SWAMPSCOTT — G Bar and Kitchen has been a landmark on Humphrey Street since it opened in April 2008, bringing a fine-dining experience to the small beach town. Now, though, owner and chef Gregg Brackman has something more planned.
This summer, customers will be able to enjoy a meal in G Bar’s new bar and dining room, or pick up something to bring home at Little G, a gourmet neighborhood market, in the next-door space which used to house Newman’s Bakery.
“I like to think of it as a ‘food resort,’” Brackman said. “You can have your fine dining, with the white tablecloth and bottle of wine, or go next door and have a pizza and a craft beer, and on your way out pick up a couple prepared meals.”
Brackman says he had always wanted to expand the restaurant, but the timing never felt quite right. When Newman’s closed and the space went up for sale, he seized the opportunity, removing his old walk-in refrigerator to build a new, shared kitchen between the two dining rooms.
Working with local contractors Double D Construction, Brackman has been fixing up the space for the past six months. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, he said that construction materials have sometimes been up to four times more expensive than before, forcing the crew to get creative with how they decorate.
The new bar, along with a set of sliding barn doors that separate the dining area from Little G, was constructed using old floorboards. More of the repurposed wood went to creating wall decorations, with Brackman enlisting local artist Nate Fontes-Fried to build a huge fish to hang above the bar. They have also installed an exposed-brick wall, unearthed from a wall of plaster, in the market space.
“You have to get creative with what you have. It’s really a blessing in disguise,” Brackman said.
“Sometimes it’s not about buying what’s new and hot. It’s about using things and giving them a second life.”
In addition to the casual dining menu, Little G will offer prepared meals, drinks, meats and cheese, oils, and other gourmet items. Customers will be able to enter through the market’s separate entrance, or will be able to request items to pick up on their way out while enjoying a meal in one of the dining rooms.
Brackman said that during the pandemic, the restaurant has had to get used to offering takeout, pivoting from its usual fine-dining experience. While the restaurant shutdown last March was a shock, Brackman said he and his team were able to rework their model and menu; on the second Saturday, they sold over 500 dinners.
He said that he has put his heart and soul into the restaurant’s expansion, just like he and his staff do with everything they create. While it has been a lot of work, Brackman said that he is confident when the new space opens in mid to late June, it will all be worth it.
“I’m confident in the community, the product we put out, and the staff,” he said. “I know it’s all going to come back with happy faces and new relationships.”
