by Kristen Wile

Editor’s note: This story has been changed to reflect an updated target opening date.

Built on Hospitality is partnering with two local business owners on a new restaurant. Mazi will open in the heart of South End in the former Lance Cracker building on South Boulevard in March. Mazi means “together” in Greek, and the restaurant will serve small plates inspired by countries bordering the Mediterranean. 

Executive chef of Built on Hospitality Chris Coleman says the menu will be “elevated and polished and refined.”

“It’s just great sourcing and good cooking, honestly, at the end of the day, but pulling from cuisines all throughout the Mediterranean,” Coleman says.

Though most diners think Greek or Israeli fare when they hear Mediterranean, Coleman says they plan to focus on a wider range, with dishes inspired by places like Morocco, Spain, Croatia, and other countries less often presented.

Owners Tony Brewer and Hemant Patel bought the space that housed the original Nikko restaurant, and decided to bring on the restaurant group behind The Goodyear House, Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails, Chief’s, and Folia to help manage the upcoming concept. Built on Hospitality is guiding menu development and hiring, and will be hands on in helping get the restaurant open. Chris Cutini, general manager of Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails, will be the restaurant’s GM.

The restaurant will debut with dinner and brunch service, before adding lunch later. The restaurant will seat 55 diners, including 17 at the bar, with patio seating for about 30 guests weather permitting. An elevated booth near the kitchen will give a chef’s table style of dining. The menu and interior — which is dark and intimate — will lend itself to leisurely dining, with much of the menu featuring shared plates such as housemade naan with mezzes. There will also be a selection of crudos. For those who want a more traditional dining experience, however, there will be larger plates to serve as entrées. As is common for Coleman, the restaurant will focus on sourcing locally where possible.

“We’ll be utilizing great proteins and great produce from our area and from this region and preparing it or cooking it through the Mediterranean lens so to speak,” he says. 

Dishes Coleman is especially excited about are the grilled chicken and a lamb shank reminiscent of his days at Stoke. The lamb shank will feature a similar presentation to the sticky pork shank from Stoke, but with new flavors. While an executive chef has not yet been announced, an offer has been made and Coleman said their anticipated chef cooked the best grilled chicken he’d ever sampled during a tasting. Coleman is also looking forward to sharing his dessert inspired by baklava: gluten-free walnut cake with a frozen yogurt ice cream, honey meringue, and cinnamon and clove-infused honey drizzle.

“It gives all the flavors of baklava, but textually there’s just so much going on and it’s super interesting and I’m excited for that one,” he says. 

Bob Peters will oversee the cocktail program, while Goodyear House assistant general manager Rob Oldenburg will curate a wine list with lesser-known wine regions in the Mediterranean. Wine flights will be available to introduce diners to the wine list.