Boston’s nearly two-century old Charles Street Jail was converted into The Liberty Hotel in 2007. Award-winning Chef Lydia Shire took over the ground-floor restaurant space with Scampo (“Escape”). The bold contemporary design pays homage to the history of the building and sets the stage for Shire’s singular brand of upscale Italian cuisine.
The space was infused with a dose of chic modern Italian design to complement the brick walls and barred windows from the original architecture. Hearth-like at the center of the restaurant are two large u-shaped areas that define the space: the bar, and the glorious open kitchen.
The bar is topped with up-lit deep orange glass. Suspended polished copper fixtures not only light from within, but also reflect the light, color and movement around the bar area. Staying true to the importance of family meals in Italian culture, a warm copper open kitchen was designed for close interaction. Deep orange leather stools allow for diners to watch the culinary magic unfold.
The dining room cools toward its perimeter with beige leather dining chairs and minimalist table settings. On one side, the restaurant overlooks the interior courtyard of the hotel, while on the other, a wine room penetrates the restaurant from the hotel lobby and skews the predominantly rectangle shaped room.
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