Chef Sarah Wade Opens SJ’s in Boston’s Leather District

A new upscale comfort-food restaurant, SJ's, opened on Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Boston's Leather District at 745 Atlantic Ave., offering chef-driven, funky comfort dishes. The project is led by chef Sarah Wade, known for her culinary work at Stillwater and Sloane's.

The menu at SJ's blends French influences with global flavors, featuring items such as pork rillette macarons, prawn toast, uni butter cacio e pepe, wagyu steak frites with tallow fries, and confit rabbit leg with sal de gusano.

“This project has been so long in the making, I really feel like I have lived this menu probably three times over,” said Wade, who started conceiving the idea for the restaurant in 2022, in a statement shared with Eater Boston.

Wade earned recognition as a winner of the 2018 Food Network Chopped Gold Medal Games. She used her competition winnings to open her first solo restaurant venture.

The beverage program at SJ's features classic cocktails like the Rusty Nail and the Gibson, plus an infused vermouth option and a choice of gin or vodka for the Gibson.

Complementing the food and drinks, SJ's aims for a more elevated dining experience. Upon entering, guests will find Art Deco blue-and-gold decor, a long marble bar, and high-end ingredients, setting it apart from Wade's other restaurant concepts.

SJ's will also feature patio seating, adding 24 seats to the 102 seats inside.

According to Eater Boston, the restaurant name comes from the first initials of Wade and her husband, James. He served as the general contractor for Lulu's. In recognition of his love of beer, the bar team at SJ's will attempt to pour the perfect pint of Guinness as part of the beer offerings.