Wilson keeps it fresh at new eatery: Central Public House

Chef/proprietor Dennis Wilson is excited to bring a city dining experience and his 27 years’ culinary experience to Hopkinton.

A lot goes into opening a restaurant, and chef/proprietor Dennis Wilson, owner of Central Public House at 42 Main St., has created a unique dining atmosphere featuring living green walls, attractive furniture and lighting and a welcoming bar area, along with great lunch and dinner menu selections, including gluten-free options.

“I wanted to bring a city dining experience to the suburbs,” Wilson said, “a restaurant that would be inclusive and inviting whether our guests are celebrating an anniversary or a baseball game.”

He purposefully designed a menu of perhaps a dozen entrees and appetizers that change frequently, depending on food source availability and seasonality. This approach creates a sense of interest for patrons while keeping things fresh.

According to restaurant reviews online, his approach is a winning combination.

Wilson started his love affair with food at age 16, working the grill at various restaurants near his hometown of Springfield. At 22 he attended the Connecticut Culinary Institute.

He continued learning, taking on new roles and growing his culinary repertoire while working for various award-winning chefs in Boston and on Cape Cod.

In 2006, after years of fine-tuning techniques and styles, he took over the executive chef position at Boston’s Lenox Hotel. The pace was fast, and he was continually reimagining the infinite possibilities food has to offer. After seven successful years, he was approached by the Briar Group to open a venue in Boston’s Seaport District with a stand-alone restaurant named Gather.

Today, he is proud to bring his years of culinary experience to his own establishment.

His passion is evident. You may see him mingling with guests checking on their dining experience or catch him in the kitchen teaching and training his staff on the latest nuanced menu changes.

“As soon as the weather permits, we’ll be serving on the patio,” Wilson said with a smile. “I hope to incorporate more locally sourced ingredients from area farms then and plan to grow our own herbs in a rooftop garden. It’s all part of the excitement of having my own place.”

Wilson’s love of all things green is most evident with the unusual addition of “vertical” gardens to his restaurant décor. These living walls are managed by horticulturalists from Harding Botanicals in Southborough.

“As a youngster, I frequented my grandparents’ farm in Haydenville, Mass., and loved working among the plants, trees and shrubs,” he said. “I wanted to bring that outdoorsy feeling into my restaurant as well.”

Winter kitchen hours at Central Public House include Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Fridays until 10 p.m., with bar hours usually extending out by an hour. Saturday hours are 4-10 p.m. and Sundays from 4-9 p.m., with delicious brunch selections between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days.

Typically closed on Mondays, Central Public House will open at 7 a.m. on Marathon Monday. Parking behind the restaurant is available on Walcott Street.

Visit centralpublichouse.com to view menu selections or make a reservation through OpenTable, or call 508-625-2570.

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