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In the fall, Boston-based real estate developer Redgate opened Gibson Point in Revere, a 291-unit apartment community designed to appeal to those looking for more of a lifestyle change. One way in which Gibson Point is different from the traditional apartment community? This one will include its own restaurant, Mila’s, helmed by Michael Aldi, owner of the Aldi Companies. With day-to-night offerings, the restaurant will aim to capture both residents and visitors passing by on Route 1 South.

“One thing we’ve noticed—and this is a fact, based upon the work that we’ve done with Michael—is that the number-one amenity at an apartment building is an on-site retail,” says Damian Szary, a principal of Redgate, “particularly a good restaurant.” Seeking to fill a need for those looking to expand their work-from-home life into café culture, Redgate has collaborated with North Shore restaurateur Michael Aldi, who is the mastermind behind Dryft, VIVI’s Tapas Bar, and Fine Line, and who has once again brought in the group’s executive chef, Adriano Silva, to run Mila’s kitchen.

“We do have an authentic pizza oven built in the space,” Aldi says. The plan, he says, is to “tap into the pizza market.” But the restaurant hopes to have a more diverse reach, too. The building, he notes, has many health and wellness initiatives, and the hope is for Mila’s to fit within that milieu. “We’re going to try to bring some healthier options to the menu, and stay in line with that specific property,” he says.

During the day, Mila’s will be a grab-and-go concept, allowing for made-to-order items as well. “People want a coffee and something packaged, or made to order,” Aldi says. “And then, we also want to use the space for the residents as a kind of workspace. This could be an ideal situation, where residents come down with their computers. We will have charging stations, we will have power in all the booths. So they can sit in the restaurant while actually doing their work.” Aldi envisions a concept like that of Boston’s Tatte’s Bakery & Café, an all-day spot offering fresh baked goods, coffees, juices, sandwiches, soups, salads, and grain bowls.

A new model

At night, the restaurant will change into a more formal atmosphere, where both residents and community members can dine on-premises at a proper restaurant. The idea, Szary says, is to redefine what residents expect in their immediate communities. “It helped in the leasing process,” Aldi adds. “It’s starting to pave the way for the future of these new multifamily developments. People don’t want to drive to go out and eat. They want to go grab a drink with their wife. I think it plays a large role where people are living now.”

Although some developers shy away from integrating dining into housing developments, Szary counts that as a mistake. Redgate has built the cost of Mila’s into its operation, offsetting the initial cost of starting a restaurant. “We don’t want to overburden Michael with high rents or require him to put tons of money in to build a space out,” Szary says. “So we kind of absorb a lot of those costs into the overall development, and that’s just something that most people don’t do.” The result is a restaurant, Szary notes, that is set up for success from the outset.

Day and night dining

As for the menu, breakfast will include items like savory croissants and muffins, a rotating variety of bagels with cream cheese, and house-made juices. During the day, Mila’s will offer dishes like an Okinawa Sunrise Hash, with Okinawa sweet potatoes, quinoa, peppers, onions, beets, a fried egg, and avocado crema; a cauliflower club on a potato roll, made with cheddar cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and coleslaw; and a Harvest Bowl, made with apple, feta, baby kale, dried cranberries, butternut squash, hummus, and an apple cider vinaigrette.

The pizza oven will be hard at work, churning out a mushroom pie (featuring oyster, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms, as well as spinach, fontina cheese, and garlic crema), a meatball pie with stracciatella, and a vegan barbecue-roasted cauliflower pizza. And evening diners can also indulge in small plates, like a caramelized onion and roasted beet dip, served with za’atar pita, feta, and garbanzo beans; a hanger steak bruschetta, with sweet onions and creamy gorgonzola dulce; and firecracker shrimp with a blue cheese crumble and ranch dressing.

But one thing remains true, no matter what time of day guests visit Mila’s: The meal they experience is sure to be delicious.

livegibsonpoint.com