clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

North End and Seaport Restaurants Vie for All-Alcohol Licenses

The City of Boston has a handful left to award.

Ducali Pizzeria & Bar in the North End
Ducali Pizzeria & Bar in the North End
Facebook

A group of Boston restaurants from the North End and Waterfront appeared at a city licensing board hearing Wednesday to plead their cases to be awarded one of the city's seven remaining all-alcohol licenses, according to Universal Hub.

With 11 applicants for the licenses (three of the original 10 have already been awarded), the North End restaurants are looking to upgrade their current wine/beer/cordials licenses, North End Waterfront reported, to be able to compete with restaurants that already have all-alcohol licenses.

If any of the North End restaurants — Cantina Italiana, ​Mare Oyster Bar, Trattoria di Monica, Ducali Pizzeria, Strega Ristorante, Antico Forno, and Carmelina's — is awarded a new license, its wine, beer, and cordials license would be returned to the city. The all-alcohol licenses, in contrast, are location transferrable and could be sold off (we're talking in the $300,000 range) if the restaurant closes.

Phil Frattaroli, the man behind Ducali and the forthcoming Cunard Tavern (which has reportedly already received one of the all-alcohol licenses), spoke at Wednesday's hearing, saying he had seen diminishing numbers of diners under his current license.

Gary Pappas of Cantina Italiana likewise said he booked fewer events at his restaurant because of the alcohol restriction of his current license. The North End's city councilor Sal LaMattina threw his support in the ring, saying the beer and wine licenses no longer support today's restaurant clientele.

Applicants from the Waterfront, which has seen tremendous recent growth in the restaurant department, include Aloft Lounge at 401 D St., Tuscan Kitchen at 53 Northern Ave. (not opening until summer 2017), and Lolita Cocina and Tequila Bar at 253 Summer St.

Strega Ristorante

379 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113 (617) 523-8481 Visit Website

Ducali Pizzeria & Bar

289 Causeway Street, , MA 02114 (617) 742-4144 Visit Website

Cunard Tavern

24 Orleans Street, , MA 02128 (617) 567-7609 Visit Website

Carmelina's

307 Hanover Street, , MA 02113 (617) 742-0020 Visit Website

Mare Oyster Bar

3 Mechanic Street, , MA 02113 (617) 723-6273 Visit Website

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Eater Boston newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter.