The duo behind two of Greater Boston’s most celebrated Peruvian restaurants is preparing to introduce a new concept in the city.
Maria Rondeau (designer + general manager) and JuanMa Calderón (executive chef)—known for Celeste in Somerville, La Royal in Cambridge, and Esmeralda in Andover, Vermont—will soon open Rosa y Marigold at Lyrik Back Bay, where Newbury St meets Massachusetts Ave.
Situated on the ground level of the new development, the restaurant will feature some contemporary takes on Peruvian cuisine, alongside classics such as ceviche, lomo saltado, and a variety of seafood options.
Guests can also look forward to creative cocktails and live music, according to Boston Magazine. Unlike its predecessors, which focus exclusively on dinner, Rosa y Marigold will offer lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
The restaurant’s name pays tribute to their late friend, Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning poet and essayist Louise Glück, whose final work was Marigold and Rose. A frequent patron of Celeste, Glück named La Royal.
Joining Rondeau and Calderón in this venture is Jose Saravia, Celeste’s first-ever employee, who worked his way up from dishwasher to manager and now partner. They’re also teaming up with Lauren Harder (La Royal’s landlord and general contractor), along with Maria’s brother and sister-in-law, Rafael Rondeau and Dana Hale. The couple, who own and operate The Vesper Bed and Breakfast in Woodstock, Vermont, bring their hospitality expertise to the project.
Slated to open in the fall of 2025, Rosa y Marigold will join an eclectic mix of dining spots at Lyrik, including Avra Estiatorio, Pink Carrot, Van Leeuwen, CHICHA San Chen, and George Howell Coffee.
