Cambridge chef and restaurateur Will Gilson is bringing his Puritan playbook back to where it all started. Puritan Tavern, a casual offshoot of his Cambridge flagship, is set to open in the center of Groton later this summer in a brick building that once housed the town fire station. The goal is not a special-occasion temple of dining, but an everyday neighborhood hangout that is family friendly, informal, and firmly grounded in the kind of farm and event work that helped launch Gilson's career.
According to Boston Magazine, Puritan Tavern will be a casual spin on Puritan & Co., slated to open in late summer 2026 with a menu of classic New England staples alongside tavern-style plates, raw-bar offerings, and a kids menu. The two-story space will feature a laid-back bar, a main dining room, and an upstairs event area for about 60 guests, with an 80-seat patio expected to follow next year. Boston Magazine also notes that the restaurant will take over a former Groton fire station, most recently the Station House, and that Gilson hopes the renovation respects the work the McElroy family already put into the property.
Hometown ties and the Herb Lyceum
Gilson's family has been farming and hosting events in Groton for decades. The town's business association, the Groton Business Association, lists The Herb Lyceum as a local venue run by the Puritan team. The Lyceum's 19th-century carriage house was destroyed in a September 2024 fire, per WCVB, pushing the family to cater events out of Cambridge while they consider rebuilding. Puritan Tavern is being framed as both a nearby base for that catering work and a way to revive the communal tasting-menu dinners that once defined nights at the Herb Lyceum.
Where it will sit
Puritan Tavern will occupy 20 Station Ave, a two-story brick building that historically served as Groton's fire station and later became the Groton Station House event venue, according to Groton Station House. Commercial listings for 20 Station Ave describe the property as a renovated, turnkey restaurant and event space with ample parking, per LoopNet. In other words, Gilson is stepping into a building that is already set up for exactly the kind of hybrid restaurant-and-events operation his team runs.
Menu, events and timeline
Gilson characterizes Puritan Tavern as a middle lane between white-tablecloth splurges and fast-casual counter service, centering classic New England comfort dishes such as baked cod, chowder, and prime rib, plus tavern sandwiches and an oyster-forward raw bar, according to Boston Magazine. The upstairs event room is slated to hold up to 60 guests and is intended to bring back the Herb Lyceum's communal tasting dinners in a new setting, while the patio is planned to open the following season. Boston Magazine presents the Tavern as both a neighborhood gathering place in downtown Groton and a practical home base for the Gilson family's event business.
What happens next
The restaurant's website is currently a "Launching Soon" landing page where locals can sign up for updates at puritantavern.com. Construction and design work are underway to convert the former fire station into the new Puritan outpost, and Gilson has indicated that getting this first location open is the priority before considering any expansion. As late summer approaches, reservation details and an official opening date are expected to be posted on the website.
