DALTON, Mass. — A new restaurant is trying to fill the hole left by the iconic Dewey's Public House.

 

Robert Collins opened the Riverside Public House recently in the former pub.

 

Dewey's owner closed the restaurant in July to "prioritize his health and family," according to a Facebook post. 

 

"I was a longtime patron of Dewey's Public House, and I always admired the fresh food and the homestyle cooking and broad range of menu items that he always either had on his menu, or it was always evolving and changing," Collins said. "I felt like there was a hole in town that missed that farm-to-table/pub atmosphere in town."

 

Collins was able to negotiate with Joe Dewey to acquire the items inside the restaurant. He changed some things like the tables, lighting, and the menu, but still paid homage to some of the classics, like Dewey's Milltown Pizza.

 

He also plans to have some events with music and a special prime rib night.

 

"We started on Saturday nights having a prime rib special every Saturday. And basically we're just gonna go with it until it runs out. We fix so much prime rib, and when it's gone. It's gone," he said.