho Kim leads the pastry team at L’Espalier. Jiho, who is originally from Seoul, South Korea, doesn’t just know sweets, he practically has a master’s degree in them. Jiho has a specialized certification in chocolate as well as confectionary, cakes and showpieces, which is evident when the dessert cart at L’Espalier rolls by. You’ll have a hard time deciding whether you should take a photo of the masterpiece on a plate or eat it — but eat it you should, and be rewarded by the delicate flavors of such concotions as black forest cherry vanilla pudding or chocolate macadamia bread pudding.

Part of the distinctiveness of dining at L’Espalier is the menu selection. We have three menu options. The three-course prix fixe includes one first course selection, one main course selection and one dessert selection. Our extensive cheese tray is offered à la carte as well. The seasonal degustation menu includes four savory courses, followed by our grand fromage, our signature sorbet and our grand dessert. A degustation of seasonal vegetables is also available, and is identical to the one above, however it’s 100 percent vegetarian. The Chef’s Tasting Journey is a unique menu inspired by the seasons of New England crafted for your table. Chef Frank McClelland orchestrates an adventurous symphony of food traveling through multiple courses. McClelland’s Tasting Journey lets you explore his specialties with a lavish menu including caviar and truffles, the makings for a memorable evening.

If there is one thing Four-Star L’Espalier is known for (beyond its delicious, masterful French food), it’s the incredible cheese course designed by maître d’ and fromager Louis Risoli. Risoli, who has been with L’Espalier for more than three decades, is passionate about cheese, and has designed a program that is unparalleled in Boston, and perhaps in the country. The cheese selections come from around the globe, and Risoli selects and pairs each cheese with McClelland’s seasonal concepts and presents them on an attractive cart that’s rolled to your table for tasting and cutting. Cheese at L’Espalier can be ordered à la carte or as a course featured in the grand degustation menu. If you discover a new cheese that you like at L’Espalier, you can take it home. Most of the cheeses offered are also available for purchase direct from the restaurant. If you’ve come to L’Espalier for the fromage itself, take a seat in the Salon and order Risoli’s cleverly named cheese flights (My Blue Heaven, for example), which come in small portions ($12) and large ($25).

Pastry chef Jiho Kim’s desserts are as decadent as chef Frank McClelland’s French menu at Four-Star L’Espalier. The dessert selections vary seasonally with the main menu, and include everything from milk chocolate caramel soufflé to bergamot custard and chocolate banana macadamia bread pudding. At the conclusion of a meal, choose one dessert for $14 or do a dessert tasting for two for $24; or make the cheese course your dessert and pair it with a fine port or dessert wine. Our suggestion: Split the chocolate decadence dessert and a cheese plate — it’ll be a dessert course you’ll never forget.

Dine at Four-Star restaurant L’Espalier and you might not know whether to dive into your meal or snap a photo of it (we suggest both). Chef Frank McClelland’s French-influenced cooking is precise in flavor and texture, with painstaking attention to detail put into the presentation to make every dish look as appealing as it tastes. You won’t find fussy, towering assemblies on the plates at L’Espalier; instead, the presentation is organic and delicate, with light sauces, edible flowers and bright colors combined to make each plate visually interesting. Roasted lamb comes surrounded by brightly-colored vegetables; fish is flanked by herbs and purées; oysters are served on silver platters; and desserts are plated surrounded by ribbons of fruit syrups.

Yes, Chef McClelland often visits tables in the dining rooms at L’Espalier.

Chef Frank McClelland’s L’Espalier has been a perennial “best” of America’s restaurants for three decades, earning top accolades from Zagat, Forbes, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Frommer’s, Wine Spectator and Condé Nast Traveler as well as nods in international media. L’Espalier is New England’s most decorated independent restaurant with twelve consecutive AAA Five Diamond Awards (the only one in Boston) and twelve consecutive Forbes (Mobil) Four-Star awards. He speaks and judges across the country at events like Taste of Vail, Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival and the Chefs Collaborative National Summit.

At the heart of Chef McClelland’s menus of New England flavors with French interpretation is Apple Street Farm, his organic farm in Essex, Massachusetts that is the primary source of heirloom produce and proteins for L’Espalier and his trio of casual Sel de la Terre bistros. The James Beard chef and cookbook author (Wine Mondays) views his life as a farmer-restaurateur as being on-trend. By living this life from his youth, he was early to the farm-to-table or “locavore” dining philosophy.

Chef McClelland’s love of “field to fork” cooking began while growing up on his grandparents’ farm in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. By the age of 25, he had been a chef in two of the most respected Boston kitchens: The Harvest in Cambridge and L’Espalier. In 1984, he became Executive Chef at The Country Inn at Princeton in Western Massachusetts, where he established himself as a culinary talent who made time to know local farmers. At The Country Inn he earned a four-star rating from The Boston Globe as well as being named one of the country’s top 25 new chefs by Food & Wine.

Chef McClelland nurtured his love of fresh, regional ingredients and applied his European techniques to create his own signature modern French-influenced cuisine, brought his knives back to L’Espalier, purchased the restaurant outright and never looked back.

