A new concept from the team behind The James Pub & Provisions is headed to Needham Center.
Taberna will take over the former Rice Barn location at 1037 Great Plain Ave, according to recently filed permits. Partners Stuart Henry, Cormac and Inga Dowling, and Mary Kiely signed the lease in March 2025.
In an interview with The Needham Observer, Stuart explained that the restaurant will retain the welcoming tavern atmosphere of The James, which expanded to Essex last year, but with a Mediterranean twist.
“We think there’s a need for it in the area and we’re keeping it the kind of tavern that we know—that welcoming kind of atmosphere and putting our twist on it with some really good Mediterranean small plates,” he told the publication.
Having grown up traveling in the Mediterranean, the team wanted to bring the shared-plates tradition of tapas to Needham. While the menu is still under development, Taberna will feature dishes inspired by Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
Taberna is expected to seat just over 100 guests, with about 20 spots at the bar. As of late October 2025, the space was being cleared and redesigned, with construction yet to begin. If all goes as planned, the restaurant will debut in early 2026.
