Casual bistro opens in Keene's Central Square

Slate & Sage took over the space once occupied by Nicola’s, which closed in September.

Slate & Sage Modern Bistro has started serving customers in downtown Keene, opening Thursday afternoon at 11 Central Square, according to co-owner Beth Wood.

The new spot is scheduled to operate Mondays through Saturdays from 4-9 p.m. Wood said the restaurant is meant to offer a calm, moody setting for diners looking for a relaxed bistro experience, and that the menu is made up of dishes that are not offered at the couple’s other business, 21 Bar and Grill.

That restaurant, located at 21 Roxbury St., has been closed since June after a basement fire. Wood said she and her husband, Matt, still hope to reopen it eventually.

Slate & Sage took over the space once occupied by Nicola’s, which closed in September. 

The new spot is scheduled to operate Mondays through Saturdays from 4-9 p.m. Wood said the restaurant is meant to offer a calm, moody setting for diners looking for a relaxed bistro experience, and that the menu is made up of dishes that are not offered at the couple’s other business, 21 Bar and Grill.

That restaurant, located at 21 Roxbury St., has been closed since June after a basement fire. Wood said she and her husband, Matt, still hope to reopen it eventually.

Slate & Sage took over the space once occupied by Nicola’s, which closed in September. The Woods also own Birdies on Main Street.

Before opening day, the restaurant held a tasting event last weekend, and Wood said some early standouts included the Slate Caesar salad and the Fig & Pig flatbread. That item comes with goat cheese, fig jam, pancetta, prosciutto and arugula, and flatbreads can also be ordered on a gluten-free cauliflower crust.

Wood said the couple welcomed the chance to launch the new business after several difficult months tied to the fire at 21. She said the opportunity came at a time when they were eager to return to the daily pace of restaurant work.