Dunstan Tap & Table restaurant, the first substantial commercial development at Scarborough's Dunstan Crossing residential and commercial development, is under construction and should open in the spring, according to Michael Jacobson, principal and broker with King Real Estate in Falmouth.
The 90-seat restaurant, located at 1000 Portland Road (U.S. Route 1), will feature American pub fare. It's owned by Brian and Jen Brenerman, who also own Shays Grill Pub in Monument Square in Portland.
The Dunstan Crossing development by developer Elliot Chamberlain has 300 units, including single-family homes, condominiums and apartments, and is off U.S. Route 1 on Broadturn Road, the west side of Route 1's intersection with Route 9 (Pine Point Road).
The restaurant is part of the final, commercial, phase of the development called The Village at Dunstan Crossing. It's in a 3,500-square-foot freestanding building designed for the tenant.
"We had been looking for the right place to build our second restaurant in Scarborough for years, seeing the demand and population were there," Jen Brenerman said Tuesday. "We love having a regular clientele where we are able to establish relationships and welcome feedback, and being this close to a residential community was just the icing on the cake."
She said that Shays has had a regular following since Brian bought in in 2006, and "we feel that is a very important indicator of consistency and success."
She said working with Chamberlain and his development crew, as well as interior designer Tyler Karu and designer Nat Towl have been the experience fun and seamless.
Jacobson, who represented the Brenermans, said that what makes it an "exciting venture," is the accessibility of the Dunstan Crossing neighborhood off Broadturn Road.
He said the development still has commercial opportunities for office and retail, including an opportunity for an establishment with a drive-thru.