The inside of by CHLOE. Back Bay is full of modernist furniture, neon signs and tropical plants. Almost everything about the restaurant is post-worthy, from the plush chair swings, where customers sit snapping Instagram pictures, to the vegan meals.
The Back Bay location, Boston’s third by CHLOE. store, opened its doors on Aug. 28 following the three year anniversary of the flagship by CHLOE. restaurant in New York City.
“We have been waiting for a location in the Back Bay since we first set eyes on Boston,” said Samantha Wasser, co-founder and creative director of by CHLOE. in a press release. “We’re so thrilled to finally call Boylston Street our home, and there is no better time to open our doors than in the Fall when this beautiful and historically-rich neighborhood comes to life.”
The Back Bay location features by CHLOE.’s signature vegan menu, which includes plant-based burgers and the full line of CHILL, by CHLOE.’s signature dairy-free ice cream.
Alvimar Reis, one of the managers of the new location, previously worked at one of the store’s locations in New York City before moving back to Boston to help with expansion.
“Since I have family here, and I’m originally from here, I decided to move with the company and help them build the company up here,” Reis said. “They decided to build one up in this area because there’s nothing close around here — we have one in Fenway Park and one in Seaport, so they decided that this location is the perfect location for a new by CHLOE. in Boston.”
The growing restaurant chain is unique, he said, in that everything on the menu is vegan and is sourced from facilities where production is strictly monitored so that there is no cross-contamination with animal products. Company policy won’t even allow people to bring other food into any by CHLOE. location if it contains animal products, he added.
“We don’t deal with anything that has to do with animals,” Reis said. “We have customers sometimes that want to sit in our outside tables that ordered from [somewhere else], sometimes we have to tell them, ‘Sorry, but we cannot allow that,’ and they get mad.”
Reis said although business started out slow, the location is gaining new customers every week.
“The first week was kind of mellow, and then [Labor Day] comes, and people leave the city,” Reis said. “But this week … is looking really good right now.”
Michael Loguidice, 52, said that he will frequent the Back Bay location because of its affordability, food quality and convenience.
“This is my second time at by CHLOE. [Back Bay],” the Beacon Hill resident said. “I like it, I was really happy that they added it, because it’s healthy, it’s really good food and it’s not expensive. I didn’t know it was all vegan until the second time. It’s good, I would usually think there’s a little bit of a sacrifice for flavor in vegan food, but not too much here.”
Eliza Midkiff, of Brighton, said she is grateful to have a by CHLOE. location closer to her.
“I go to school at Fisher [College], which is two blocks away, and I think this is so convenient for me,” said the 22-year-old. “The atmosphere inside is really interesting, it’s a lot different than everything else on this street, and it’s the only vegan option around here, which is awesome and gives me more variety.”
Kate Weiser, a senior at Boston University, runs the popular Instagram account, @bucketlistboston. The account is a “virtual guide to all things Boston” and features local food and things to do around the city.
Weiser said having a by CHLOE. location nearby will make vegan options more accessible.
“I like that [by CHLOE.] normalizes vegan food and makes it accessible to anyone that may not like to eat vegan, or may assume there’s certain stereotypes or stigmas that go along with that kind of eating,” Weiser said. “It makes it easy to come in and eat what kind of foods you like and find something that works for you.”
While the by CHLOE. team continues to promote their newest location, Reis said there is already talk of a fourth location opening its doors in Boston.
“[The Back Bay location] is still new for Boston, but we’re getting where we need to be,” Reis said. “They’re already looking for another place to open a new location. Nobody knows where and when it’s going to happen, but they’re already working on it.”
