By Rod Lee

Not only did Bill and Jess Sabine realize a dream with the opening of The Rose Room at 4 E. Main St. in Webster in November of 2018, they have now taken a bold new step forward by launching a companion business—Andy’s Neighborhood Canteen.

Run by Mr. Sabine, Andy’s is located at 9 Frederick St., just a short hop from The Rose Room.

Situated in a building that formerly housed a brewery, Andy’s has been in operation for less than a year. The facility, with a first and second floor and an outdoor seating area, suits Bill Sabine’s designs perfectly.

Word is getting around about Andy’s.

“People are still finding us,” Mr. Sabine said on July 30th.

He sees Andy’s as an extension of what the couple began with The Rose Room, a café and tonic bar. The Rose Room with its concentration on locally sourced meat, dairy, grains, flour, eggs and produce from farms throughout the Northeast has already proven popular with customers. So much so that Bill and Jess say on their website “the impact this café has had in its short life has been indescribable.”

Mr. Sabine’s intention is for Andy’s to exert similar influence on the food and beverage scene in South County and Central Massachusetts.

Andy’s draws on his more than twenty years’ experience in the industry, from his days starting out as a manager, server and bartender in Hoboken, New Jersey, to other stops along the way: as service director at Sheridan Square in New York City; as general manager at The Pearl Restaurant and the Dune Restaurant on Nantucket; as front-of-the-house manager at the East Ender in Portland and bartender/MOD at the Liquid Riot Bottling Company, also in Portland.

A graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a major in Architecture, he is versed in all aspects of the culinary trade including Operations, Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Wine & Spirits and Customer Service.

“During the week I open when The Rose Room closes, for people to get a bite to eat, shoot pool,” Mr. Sabine said. “This space was built out for when [Brian Kretschmann of KBC) was brewing. 

“We do trivia on Thursday nights, music on Fridays. We are starting a comedy series the second Saturday of the month, upstairs on the stage. That begins Saturday, August 13 with Matt Devlin hosting from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.”

Andy’s also offers a $6 sandwich night on Wednesdays, to go with a wide selection of draught beer, cocktails, sandwiches, snacks and “sweet treats” from The Rose Room.

As part of its regular entertainment, the Evan Wood Trio is scheduled to perform on August 12 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Christopher Listorti on August 19th from 7:00 to 10:00.

Since meeting on Nantucket, marrying and having a child, Bill and Jess Sabine have returned to her native area of Dudley and brought to fruition their separate visions of owning a restaurant/café.

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