Architecture and interior design firm PCA, working in partnership with celebrated chef and TV personality Tiffani Faison and her Boston-based restaurant group, Big Heart Hospitality, completed design for the 70s-and 80s-inspired restaurant Tenderoni’s Fenway. Located in Boston’s bustling Fenway neighborhood, Tenderoni’s Fenway features 140 seats, two bars, and an eclectic design inspired by the best of 70s and 80s nostalgia- and celebrating that era’s disco roller rinks and pop culture icons.
The new flagship Tenderoni’s Fenway expands upon her popular Tenderoni’s site within High Street Place, a downtown Boston Food Hall that opened last year. “I’m really excited about this brand and the enthusiastic response we’ve seen,” says Faison.“It is the kind of place where you can really let your hair down, and that fun spirit carries through in the menu, design, and atmosphere.”
To capture the eclectic vibe of a 70s and 80s disco roller rink, PCA’s team studied the period’s bold fashions, colors, graphics, and popular music culture. “We fell in love with the pure joy and energy that was such a big part of the roller rink experience,” said Dave Snell, a principal at PCA who led the restaurant’s design. “We clicked right away with Tiffani’s creative, unapologetic vision for Tenderoni’s Fenway dining and bar spaces, and we enjoyed working with her to bring these ideas into a lively, fun-based identity.”
PCA’s design celebrates the pop culture of the70s and 80s with a distinctive, recognizable style. The interior features colorful animal prints splashed everywhere, from furniture fabrics to wall and column coverings to accent pieces. Color-changing neon lighting creates an energetic mood and lights up the painted concrete floor’s curving stripes and period colors. Three mirror disco balls, hand-built by Omega Mirror Products of Louisville, Kentucky, the iconic fixture’s last American manufacturer, echo the disco roller rink’s visual experience. The furniture beneath the disco balls is movable, allowing an easy transition from seated dining to dance floor.
Much of the period artwork in Tenderoni’s Fenway comes from the collection of pop culture artifacts curated by Boston’s David Bieber Archives. The archives provided scores of wall posters, vinyl albums, record store and movie theatre displays, magazines, fanzines, and photos featuring the timeless music and pop culture personalities of the 70s and 80s. Local artist memorabilia– from New Edition and Donna Summer – join images of global icons David Bowie, Sylvester, Elton John, and the Village People.
Opened in November 2023, Tenderoni’sFenwayhas become a weekend drag brunch favorite for the ever-popular Sunday Service with featured hosts such as Pamela Manderson & Bruiser with resident DJ Coleslaw.
Tenderoni’s Fenway opens for dinner seven days a week at 5:00p.m. A new takeout window is in the works and will offer a convenient option for taking home lunch and dinner to-go, including the restaurant’s signature 2.5-foot pizzas.
About PCA
Founded in 1982, PCA is recognized as one of New England’s largest and most creative design firms. The staff brings an uncommon blend of business insight and creative problem-solving to each project. With expertise in architecture, planning, and interior design, PCA teams provide thoughtful, award-winning designs for hospitality, housing, retail, higher education, and mixed-use clients — making places that thrive in the marketplace and bring lasting value to the community.
About Big Heart Hospitality:
Big Heart Hospitality is a Boston-based restaurant group owned by Chef Tiffani Faison. Widely celebrated for its welcoming, fun, and transformative dining experiences, Big Heart Hospitality’s passion for bold flavors and exceptional hospitality is exemplified by its incredible roster of restaurants. Faison is the Season 3 winner of Tournament of Champions and a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Guy’s Grocery Games,” among other shows and specials.
