Wood-n-Tap to open first restaurant in Massachusetts

The Wood-n-Tap restaurant chain is crossing the border into the Bay State, becoming the latest Connecticut-based group to branch out into Western Massachusetts.

Co-founders Phil Barnett and Mike Hamlin announced this week that they’re planning to open a restaurant in West Springfield, Mass., where a new Wood-n-Tap will take the place of the former Carrabba’s Italian Grill at 955 Riverdale St. The renovation of the building will eventually feature a wraparound centerpiece bar, indoor seating for 300, and a new 2,800-squarefoot patio with planned seating for 120 guests.

“Mike and I have grown the business step by step since 2002, and we agreed it was time to step out of the box and go over the border into Massachusetts,” Barnett said in a statement.

The casual dining brand offers burgers and sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, salads, tacos, steaks and seafood, with seasonal menus, craft cocktails and extensive beer, wine and spirits options.

The West Springfield restaurant will open later this year, joining Wood-nTaps in Enfield, Vernon, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, Farmington, Southington, Hamden and Wallingford. Barnett and Hamlin’s Hartford Restaurant Group also owns and operates Que Whiskey Kitchen, a barbecue eatery in Southington.

Another Hartford-based restaurant group will debut its brand in Springfield shortly. Gina Luari’s Statement Group is putting the finishing touches on its latest The Place 2 Be location, in the former Samuel’s Tavern space at 1000 West Columbus Avenue.

The Place 2 Be will join two other restaurants with Connecticut roots at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, including Max Tavern and Plan B Burger Bar. Max Tavern is part of Hartford-based Max Hospitality, with seven restaurants in Hartford County (and a Max Burger in Longmeadow, Mass.)

Locals 8 Restaurant Group also owns and operates Plan B Burger Bars in Glastonbury, Milford, Simsbury, Southington and West Hartford, along with Tisane EuroAsian Cafe and The Half Door in Hartford and Farmington’s Butchers & Bakers.