Chef from 'Chopped' opens

Evan Hennessey — the Dover-born chef who runs Stages at One Washington — is the owner behind the new Topolino project. (stages-dining.com) Topolino is listed at 9 River St., Suite 150 in Dover’s Waterfront District and the restaurant’s site shows an opening date of March 31, 2026. (topolinonh.com) The restaurant bills itself as a casual, community-focused Mediterranean spot with a vibrant dining room, a patio and a bar, and the site notes walk-in service with hours Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. (topolinonh.com) Menu descriptions published in local coverage say Topolino will emphasize small, shareable Mediterranean plates drawn from French, Italian, Spanish and North African traditions and will source ingredients from regional farmers and fishermen. (article.wn.com) Hennessey is a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist and a three-time winner on Food Network’s Chopped, and his fine-dining counter restaurant Stages serves an 8–10-course tasting menu for six guests. (stages-dining.com) Topolino occupies ground-floor space in a five-story building in the new Waterfront District development that includes apartments above and is being promoted as part of Dover’s effort to expand riverfront housing, parks and dining. (d2dr22b2lm4tvw.cloudfront.net) Stages has appeared on regional best-restaurant lists, and Hennessey has said Topolino is intended as a more casual complement to Stages rather than a replacement. (nerej.com)