BOSTON, MA — ZURiTO, the new Basque-inspired restaurant in Beacon Hill, opens from BCB3 Hospitality, the hospitality team led by award-winning chef Jamie Bissonnette and celebrated restaurateurs Andy Cartin and Babak Bina [26 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114]. Taking over the iconic space formerly occupied by Bin 26 Enoteca—the beloved restaurant owned by Bina and his sister for over 18 years—ZURiTO revitalizes the venue rooted in the Basque ethos of “eat a little—but often,” featuring a rotating menu of pintxos, imported jamón and quesos from Spain, along with seasonal larger-format dishes inspired by the team’s extensive travels to the gastrotekas in the region. ZURiTO’s innovative wine program, led by Wine Director Nader Asgari-Tari, highlights global producers who challenge industry norms, featuring an extensive bottle list curated over a decade by the BCB3 team, while Oscar Simoza, BCB3’s Spirits Director, spearheads a bespoke cocktail program focused on low-ABV drinks inspired by Northern Spain. Designed by Bina in collaboration with the award-winning local architecture firm Bergmeyer, the space features exposed wooden beams, custom stonework paintings, and a contemporary zinc-clad pintxos counter, creating a warm, lively atmosphere that embodies the communal spirit of Basque dining. ZURiTO marks the fourth concept from the trio, who also own and operate Somaek, Temple Records, and Sushi @ Temple Records.
THE TEAM
BCB3 is the hospitality group founded by award-winning Chef Jamie Bissonnette and celebrated restaurateurs Andy Cartin and Babak Bina. Drawing inspiration from their diverse backgrounds and shared experiences. Jamie Bissonnette, chef and founding partner of BCB3, has played a key role in Boston’s hottest restaurants, as former chef and partner of Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey, and Faccia a Faccia. Throughout his career, Jamie has received numerous accolades, including Food & Wine’s inaugural People’s Choice: Best New Chef award and the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast. Joining Jamie are seasoned hospitality professionals Andy Cartin and Babak Bina, each with over two decades of experience in the industry. Andy Cartin, who has held leadership roles at renowned establishments like Boston’s Lenox Hotel and The Aquitaine Group and has played a crucial role in launching acclaimed Boston venues like jm Curley and The Wig Shop. Babak Bina has been a prominent figure in Boston’s culinary scene for over 30 years, helping launch renowned restaurants such as Lala Rokh and jm Curley.
FOOD
The menu features Basque dishes inspired by Bissonnette’s extensive travels throughout this renowned region in Spain. It opens with Pintxos, including Gildas “the OG,” the iconic dish of the region made with Cantabrian anchovies, guindilla peppers, and manzanilla olives; Tosta Erizos De Mar, a nod to Bar Txepetxa Donostia, includes a crostini topped with uni sourced from Spain, pickled mustard seed, garlic, uni butter, and miso; Foie Gras, inspired by the now-closed Egosari in San Sebastián, is made with foie gras confit potato, chanterelle mushrooms, and Idiazábal, a nutty, smoky Basque sheep’s milk cheese, served on a baguette; Croissant de Iberico, a mini croissant is baked and stuffed with jamón ibérico paleta; Sobrassada Con Miel, a spicy andouille sausage spread from Mallorca, is served on a fresh baguette with tomato honey; and Tosta Matrimonio with white & black anchovies, parsley and fried egg compound butter.
The charcuterie selection includes a rotating assortment of Spanish sourced jamóns and quesos, featuring Cinco Jotas Paleta, premium acorn-fed jamón from Spain; Jamón Serrano; Chorizo Ibérico, a spicy sausage from Spain; and Jamón de Pato, a duck breast jamón cured in-house at ZURiTO. Quesos include Garrotxa, a semi-firm goat cheese and Urdina, a blue sheep’s cheese from the Basque region.
