Acclaimed Chef George Mendes Will Open Two South End Restaurants in 2026

George Mendes in the future Agosto space. / Photo by Tim Grafft

Chef George Mendes, who owned the Michelin-starred Aldea for over a decade in New York City, wants to thank the city of Boston, now his chosen home. Lucky for local diners, that “thank you” entails the opening of a duo of South End establishments next year. Agosto, an intimate, tasting-menu-focused restaurant with a chef’s counter, will debut around summer 2026, followed by an adjacent bakery-café, Baby Sister, later in the year. Both will weave Mendes’ Portuguese heritage—his parents came from Portugal, raising him in Connecticut—with lessons learned from culinary mentors around the globe. The sense of belonging he’s found since moving here with his family in 2023 ties it together, and Greater Boston’s fantastic farm-to-table ingredients don’t hurt.

When Mendes arrived two years ago as opening chef of Amar in the luxury Back Bay hotel Raffles, the longtime New Yorker was impressed with what he could source locally, particularly the seafood, and Boston quickly became home, with his family settling in the South End. He and the hotel parted ways earlier this year, but as Mendes and his wife and business partner Suzanne said back in May, “We love it here.” At the time, the couple hinted at plans for these two new projects, and now there are details to share.

Opening first, Agosto: Located in a former dry-cleaning space, the 45-seat restaurant will feature a chef’s counter with a tasting menu. “The experience is built around proximity to the ingredients, technique, and story behind the food,” says George. (There will also be an à la carte menu available in the bar area.) The name is “deeply personal,” inspired by family, he says. Portuguese for “August,” Agosto refers to the month George and Suzanne met and were later married—and their son’s name is August, too. More broadly, “it’s meant to be evocative of connection and creativity in the warmth of late summer,” adds Suzanne. “Especially true in our time in New England, August is when things are most warm and vibrant; there’s a sense of ease and joy, the beauty of slowing down.”

While Agosto’s roots are Portuguese, George will incorporate influences that’ve shaped his career, from New York fine-dining precision to French technique to free-spirited Spanish creativity. (His resume includes time at Arpège in Paris, stages at Spain’s acclaimed El Bulli and Martín Berasategui, and more.) And Portuguese cuisine itself converges with other cultures, which will be represented at Agosto, says George. Minimalist, clean flavors and presentation—punctuated by New England seafood—nod to Japan, for instance, while the chef looks to Macau and Goa for masalas, piri piri, and more, calling back to the 15th-century Portuguese spice trade. His time running Aldea, which closed in 2020, solidified his love of creating intimate dining experiences, which he’s excited to embrace again here.

“Agosto looks forward as much as it looks back,” says George. “It’s intended to be a layered and mature culinary voice,” blending past influences with everything he loves about Boston. “It’s been a gift to be so close to such high-quality ingredients,” says George. “Here we’ve got some of the freshest seafood in the country, plus incredible local sourcing through beautiful, sustainable farms.” Beyond ingredients, “I’ve really experienced the importance of community and connection here, two values that will be threaded through both Agosto and Baby Sister.”

As for the bakery-café, opening after the restaurant, the name Baby Sister is also equal parts familial and a more general evocation of the business’ personality. It’s a nickname for George and Suzanne’s daughter, but “it’s not meant to be sentimental,” says Suzanne. “It’s really spirited, a bit irreverent. It’s a wink to the younger sibling who breaks the rules and keeps everybody on their toes. The café won’t take itself too seriously, even though the food’s seriously good.” The goal is to bring that same dinner-service level of care to everyday café fare, with a wide variety of house-baked goods. Think: Portuguese pastries (here’s George’s recipe for pastéis de nata, Portuguese egg tarts), sourdough loaves, and baguettes, not to mention breakfast sandwiches, some lunch options, and a bit of dinner available into the early evening.

For those who will swing by Baby Sister a few times a week for a loaf of bread and those who will celebrate special occasions at Agosto’s chef’s counter, the businesses are “a way of saying thank you for welcoming Suzanne and me,” says George. “Our daughter was born here. We’ve been welcomed so warmly, meeting so many families in the South End. [Agosto and Baby Sister] are meant to be a lasting part of the neighborhood, something with a heartbeat. They’re a reflection of my journey and all that has influenced me as a chef, culminating in the city of Boston at this moment and with my family.”

1673 and 1679 Washington St., South End, Boston.