Longtime Bostonians will recognize 71 Charles Street as the former home of The Hungry I, a romantic French bistro that shuttered in 2019 after nearly four decades in business. Today, that stately brownstone houses Beacon Hill Books and Cafe, an elegant space that’s on a quest to nourish both minds and bodies. A place where Jane Austen novels share shelves with tomes by Julia Child and Ina Garten.
When it opened its doors in late September, the hybrid spot became the first bookstore to debut in Beacon Hill in nearly 30 years.
Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Colleen Suhanosky steers Beacon Hill’s garden-level cafe, an extension of the sophisticated store. Though it’s currently just serving breakfast and lunch, the cafe will offer a dinner menu in January 2023.
“People are back in ‘normal’ mode, really craving being in spaces with other people,” says owner Melissa Fetter. “The space we’ve created here is highly comforting.”
Chef Suhanosky gained a loyal following as the head chef and owner of Rifrullo Cafe in Brookline. At Beacon Hill, she puts a farm-fresh spin on morning and midday classics. Oats studded with walnuts, maple syrup, and spiced apples, and an eggplant and hummus wrap are reimagined versions of Rifrullo’s greatest hits.
“Rifrullo is about hospitality, but after years of doing table service, I just wanted to focus on showcasing the food,” Suhanosky explains, outlining the difference between the two restaurants. “Beacon Hill gives me a chance to do both.”
Beacon Hill’s forthcoming dinner menu will include refined riffs on bistro fare such as soups, salads, and sandwiches, in addition to more playful “theme night” menus. Tea service, currently only offered on Sunday afternoons, will expand. Suhanosky is a Culinary Institute of America-trained pastry chef and welcomes the opportunity to display her scone-and-sweets skills.
“Afternoon tea is such a joy. What could be better than the little sweets and the ceremony?” muses Fetter.
Whether you’re clutching one of the cafe’s massive lattes on a snowy afternoon or sipping an iced version at the outdoor courtyard, it’s clear the cafe is no ordinary coffee shop. Here, tea gets just as much attention as local George Howell-roasted java.
The cafe’s custom loose-leaf black Beacon Hill Blend pairs perfectly with Suhanosky’s salt-kissed shortbread cookies. The brew comes courtesy of Kentucky’s Elmwood Inn Fine Teas; founder Bruce Richardson is a tea blender and historian with several ties to Boston. He’s the tea master of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and created signature blends for the city’s Peabody Essex and Isabella Stewart Gardner museums.
But it’s not just about coffee and tea. The cafe’s eclectic wine list is stocked with hard-to-source varietals from France, Italy, Spain, and the U.S. The selection was curated by P.J. Alexander, a sommelier at the nearby Somerset (a private social club that dates back to 1826).
Anyone who dined at the bookstore cafe’s former occupant, The Hungry I, will barely recognize Beacon Hill Cafe’s indoor dining area. Gone are the low ceilings, brown color palette, and brick walls. In their place, find cheery blue tones and bright pops of white. Plants and flowers on every table match what’s outside in the seasonal courtyard.
The cafe’s lush, light-filled outdoor space includes a counter, twelve seats, and a heater to stretch its seasonality. Readers are encouraged to pull up a stool or bench in either dining area (if no one is eating). Each chic and dreamy escape was conceived by Texas-based interior designer Cathy Kincaid.
To transform the historic real estate, Kincaid and Fetter took cues from the late Sister Parish (an interior designer who decorated the Kennedy White House), whose hallmarks included chintz, botanical prints, and painted lampshades.
The bookstore’s first and second floors evoke a residential library, all towering bookcases and original 1840s fireplaces. The third floor is a whimsical, Alice in Wonderland-inspired space, aimed at younger readers, complete with a miniature tea set and a steam engine that chugs along bookshelves.
Long before the coveted spot on Charles Street became available, Fetter’s vision of a locally owned, neighborhood bookstore featured a cafe. “In a home [a kitchen] is a gathering place, where people are nourished and good times are shared,” she says. “The cafe is absolutely integral to the overall identity of Beacon Hill Books.”
Beacon Hill Books and Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and coffee from 9 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday, with afternoon tea service (from 12 pm to 5 pm) on Sunday. Dinner service will be introduced in January.
Carley Thornell-Wade is a Boston-based food, travel, and technology writer who’s been to more than 70 countries and delighted in tasting the regional delicacies of each.
