Meritage

Overview
Overlooking the Boston Harbor, Meritage offers fresh, inspired cuisine impeccably matched to the primary characteristics of wine. Patrons are encouraged to choose the wine they wish to enjoy and then pick the dish that complements the wine flavors. The restaurant is the culmination of Chef Daniel Bruce’s 19 years as Chef for the Boston Wine Festival where he pairs more than 200 dishes each year with wines from around the world.

Meritage, located on the second floor of the Boston Harbor Hotel, is designed so all seating maximizes the expansive water views. Entering the restaurant guests are greeted by the sparkling black granite studded bar with quartzite, a room-length metallic silver-gray leather banquette and hand crafted lightening fixtures. Sleek, modern art, created specifically for Meritage by Chef’s wife, the artist Julianna Bruce, is displayed on the walls throughout the restaurant.

The restaurant name, Meritage, was inspired by Chef Bruce’s passion and talent in his ability to blend wine and food. Meritage is a wine term combining “merit” with “heritage” and refers to a specific category of high quality American wines made from the blending of the five traditional Bordeaux grapes.

Cuisine
Using local ingredients and imported specialty items such as Kobe beef, ostrich, partridge, New York State foie gras, Nantucket scallops and Vermont pheasant, Chef Bruce offers a changing menu of wine-friendly food. Every item on the menu is offered in either a large or small plate and matched with complementary wine flavors. When Chef Bruce creates a dish he begins with the wine and then creates a dish around the wine attributes, through a combination of contrasting, parallel and complementary flavors.

Wine
Meritage houses a 12,000 bottle wine collection boasting over 850 different varieties. 1,500 bottles are prominently displayed in custom Sub Zero cases throughout the restaurant.
The wine list mainly focuses on California Cabernets and Meritage blends from California but has excellent depth including a substantial list of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Italian and southern Hemisphere wines.