In April 2000, Chef McClelland diversified his organization with Sel de la Terre, a trio of casual bistros with boulangeries steeped in the culinary traditions of Provence, France, with business partner Chef Geoff Gardner. Sel de la Terre opened to rave reviews and was instantly named one of the top 20 new restaurants in America by Esquire. The chefs de cuisine at the three restaurants develops menus that reflect a unique personality of each location. In 2007, Au Soleil Catering followed to fill the gap with a full regional catering service.

The time he spent on his family’s farm grounded Chef McClelland in the time-honored traditions of farm-to-table cooking. Today he honors his upbringing at Apple Street Farm by growing fresh herbs, heirloom fruits and vegetables and raising honeybees, egg laying chickens and goats. He views sustainable agriculture as compatible with providing this region’s most memorable and environmentally friendly dining experiences.
Chef Frank McClelland is a New England cooking institution, known for developing the Northeast’s next generation of exciting culinary talent. His restaurants include StarChefs “Rising Stars,” and chefs are sought out by network TV chef shows and industry competitions. Many of Boston’s best-known restaurants are populated with alumni who were mentored under his tutelage.

If there is one thing Four-Star L’Espalier is known for (beyond its delicious, masterful French food), it’s the incredible cheese course designed by maître d’ and fromager Louis Risoli. Risoli, who has been with L’Espalier for more than three decades, is passionate about cheese, and has designed a program that is unparalleled in Boston, and perhaps in the country. The cheese selections come from around the globe, and Risoli selects and pairs each cheese with McClelland’s seasonal concepts and presents them on an attractive cart that’s rolled to your table for tasting and cutting. Cheese at L’Espalier can be ordered à la carte or as a course featured in the grand degustation menu. If you discover a new cheese that you like at L’Espalier, you can take it home. Most of the cheeses offered are also available for purchase direct from the restaurant. If you’ve come to L’Espalier for the fromage itself, take a seat in the Salon and order Risoli’s cleverly named cheese flights (My Blue Heaven, for example), which come in small portions ($12) and large ($25).

The menu is set at L'Espalier seasonally and ranges from summer truffles and halibut to winter root vegetables and loin of lamb. While the chefs are happy to accommodate any and all allergy requests, there is no set gluten-free or allergy-sensitive menu. Gluten-free diners should take special note: L'Espalier's French roots mean many rich creams and sauces. While these can be served on the side or removed altogether from some items, doing so will take away from the various food combinations and flavors that chef Frank McClelland is famous for. Check out the menu on the restaurant's website, and be sure to let your server know of any allergies or sensitivities. 

Though L'Espalier's focus is on French cuisine, and that generally means a lot of fish and meat, the restaurant does a great job of keeping vegetarians and vegans happy. Chef Frank McClelland's farm-to-table concept translates into plenty of fresh seasonal vegetable options. A degustation of vegetables, a sense-awakening tasting created by McClelland and the culinary team, appears on both the lunch and dinner menus, and wine tastings can also be paired with each vegetarian course.

Pastry chef Jiho Kim is known for his rich desserts, including a chocolate decadence that might force you to roll instead of walk out of L'Espalier. Kim's signature desserts change each season and can include the chocolate decadence with blood-orange fluid gel, tiramisu with mascarpone ice cream, milk chocolate caramel soufflé and various glaces and sorbets.

Chef Frank McClelland's menu at L'Espalier changes seasonally based on what's fresh from the farm and in season. Each time you dine at L'Espalier, you'll notice something new on the menu — whether it's a different type of meat or display of vegetables. The menu makes larger shifts two times a year (spring/summer and fall/winter); in some cases you might find minor menu alternations daily. Chef McClelland has a knack for keeping the offerings at the Four-Star restaurant fresh and interesting.

There’s a small menu at L’Espalier’s Salon, a cozy lounge where you can order an amuse-bouche and cocktails before a formal meal. The Salon menu, which is significantly less expensive than the main dinner menu, consists of samplers and small plates. For $4 each, try the truffled potato and leek soup or house-made smoked salt and vinegar potato chips. The samplers, which are a little larger in size, are $8 each and include wild mushroom ragout on toasted brioche and lobster with ham and garlic emulsion. The $15 plates are the biggest Salon option, and include seared Hudson Valley foie gras, herb-crusted loin of lamb, or Prince Edward Island mussels. The best deal, in our opinion, is the Salon’s tasting menu, in which you can choose any three items for $20. The portions are, quite literally, small bites. Sharing doesn’t really work in the Salon (unless you choose the cheese plate, which is separate from the $20 tasting menu), so order appropriately according to your level of hunger.

L’Espalier is known not only for its top-notch service and legendary cheese cart, but its staff’s ability to match the perfect wine to the flavors of Chef Frank McClelland’s food. Whether you’re a wine novice or sommelier, you’ll appreciate the work of wine director Erik Johnson. The principle behind L’Espalier’s wine pairings is that each sip of wine should not only taste delicious but also accentuate the tastes in each individual course. Johnson, sommelier Erich Schliebe and the L’Espalier staff will pair each meal with a glass of wine that matches the food, as well as each guest’s personal likes and dislikes as it relates to grapes, acidity, tannins and taste. The extensive wine list at L’Espalier ensures every wine pairing is a perfect marriage with the meal served.

