Former Dorrance Owner to Launch Mémère’s in Providence This October

In 2020, when The Dorrance in Providence shuttered its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patrons of the establishment lamented the loss of the fine dining establishment. After several years of laying dormant, owner Michael Lester is about to make his restaurant revival.

In October, Lester will open Mémère's, a French-inspired restaurant that pays homage to Lester's family and honors his grandmother. The new restaurant will open inside Neptune, the downtown Providence hotel previously known as The Dean. 

“It's going to be New England comfort with a French twist,” said Lester in a statement shared with the Boston Globe. “We kind of have Montreal during the week and Paris on the weekends. We'll jazz it up and go from a refined rusticity to more glitzy.”

At Mémère's, guests can discover items such as bread, chocolate crepes, poutine, steak frites, twice-baked potatoes, and tourtière pie — a savory, double-crusted meat pie made famous in Quebec. Guests can also enjoy a cheese cart and table-side bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal fish stew. The bar will include alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and a raw bar will appease seafood enthusiasts. Mémère's will also feature a rotating menu.

Mémère's will have a distinct identity that's not simply a reincarnation of The Dorrance. Lester told the Boston Globe that he envisions a “Casablanca vibes at night,” with a piano player, Sunday suppers that have large-format plates and family-style service, and themed parties.

Can Lester claim diners' hearts through a dynamic new concept? 

“He's Providence's original bon vivant,” said Jesse Hedberg to the Globe. Hedberg previously worked for Lester as the bar manager at The Dorrance. He now co-owns Club Frills, a cocktail bar, and Pizza Marvin, a pizza shop.

Lester “is hospitality to a T,” said Ed Davis to the Globe. Davis is a former sous chef at The Dorrance who now owns Debbie's, a hot dog and hoagie shop in downtown Providence.