Restaurant to be operated by acclaimed Executive Chef, Nick Dowling
PRESS RELEASE / July 10, 2024 (Medford, MA) – Medford, MA – The Great American Beer Hall, coming late this summer to Medford, MA, has announced its in-house restaurant concept, The Lantern. The name is inspired by Paul Revere’s midnight ride from Boston through the streets of Medford, in which he utilized lanterns and a pre-arranged signal to inform local militias that British troops were on the move.
The Lantern will be operated by General Manager & Executive Chef, Nick Dowling. Dowling’s focus will be fresh ingredients and bright flavors, delivered with vibrant execution. “As a long-time resident of Medford, I see The Lantern and The Great American Beer Hall as cornerstones of the foundation to this rapidly growing city,” said Dowling.
The Lantern will serve a variety of contemporary American dishes, including carefully constructed entrees, appetizers, sandwiches, salads and small plates. Its specialty will be the brick oven style pizza, with several unique pizza crust dipping options as a hallmark. The menu will be composed of harmonically thought out and carefully selected ingredients intended to satisfy all tastes.
Sample summer menu items include:
– Salads:
- Roasted Red Beet Salad – Clementine, Crushed Hazelnuts, Maldon Sea Salt, Lemon Oil, Wildflower Honey Crème, Chive
- House Caesar Salad – Cracked Tellicherry Peppercorn, House Caesar Dressing, Garlic Butter Brioche Crouton, Pecorino, Shaved Salt Cured Egg Yolk, Fresh Squeezed Lemon
- Baby Crispy Green Leaf – Little Leaf Farms Baby Green Leaf, Shallot, Cherry Tomato, Candied Pecan, Dried Dark Cherry, Great Hill Bleu, Radish, Croutons, Lemon EVOO Citronette
– Small Bites
- Lollipop Chicken Drums – All Natural Lollipop Chicken Drumsticks, House Made Duck Sauce, Spicy Brined, Hot Honey, Shaved Celery, Chive
o (Hold the duck sauce substitute: BBQ, Buffalo Sauce, Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning)
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread – Fresh Baked to Order, Course Ground Cornmeal, Kerry Gold Irish Butter, Lemon Yogurt, Cardamom
- Chilled Watermelon – Cucumber, Brown Butter Toasted Almonds, Key Lime Crème, Poppy Seed & Pea Tendrils
– Pizza
- The Cheese – House Marinara, Grande East Coast Blend Mozzarella, House Sourdough Crust
- Pepperoni – Liguria “Old World” Nitrite Free Crispy Cup Pepperoni, House Marinara, Grande Mozzarella, Sourdough Crust
- Rock Shrimp & Capicola – Garlicky Atlantic White Shrimp, Soubise, Mache Greens, Capicola, Guajillo, Chili, Lime
- Buffalo Chicken – Lightly Breaded Crispy Buffalo Chicken Breast, Blue Cheese, White Sauce, Mozzarella, Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning, Chive, Lime
- Split Pea, Crab & Speck – Chesapeake Blue Crab, Garden Pea Puree, Torn Fresh Mozzarella, Smoky Speck, Toasted Garlic, Cherry Tomato
- Heritage Pork Sausage & Ricotta – House Ground Heritage Pork Sausage, Herbed Ricotta, House Marinara, Marjoram, Toasted Fennel Seed, Myer Lemon
- Pizza Crust Dip: Blue Cheese Sauce, Peppadew Pepper (sweet & spicy), Duck Sauce, Smoked Poblano, Sweet Chili, Tarragon & Lime, BBQ, Avocado
– Entrees
- Brisket Burnt Ends – Smoked Brisket Caps, Bordelaise, Bleu Cheese, Radish, Shallot, Arugula, Citronette
- Cedar Plank Roasted Organic Salmon – Garlic & Brown Sugar Glazed Black Pearl Salmon Filet, Roasted Baby Yam, Dandelion Greens
The eatery will pay homage to Medford’s historic roots through a rustic yet modern design, creating an atmosphere that feels both timeless and contemporary. Whether you’re a local resident or visiting the area, The Lantern will offer a memorable dining experience that blends tradition with innovation. While sampling craft beers at The Great American Beer Hall, patrons can enjoy freshly prepared meals and a warm, welcoming ambiance at The Lantern.
In addition to its in-house dining service, The Lantern will be available for takeout and delivery. Interested customers can stay informed by following The Lantern on Instagram and Facebook, signing-up for GABH email updates via gabhall.com, or sending any inquiries to info@thelanternmedford.com.
About Nick Dowling – Operator & Executive Chef, The Lantern
Medford resident and Boston native Chef Nick Dowling will lead operations for The Lantern. Dowling has 24 years of experience in the industry. His debut restaurant, Snappy Patty’s, opened with great regional fanfare and notoriety. His famous creation the Patty Melt Slider and seasonal menus have been a staple of Medford since 2014.
By request, Dowling has cooked for and served many locally and internationally known public and political figures throughout the length of his career. Food critics ranging from The Boston Globe, Bon Appetite, The Improper Bostonian, Chronicle, The Phantom Gourmet and many more have given accolade to his culinary style and craft.
Dowling’s philosophy is that feeding others is the most personal connection we share, be it in our homes or as a community, and cooking should be inspired by that lens no matter the venue or scale. He began cooking as a young child, first by serving elaborate nightly dinners for his family, and then working for The Town Deli in Milton as a young teen. His skills in crafting pizza were honed throughout his career, cooking every style of pizza from South Shore Bar to wild yeast sourdough in authentic brick ovens.
Dowling refined his style while working as the Chef de Cuisine for Boston’s esteemed Franklin Restaurant Group. He has experience working in high volume environments, such as the historic and renown Daniel Webster Inn in Cape Cod, serving several weddings and thousands of guests in a single weekend.
“There are some chefs who touch food and all the flavors come alive. They know what to mix together, they know what customers want, and they’re not afraid to deliver heightened tastes. In that group is chef Nicholas Dowling.” – Boston Globe, 2018
About The Great American Beer Hall
The Great American Beer Hall will be located at 142 Mystic Avenue in Medford, MA. Mystic Avenue runs through the heart of Massachusetts’ Metro North and parallel to Interstate-93. Acting as a “gateway to Boston”, Mystic Ave’s potential as a thriving area of commerce and entertainment has long been a vision for the city of Medford.
The GABH is a 17,000 sq foot, tap room-style beer hall that will offer a wide array of New England’s most popular craft beers, plus select cocktails, seltzers, wine, domestic/imported beers, and non-alcoholic beverages. The GABH’s first floor features a 17,000 sq foot tap room / beer hall and a 4,800 sq foot outdoor beer garden. Interior and exterior mezzanine levels round out the facility’s design.
The GABH ownership group has deep roots on Mystic Ave, owning and operating a small business since the early 1960’s and making local real estate investments ever since. As Mystic Ave becomes a destination for people to live, shop and enjoy entertainment, the GABH seeks to help the city of Medford pioneer this redevelopment and drive sustainable future growth.
The Great American Beer Hall will serve as a local gathering spot that brings together the community and catalyzes a long-awaited reinvigoration of Mystic Ave. Patrons will come for the GABH’s New England craft beer selection, stay for its pizza and live music, and return for the social experience.
