Restoration progress brings The Woods closer to debut

Slowly but surely, The Woods is creeping closer to an opening date.

The long-awaited restaurant at the Josiah Smith Tavern is on target to open next spring, according to Brian Piccini, owner of the Boston Urban Hospitality restaurant group.

“I can feel the energy,” Piccini said. “The town has been working for 15 years before me to get this done.”

In March 2024, the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) awarded the restaurant’s liquor license, and the Weston Historical Society approved building plans, “ensuring full compliance with local preservation standards and allowing us to move ahead with confidence,” according to Boston Urban Hospitality spokesperson Kyle Tildsley.

Piccini said, now that state and local authorizations are in place, his team is working with Baker-Wohl Architects on finalizing design and permitting, “to remain on track for a spring 2026 opening.”

The Woods restaurant will be the restaurant group’s fifth, joining chic hot spot dbar in Dorchester, upscale Deuxave in Back Bay and the urban steakhouse Boston Chops, which has two locations in the South End and Downtown Crossing. The focus for the Woods will be on sustainability and celebrating Weston’s natural beauty and rich history, Piccini said.

Creating a restaurant in a historic space like the Tavern was nothing new to Piccini.

“My Back Bay restaurant Deuxave and the South End restaurant Boston Chops are both in historically protected storefronts,” he said. “When we are adding signage and lighting, it’s important to take into account, does it look like it fits? Does it feel like it’s a part of the history?”

Piccini said minimal changes will be made to the exterior of the Tavern, aside from a small sign over the front door and a stone sign at the parking lot. Equipment, including hoods, compressors, refrigerators and emergency generators, will not be seen from the road or walkways, protecting the Tavern’s historic look and feel.

“You work with the boards, asking, ‘What would you like to see?’ It becomes more of a conversation,” he said. “Everybody is on board with a decision that looks best for the property, especially from the outside.”

There will be an outdoor patio with seating for 33 overlooking the Town Green, and an interior courtyard between the inn and the barn that will seat 16 and include a wooden trellis or canvas cover against the elements.

“Having outdoor seats is great, but in New England, when the weather can change in an instant or be too sunny, protection from the sun or a little bit of rain really helps,” he said.

There will also be a private event space on the lawn for outdoor weddings and parties, he said. Inside will be three private dining rooms, including a 45-seat space that was once the tavern’s ballroom and one that includes the historic bar where George Washington once stopped by for a drink, he said.

“If we don’t have a private event,” Piccini said, “we can break those tables into two-tops and four-tops and have really intimate, smaller dining rooms that have a completely different vibe and experience.”

Fresh and local takes center stage

The defining feature of the restaurant will be a wood-fired grill, Piccini said, which will add charm and flavor to the locally sourced seafood, meats and produce that will be the stars of the menu.

“I can’t wait to start getting fresh vegetables,” he said, adding the menu will be family-friendly. “We’re going to be very New England. Farm-to-table and sea-to-table will be the focus, but we’ll have selections of steaks and chicken and all types of protein.”

A craft cocktail and mocktail menu will feature locally-sourced honey, as well as fresh herbs grown on site in raised planting beds.

A city boy with country roots

While Boston has been his home base, Piccini has been a Weston resident since 2018.

“As much as I love the city, I’m a country boy, so finding Weston was about how close I can be to the city and yet feel like I’m in nature,” he said.

While next spring feels a long way off, Piccini said residents will be able to monitor progress as construction begins this winter.

“As much as I’ve been able to make a living, I just enjoy creating experiences as part of the journey,” he said. “This has so many experiences to give, between the barn and the historic inn and the patios and the event space, it is really just exciting for me to create all types of experiences here.”