Maria Rondeau and JuanMa Calderón of Boston's award-winning Celeste (Eater Boston's 2018 Restaurant of the Year and Esquire Best New Restaurant) and Esmeralda in Vermont (Esquire's 2021 list of Best New Restaurant in America), open La Royal, their newest Peruvian restaurant down the block from their Cambridge home. While at Celeste, JuanMa recreates his mother’s rustic home-cooking that he grew up with in Lima, his menu at La Royal explores the varied cuisines throughout Peru, offering original takes on dishes from the country’s different regions. They also bringing the same spirit of curation and collaboration from both Celeste and Esmeralda to this project… at La Royal, they've collaborated with professor and award-winning cookbook author Darra Goldstein on a selection of macerated liquors. Maria, a trained architect, has designed the space to create an inviting, lived-in feel, with the kitchen at the heart of the whole project.
Comfort food meets a darker edge. Kitchen Open 5pm to 10pm Sunday-Wednesday; 5pm to Midnight Thursday-Saturday. Bar til 1am. If you would like to make a reservation for a party of 7 or more - please give us a call or email us at: info@thehollowssomerville.com. Thanks!
At the heart of MEZO is Philotimo: a Greek word with no direct translation, but a meaning we live by. It’s doing good for the sake of good. It’s honor, generosity, and showing up for others. It’s knowing your name, your order, and asking about your family.It’s how we cook. It’s how we serve. It’s how we welcome you.Our vision: The Spirit of Philotimo (Φιλότιμο)It’s a Greek word with no true English translation. It means doing good for the sake of good. It’s honor, humility, generosity and a love for one another. It’s that feeling you get when someone remembers your name, your favorite order, and asks about your family.Our story begins long before MEZO – in the ovens of Dedham House of Pizza, where for 50 years, families have gathered around slices made with care and tradition. It’s where we learned that food isn’t just what you serve – it’s how you serve it. Every pizza, every salad, every gyro – it all starts with the same purpose: to feed people the way we’d feed our own.
