Champagne Nights

AT THE END OF NEWBURY Street sits the new Lyrik complex, where bright young things in small black frocks disappear through the lipstick- red entrance of the CitizenM hotel.

Like bubbles in a glass of champagne, they’re headed up, up, up to Boston’s newest scenic and scene-y roof deck wine (and then some) bar, which serves up unparalleled views of the city alongside creative snacks and an impressive cocktail and wine list.

Designed to dazzle, Bubble Bath Back Bay is Tiffani Faison’s latest offering, as playful and fashionable as the celebrity chef herself. The first location, on High Street in the Financial District, is still doing well, after opening in March 2022. The Back Bay space is stunning, and the food eclectic, with cold and hot upscale snacks that complement the various wines, some of which are rare. Bubble Bath is the perfect place for impressing a date or out-of-town guests.

Sleep doesn’t seem to be on the menu for Faison, who became famous back in 2005 after appearing in the first season of the TV show “Top Chef”, launching a career that included work in several high-profile restaurants in cities across the U.S. and many more television gigs on the Food Network and the reality show Chopped. Though her reputation looms larger than Boston, she has established her company here, opening several restaurants across the city, including the Fenway’s popular barbecue joint Sweet Cheeks Q and adult snack bar Fool’s Errand. Her food has been highly commended by reviewers, and she’s been a finalist four times for the James Beard Award for best chef in the northeast.

A NEW DINING CONCEPT

The word “irreverent” crops up in association with Faison’s culinary productions. The chef said her goal with Bubble Bath was to offer Bostonians a new dining concept.

“I think less about trends when opening and ideating new concepts. The trends make me nuts. It makes our city homogenous. I work on spaces I think are needed and where I would want to spend time. I wanted a place where you could pop in, have a drink, stay, leave, make it yours. I wanted to build a community of regulars who appreciate delicious, quality beverages and food without pretense.”

The mood at Bubble Bath is far from pretentious. It’s effervescent, thanks in big part to the wow factor of Boston’s sparking nighttime skyline, visible through the inside dining room’s panoramic windows, but dramatic and up close out on the large patio. White sofas and large glass bubble sculptures underscore the fun theme.

As you might expect, the wine list doesn’t disappoint. Champagnes are divided into “classic blends, blanc de blancs, and blanc de noirs” (white champagne from dark grapes). You can go big, with a $600 bottle from Pol Roger (Epernay 2008)—Winston Churchill’s favorite house, and the champagne served at William and Kate’s wedding. There’s a range of interesting reds, including delightful light-bodied Gamays from Guy Breton, a good selection of whites, and an exciting cocktail list that leans into spices and Italian aperitives. There are by-the-glass options, and full bottle service. Zero-alcohol choices such as the “phony Negroni” ensure that non-drinkers won’t feel left out.

If you’re feeling peckish, there are salt and vinegar fries, and ‘fancy lil’ sammies,’ such as butter and gruyere mortadella or lobster buns. There are more upscale options, too, such as steak tartare tonnato and white sturgeon caviar served with potato chips and sour cream. Anyone craving something more decadent can opt for a full caviar cart with “tea service.”

BEST VIEW IN THE CITY

Says Faison: “We’re playing outside of the “dining” scene in Boston. We recognized that there was a lack of bars and lounges that offered both cocktails and a significant wine list in Boston. Obviously, we have the best view in the city, but we are constantly challenging ourselves to meet the moment with our food and beverage program as well as the service we provide.”

Bubble Bath seems to be meeting the moment, judging from the happy vibe and full house. Servers seem genuinely motivated to make patrons happier, handing out blankets to keep off the evening chill.

Faison calls the feeling “elegant and irreverent, sophisticated and approachable.”

“The goal was to create a space that allowed the city to be the art and the focus. I wanted spaces within the space. If you come in three nights a week, you can have three different spatial experiences,” she says.

BY CLAIRE VAIL