Hamilton will get a new sushi and raw bar when Brine and Stave opens at 12 Lebanon Street by the end of November. Owners Alicia McGinnis and Josh White aim to fill what they see as a gap in the village’s dining scene: elevated, health-conscious food in a sophisticated atmosphere.
With more than 50 combined years of restaurant experience, McGinnis and White are passionate about sharing good food and a strong community. Drawing from their restaurateur backgrounds in New York City and Boston, Mass., McGinnis emphasized prioritizing high-quality food, curated wine options and individualized dining.
“We love food. We love good food. And there’s not enough of it,” McGinnis said. “We both miss real restaurants. It’s nice when you can walk out your door and be like … ‘I want to go to this place and then this other place.’ We want to bring a little bit of that here to urbanize a little bit, so to speak.”
She added that Brine and Stave will offer a clean, sophisticated atmosphere to complement its elevated menu.
“[We’re looking to] bring a little bit of urban here. Everything’s going to be kind of clean lines, no clutter. I’ve [worked] in everything from coffee shops to fine dining restaurants and everything in between. So, I like both. But if I go out to eat, I want to go to a nice place. I want someone who can tell me what wine’s going to go with that dish that they just ordered. I want that. So I want to bring that here,” McGinnis said.
Brine and Stave features both a grab-and-go cooler and a separate dine-in menu. The grab-and-go cooler offers rolls, onigiri and seaweed salad — available for takeout and on DoorDash — and the separate kitchen menu includes raw bar staples like oysters.
The establishment also offers low-ABV beverages in addition to craft mocktail and wine programs, curated and anticipated by McGinnis, a level two sommelier.
The interior seating features six tables and eight high-top barstools, presented in a clean and uncluttered design. Sophomore Ava Amaral commented on how this elevated dining option will impact her campus and village life.
“I’ve been waiting for a sushi spot to open in Hamilton since my first semester, and I’m excited to add a new, nicer spot to my local restaurant rotation. It’s also really exciting to tell my family and friends about village upgrades,” Amaral said.
A focus on fresh, unprocessed and health-conscious options is imperative to the restaurant’s concept. Seafood is sourced weekly from a trusted supplier with whom White has worked in the past, emphasizing his passion for raw and simple dining. For McGinnis and White, who have five children between them, the emphasis on nourishing and nutritious food is deeply personal.
“I don’t let my kids eat a lot [of fried food]. We don’t go out that often because [of that], so I do a lot of cooking at home for them. I want them to grow up knowing that that’s what real food is. I don’t want my kids to eat like that. So, why would I sell that? I want to sell what I want my kids to be eating,” McGinnis said.
Brine and Stave will open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and serve lunch Friday and Saturday. McGinnis discussed her desire to urbanize the small-town community by partnering with other local businesses to offer joint programs, such as a proposed dinner-and-movie night in collaboration with the Hamilton Theater.
“In a lot of ways, it’s a family thing. Food’s important. And I want to be that space where people feel nourished. And I don’t just mean food. Like, just nourished,” McGinnis said.
Brine and Stave will officially open for dine-in service by the end of the month, with the grab-and-go cooler coming even sooner.