Small plates from the Meat & Fish section include highlights such as Carrillera de Terna, braised beef cheek inspired by Borda Berri and La Cuchara de San Telmo in San Sebastián, is served with apple-potato purée and fried garlic scallion oil; Hamburguesa Donostiarra, grass-fed grilled mini burgers topped with chorizo tomato jam, caramelized and pickled onions; Navajas a la Plantxa, local razor clams from Duxbury with arbequina olive oil and kkaennip (Korean perilla leaf) and Risotto de Mar, an orzo risotto made with squid ink, lobster broth, and goat cheese, echoing flavors found throughout San Sebastián.
Larger plates include the Chuleton, a 32 oz bone-in ribeye inspired by Bar la Cepa, served with hand-cut steak fries; Rodaballo Plantxa, a whole roasted Spanish turbot, sourced from a purveyor who imports it directly from Spain, and served family-style, much like the popular seafood spot Sebastian’s; and Langosta, a locally sourced grilled lobster, left in the shell and prepared with Txakoli, Espelette, and fresh citrus.
WINE & COCKTAILS
ZURiTO’s Wine Director Nader Asgari-Tari, previously of Lala Rokh and Bin 26 Enoteca, curates the globally inspired wine program, which showcases specific growers and winemakers who challenge the established norm in the wine industry. With over 400 bottles, their wine list features rare vintage sourced from Andy Cartin’s personal wine collection. Spanish wines play a prominent role on the menu, and the selection spans diverse regions, highlighting Pere Mata, an indigenous varietal of cava; Envinate, a plum wine from the Canary Islands; Burgundies such Chanterêves and Pierre Morey; and distinctive sherries from Valdespino. By the glass options include vino blancos such as Xarmant Arabako Txakolina 2022; vino tintos such as Bodegas Mustiguillo El Terrerazo Mestizaje Tino and vino espumosos such as Permetal L’Origine ‘Brut Nature.’
The cocktail program is curated by Director of Spirits Oscar Simoza (currently of jm Curley, Bogie’s Place, The Wig Shop). The beverage program features a lineup of innovative cocktails, featuring wine and sherry, reflective of the Basque region. The cocktails are carefully served over large-format ice or, for certain selections, no ice at all, allowing the flavors to shine with playful names taking inspiration from Spain and Boston. Cocktail highlights includes Campi, an herbal cocktail similar to a negroni, with orange wine, strawberry infused campari, made in-house, citrus and topped with paprika and basil oil; Rojo Eso Si Que Es, a sour, named in honor of the Red Sox, with canton ginger liqueur, lemon, bitters, egg whites, and served with a side of red wine to pour at your own pace; ZURiTO + ME, their spin on a Carajillo includes Tempus Fugit Creme Banana, Mr. Black, Licor 43, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, nutmeg and salted foam; and 50/Cincuenta, is a briney sweet spirit forward cocktail made with Iberico fat-washed olive oil vodka, housemade red pepper shrub and Iberico oil.
THE DESIGN
ZURiTO, which takes over the iconic previous Bin 26 Enoteca space, is designed in collaboration with Babak Bina and the award-winning local architecture firm Bergmeyer, artfully merges traditional Basque elements with contemporary touches to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from the rustic pintxo bars of San Sebastián, the interiors feature exposed wooden beams and custom stonework pattern painted by artist Mark Grundig, reflecting the imagery the BCB3 team encountered in the Basque region. The zinc-clad pintxos counter invites a casual dining experience while fostering a lively, social setting with communal wooden tables, high-top seating, and ample bar space for standing—capturing the vibrant, communal spirit of Basque dining culture. Subtle touches of red and green tiles pay homage to the Basque flag, adding a modern, fresh twist to the traditional aesthetic.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ZURiTO is open for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5pm-10pm and Fridays from 5pm-11pm. Additional weekend service hours are forthcoming. Reservations are available via Resy. For more info, visit www.zuritoboston.com/ and @zuritoboston.
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