Fairhaven's Ice House Sold to Bocca Owner

Major changes are coming to the Ice House in Fairhaven.

When we first reported that the Ice House had shut down earlier this month, few would have guessed that the uber-local spot would sell so quickly.

While rumors had been swirling for weeks, the sale became official on Thursday afternoon. Lars Vinjerud II of Fleet Fisheries has sold the Ice House Bar and Grill in Fairhaven to Mario Ribeiro and Jake Galary.

Ribeiro, the owner of Dartmouth's Cask & Pig and Fairhaven's Bocca (formerly known as The Pasta House), will rename the restaurant SOCO Tavern.

What Kind of Food Will SOCO Serve?

"It will be very similar to what we are doing at Cask & Pig, but without the barbecue. We're going to bring in a pizza oven and make some cool pizzas," Ribeiro said. "We're still deciding on the style – maybe a bar pie or coal-fired pizza – but pizza will be a big focus, along with pub food, seafood and a raw bar."

Courtesy of Mario Ribeiro

Changes Coming

"We're going to keep the restaurant closed for a few months so we can spruce up the place. We plan to make some nice renovations inside – new furniture, a new bar top, new lights, new floors – and we're opening up the floor plan."

Currently, the Ice House consists of three distinct rooms: the Harpoon Room, the Ice House and the Garage. Ribeiro wants to bring all three together into one cohesive SOCO Tavern.

"That’s going to be the most important part. We need to create a natural flow between the three rooms and make it feel like one space," he said.

The bar inside the Harpoon Room will be removed and converted into part of the kitchen.

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Name Change to SOCO

Over the years, the Ice House has also been known as the Ice Chest, Rochester's and the Harpoon Lounge. It has long been a spot where Fairhaven locals come to relax and have a few drinks.

While Ribeiro and Galary want to maintain that hometown feel, they also hope to introduce SOCO to the entire SouthCoast.

"That's why we named it SOCO," Ribeiro said.

The target opening date is May.