Hilltop Steak House property sold, new restaurant planned

A new restaurant and shopping plaza has been proposed for the Hilltop Steak House lot on Route 1 South, Wicked Local/Saugus reported.

On Oct. 28, Hilltop attorney Peter Rossetti Jr. came before the Board of Selectmen to announce that the property owned by High County Investors had been sold, and to request a renewal of the existing liquor license.

Developer Ross Hamlin said he plans to demolish the Hilltop Steak House restaurant and rebuild a 200-plus seat restaurant and shopping center on the property, starting as early as April of next year.

If construction begins in April, Hamlin estimated an October 2015 finish date for the project.

Hamlin told the board that the restaurant will be a full-service, family-friendly establishment with white tablecloths.

While Rossetti and Hamlin would not disclose the buyers name or specific plans for the restaurant or space, Hamlin did say there will probably be some steak involved. That, and the giant neon cactus sign will remain.

The new structure will be built further back from Route 1 South than the existing structure is presently situated. Hamlin said the restaurant will stand alone, and that the shopping center will be located in the back.

Selectman Steve Castinetti supported a liquor license renewal.

The Hilltops been a good neighbor to this town. The cactus put us on the map for many, many years, said Castinetti. People knew the Hilltop all over the country. And as such, they were good to us, I think we need to be good to them.

The selectmen were prepared to vote in favor of renewing the liquor license through 2014, but realized they would vote on that next month when all the licenses come up for renewal. After some discussion, board members simply referred the update to their files.

Go here to see the original:
Hilltop Steak House property sold, new restaurant planned