• Courtesy
• Off the Rails

A beloved space in St. Albans is heating up once again. Shawn Careau will open Off the Rails at One Federal on Thursday, October 27.

Off the Rails is the first solo restaurant for chef-owner Careau, 34, who has been in the industry since he was 14.

"It's wood-fired European fusion," Careau said. "I'm taking a lot of the European influences from places I've worked and loved," including Chittenden County restaurants such as Hinesburgh Public House, Waterworks Food + Drink, ¡Duino! (Duende), Bella Luna and Vermont Tap House.

The menu will offer a small selection of wood-fired flatbreads. "But you can do so much more than pizza in a wood-fired oven," Careau said. He hopes that his tapas-style shared plates, ember-seared steak, whole fish, crispy pork belly and fire-finished lamb shank will offer something new in Franklin County.

• Courtesy
• Shawn Careau

The restaurant at 1 Federal Street has been empty since before the pandemic, when the Old Foundry closed. Building owners Cheryl Boissoneault and Mark Ledoux recently refinished the 120-seat, multiroom dining space. With grant support from the City of St. Albans, Careau undertook a significant renovation of the kitchen, gutting it back to the brick of the 19th-century factory building and adding two wood-fired ovens.

Off the Rails will offer lunch, dinner and takeout every day except Wednesday. In the summer, Careau plans to host live music in the 150-seat brick courtyard.

"I bought a house in St. Albans Town at the start of the pandemic and realized the lack of variety up here," Careau said. "I think we can bring a little bit of culinary flair to this area."