Erik Johnson is the wine director at Boston’s L’Espalier restaurant, and he is known around town for his ability to find unique, new wines from vineyards from around the globe. Johnson makes annual wine pilgrimages to France-his preferred area of focus in order to match the contemporary French food served at L’Espalier-in search of unknown and upcoming vintners and vintages. Now in its 10th year, Wine Mondays at L’Espalier is a weekly event that Johnson and the restaurant’s owner, chef Frank McClelland, created to pair a four-course tasting menu with wines from a particular region for $65 per person (a great deal, if you can get a seat — reservations are by phone only and sell out quickly).

On top of wine pairings, L'Espalier can also pair specially created cocktails with its menu. The Petit Fleur (a Belgian champagne cocktail) and the Rhubarb Cobbler are just a few of the seasonal specialty cocktails available at the Four-Star restaurant. The cocktail menu changes as frequently as the food menu, so you can expect new libations each time you sit down for a drink — and if you have time before dinner, we recommend sipping one in the Salon.

Because Four-Star Boston restaurant L’Espalier has an extensive wine menu, you can be sure there’s a unique wine by the glass to order pre- or post- or mid-meal. Sparkling, white, rosé and red wines by the glass will vary based on picks from L’Espalier’s wine director Erik Johnson. Expect to pay between $12 and $55 for a glass. Post-meal, dessert wines and ports are offered by the glass as well. On a recent visit, we spied such unique pours asa 2005 Château de Rayne Vigneau Premier Cru, Sauternes for $25 on the wine list, as well a 2000 Fonseca port for $32.

The wine list at L’Espalier is known throughout Boston for both its depth and breadth. Wine Director Erik Johnson works to maintain this reputation by continually searching the globe for new treasures to add to the list. He makes annual trips to France to search for small producers and “as yet undiscovered” wineries. Johnson’s undying passion for all wines great and small, obvious and obscure, assures a wine selection that perfectly compliments Chef McClelland’s cuisine and enhances the dining experience at L’Espalier.

Johnson brings a passion and a humble simplicity to the daunting subject of wine. His desire to expose guests to all levels of wine has led him to develop a wine program for L’Espalier that aims to demystify the wine selection process. He has created a system of instruction and examination for the wait staff that is supplemented by his own weekly teachings as well as visiting industry experts. The significant time Johnson has spent on staff education has established L’Espalier as one of the most wine savvy dining rooms in Boston.

In the spring of 2002, Johnson and Chef McClelland initiated the popular and educational Wine Mondays at L’Espalier, and Wine Wednesdays at Sel de la Terre. The first of its kind in Boston, L’Espalier’s Wine Mondays are enjoyed by experienced wine lovers and newcomers alike.

Johnson was born in Wisconsin, where he lived until moving to Boston with nothing but the corkscrew on his back. Throughout his 18 years in the restaurant industry, he has acquired a range of skills, including the ability to move cases of wine in a tuxedo and remain wrinkle free. Johnson joined L’Espalier in 1997. He lives in Metrowest with his wife and furry four-legged son.

We currently offer gin and tonic flights, which allow guests to sample multiple variations on the classic cocktail. Our cocktail list changes weekly, but a signature cocktail is the Belgian Malinois: Champagne and Lindemans Belgian Framboise Lambic.

L’Espalier features almost 30 wines by the glass, including our favorite sparkling Westport Rivers, “Cuvée RJR”, and Brut, from Westport, MA. and our “Cuvée L’Espalier”, Bourgogne from Alex Gambal.

For the last 20 years, L'Espalier has been committed to buying outstanding vintages and cellaring them, on occasion for 12-14 years, until they reach maturity. Those bottles along with 700 other selections make up L'Espalier's award winning wine list, overseen by Erik Johnson and sommelier Erich Schliebe. While there is a stellar collection of the classic French food wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux, there is also a wide selection of wines from the Rhine Valley, Southern France, Alsace and Champagne. Rounding off the list is an exceptional variety of domestic wines from California, Oregon and Washington.

L’Espalier offers house-filtered still and sparkling waters, as well as bottled still and sparkling waters.

Once in L'Espalier, a marble-tiled foyer will lead you to the Salon, where you can wait for your table and enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine. Cozy up and order from the Salon menu, which offers small bites, oysters and caviar, as well as a full cheese-course option. There is no bar in the traditional sense — you won't find a bartender, bar stools or a trendy mixologist. The Salon is a modern lounge with comfy seating and prime people-watching. You'll order your drink and eats from a server and enjoy the window-side tables overlooking Bolyston Street.

Much like the cocktail or wine menu at L'Espalier, the non-alcoholic drinks are just as diverse and creative. While there are no official cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks on the menu, we're told the mixologists can create anything you desire. If mocktails aren't your thing, there are plenty of teas, coffees, juices, sodas and spritzers available as well.