After more than a year and a half of preparation, a French cocktail bar is almost ready to make its Brookline debut.
Nestled in the heart of Coolidge Corner, Bar Lunette will soon open at 278A Harvard St. The intimate, speakeasy-style bar comes from Chuck Silverston, who also operates Paris Creperie right next door. Though the two businesses will remain separate, they will share a kitchen.
Described as a “classy bar with plenty of nods to famous French films and culture,” Bar Lunette will offer an artfully crafted cocktail menu designed to stir the senses. Its name—French for “eyeglasses”—pays homage to Coolidge Corner Opticians, which occupied the Harvard St space for some 50 years.
A neighborhood staple for more than two decades, Paris Creperie has long been known for its fresh crepes, smoothies, and coffee. The late Brother Cleve—a legendary bartender, cocktail historian, DJ, musician, and pioneer of the craft cocktail movement—helped shape the bar program at Paris Creperie’s now-closed Seaport location.
Bar Lunette’s director of operations, Nick Mallia, trained under Cleve for years and hopes to honor his legacy through this new venture. In a phone interview with What Now Boston, Mallia reflected on Cleve’s lasting influence:
“Really, I just learned everything from him… Every time I look at a drink—in terms of what I want to sell and what I want it to be—I say, ‘What would Cleve do? What would he do here to bring this drink to the next level? What would he do here to make this a wow factor?'”
Mallia has also reached out to Cleve’s friends (“He just freaking knew everybody”), asking them to share their favorite photos so he can create a kind of “living memorial” in the legend’s honor.
With construction and final inspections nearly complete, Bar Lunette is set to open by the end of March 2025.
