GOOD BUD: DISCUSSING ROSEBUD DINER’S SECOND LIFE

Now that the iconic Davis Square eatery Rosebud Diner is making a comeback as Rosebud American Kitchen & Spirits, we spoke with chef and partner John Delpha (Pizzeria Posto, The Painted Burro) who was enjoying his own mid-summer excursion when we fired some questions his way. Get ready for a whole new Rosebud. Late summer.

What are you going for with the new concept?
With Rosebud American Kitchen & Spirits, we’re looking to bring a casual neighborhood spot to Davis Square where guests can be just as comfortable taking the kids in sweats after a soccer game as they are toasting the weekend with friends on a Saturday night.

Have there been efforts made for preserving history? It’s an iconic spot.
We’ve lovingly refreshed the front diner car and kept the original signage in place.

It’s been around a long time. Any interesting glimpses into its past?
During the build-out, we uncovered the original structure of Jaunty Jack, a restaurant that predated the diner in the early 1940s. We’ll use this area as part of our dining space.

Nice. Okay, let’s talk food. I know it’s early, but any details?
Folks can expect regional, homestyle comfort food from across the U.S.

Any plans to support local with your products?
We [are] absolutely [going to] work with local farms to source produce, meats, and other ingredients. That local mentality [will be] behind the bar as well.

Hopes for how the new Rosebud will exist in Davis Square?
Davis Square is a dynamic neighborhood with lots of personality. Our sibling restaurants, The Painted Burro and Pizzeria Posto, have become fixtures in the community and through them we’ve come to understand what the area needs. Our goal is to become part of the fabric of the neighborhood as a simple, laid-back, yet lively [dining] experience for all.

ROSEBUD AMERICAN KITCHEN & SPIRITS. SLATED FOR LATE SUMMER. 381 SUMMER ST., SOMERVILLE.

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DAN MCCARTHY

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Dan McCarthy is a Boston-based journalist and and former editor in chief of DigBoston, whose work has appeared in The Boston Institute for Non-Profit Journalism (BINJ), VICE, The Boston Globe, Esquire, The Daily Beast, Thrillist, Fast Company, Pacific Standard, Leafly News, and more.