This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

Grasshopper Cafe Opens to 'Abundance'

Charlestown natives Lynne and Kevin Smith fulfill dream by opening a restaurant on Bunker Hill Street.

When Lynne Smith and her husband Kevin Smith opened the Grasshopper Cafe together on Jan. 29, they had no idea that they would attract enough customers to start a line waiting outside and clear out the kitchen cupboards well before the planned closing time.

It happened, however, and, as she says, “our lives have changed drastically for the better.”

This change is all the more drastic and their success more notable because neither have built their careers on entrepreneurship in the past; Lynne left her job of 18 years and her position as shift supervisor at the Ninety-Nine restaurant to open the Grasshopper, and Kevin is still employed as a custodian for the Boston Public Schools.

So why all this upheaval? Well, Lynne says it has been a longtime dream of her and her husband's to open a restaurant, and a profound experience of Kevin's with a grasshopper gave him the inspiration for the restaurant's theme.

As he says, “I had a moment of clarity in my life around a grasshopper. Growing up in the city, when you see a bug, you get rid of it. But I stepped over it this time, and since then it's been a symbol for me."

He also traces the restaurant's philosophy to the grasshopper on top of Faneuil Hall, since it both symbolizes crop fertility in new territories and is tied to a Boston landmark.

The city of Boston has played more than just a symbolic role in the restaurant's creation, however. Kevin explains,"I've really been given a second chance here."

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"We've put everything we've  had into the business, and the city and the mayor have really helped us,” he said.

He credits those institutions for assistance with permits and financing. But it's not just local government cooperation that gives the Grasshopper roots in Boston; both husband and wife are Charlestown natives, and many of the their menu items reference the neighborhood.

Standouts include the Annie Goat Hill Omelet, a dish named for a sledding hill in Charlestown that both Lynne and Kevin had fun on as kids. Then there's The Monument, named for the Charlestown landmark, and the Old Ironsides, a classic breakfast plate with eggs, pancakes, and a choice of breakfast meats. Lynne and Kevin also use the cafe for Charlestown events, most recently hosting a luncheon to support women's sober-living residences in Charlestown.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Giving back like that is one of the big parts of the spirit of the Grasshopper Cafe, and recognizing their good fortune is another. Both the Smiths frequently express their gratitude for the opportunities that life has given them, the success of their adult children, and the dedication and hard work of their staff.

Kevin sums up the restaurant best, saying, "All the plates are full of food. It's really about abundance."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Charlestown