Restaurants & Bars
Grateful Dedham Diner Set To Open Soon
The owner loved the way the name rolled off the tongue. He said the Grateful Dead-Grateful Dedham pun was a bonus.
DEDHAM, MA — The sound of bacon sizzling, the smell of maple syrup — the classic American diner has brought wonderful, sounds, smells and tastes for decades.
Sometime over the next two weeks, a new diner hoping to offer a modern take on this type of classic comfort food is coming to Dedham Square. Johnny Fortin, the owner of West Roxbury's Rox Diner and the Toast Office In Westwood, will open the Grateful Dedham Diner where the D'Angelo used to be, at 573 High St.
When thinking of the name, Fortin said he was looking for something memorable that also embodied the values of his business. Already having plenty of experience in the restaurant industry, Fortin said it's important to be grateful.
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"People could stop at a number of other places, but the people chose us," Fortin said.
Fortin loved the way the punning new name rolled off the tongue.
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Fortin has lived in the nearby West Roxbury for 15 years. He said he grew up going to restauraunts in Dedham and always loved the town. Getting a location in Dedham Square made opening here even better, he said.
"I looked around and really liked the square," Fortin said. "It's a really prime spot for family and neighborhood restaurants. The look of the square reminds me of an all American downtown with the movie theater and coffee shops."
With all these small businesses bringing something unique to the square, Fortin said he hopes to do the same, bringing something classic, but still special at the same time.
"It's classic American diner fare made through years of loving cooking and loving the restaurant business, but we modernized and gave culinary attention," Fortin said.
The restaurant makes everything from scratch, Fortin said, adding that he buys organic and local whenever possible.
An exact date of opening hasn't been set yet. The Grateful Dedham will open sometime over the next two weeks, but Fortin said to expect a soft opening first. Updates on opening will be announced on the restaurant's Facebook page soon.
Photo courtesy of Johnny Fortin
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