The owners of Lampo, the cozy Neapolitan pizzeria in Belmont, first started conceptualizing the idea of a local-farm-centered steakhouse after hearing from area producers that they were frustrated with the distribution process.
Enter Prime 109, a steakhouse bent on highlighting products from three cornerstone farms, which is slated to open in May in the former Bank of America space on the Downtown Mall. The restaurant will buy whole animals from farmers, a processor will do a basic breakdown of the animal, and Prime will finish dry-aging the beef and prepare individual cuts in-house.
A butchering area and the main production part of the kitchen will occupy a space on the far left of the 109-seat restaurant, and diners will have the opportunity to sit at the chef’s table in front of a custom-built, wood-fired grill from Corey Blanc, of Blanc Creatives, or at a table underneath an antique gilded ceiling.
The Prime 109 team wants to enhance the character of the space, built in 1915, by bringing in antique materials and putting down maple flooring from an 1860 building. New additions to the space include a carrara marble staircase.
“There’s something about the classic grandeur of a bank like this, and concept of the classic American steakhouse, that really fits well together,” says Prime 109 co-owner Loren Mendosa.
We suggest starting the stakeout now.