Restaurant Opening Guide, Summer 2016: Boston Proper

So many summer openings in Boston proper were new locations of existing brands. We saw the openings of two more Sweetgreens, two more Clovers, and two satellite pop-up locations of FoMu, as well as the first Massachusetts arrivals of out-of-town brands Dig Inn and Lady M. Beard Papa's got a new location, as did Santouka Ramen, Pressed, and Emma's Pizza. A new Wahlburgers opened at Logan Airport, and Downeast Cider House expanded from Charlestown to East Boston. We also saw some familiar teams embark on new projects, such as the opening of Porto by the Trade team, Il Molo by the Frattarolis (Lucia), Doña Habana by the team behind Vejigantes and Merengue, and Dumpling Kingdom from the Dumpling Cafe and Dumpling Palace team.

Plus, Haley.Henry Wine Bar brought tinned seafood to Downtown Crossing, Lucy's American Tavern took over an old Hollywood Video space in Dorchester, Hi B3ar introduced Allston to Thai-style rolled ice cream, and lots more.

Below, find the rundown of everything that opened in Boston proper in summer 2016. Want to see what opened elsewhere in the Boston area? Head right this way. Interested in what's coming this fall? Check out the fall guide here.

Originally published on June 21, 2016. Date of most recent update appears above.

Table Of Contents (all h2's added automatically)

Allston

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Beard Papa's

This Japan-based bakery chain already had a local outpost in Chinatown, and it expanded to Allston this summer. It's the first store to open following a rebranding of the chain, so the interior looks different from existing shops. The specialty is cream puffs and other cream-filled pastries in a variety of flavors.

Address: 145 Brighton Ave.
Opening Date: Early July 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Rendering/Provided

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Dumpling Kingdom

It's a dumpling trio: Dumpling Cafe (Chinatown) and Dumpling Palace (Cambridge) have a new sibling in Allston. In addition to a variety of dumplings, Dumpling Kingdom serves a wide-ranging selection of Chinese food.

Address: 137 Harvard Ave.
Opening Date: Mid-July 2016
Online: No web presence yet

Image credit: Provided

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Hi B3ar

Yelp/Bryan M.

This is Boston's first Thai-style rolled ice cream shop, serving up ice cream that is flattened on a cold plate and scraped into pretty rolls and covered with a variety of toppings.

Address: 147 Brighton Ave.
Opening Date: Mid-August 2016
Online: Website

Image credit: Yelp/Bryan M.

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Iron Kitchen

This Asian fusion restaurant swiftly replaced Wabora Prime, which had only been open for about six months. Iron Kitchen serves dishes like beef, chicken, or pork with black pepper or teriyaki sauce; unagi rice; milk tea; and more.

Address: 164 Brighton Ave.
Opening Date: Late June 2016
Online: No web presence yet

Image credit: Google Maps

Back Bay

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Dig Inn

Provided

A "farm-to-counter" chain based in New York, Dig Inn highlights local and seasonable ingredients in dishes called "marketplates," green- or grain-based combinations with various proteins and vegetables. This location is its largest yet and the first to serve breakfast items, such as parfaits, quinoa waffles, and frittatas. The restaurant has communal tables, an open kitchen, and seasonal outdoor seating. Dig Inn's Boston location serves Counter Culture coffee and is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Next up, it'll expand nearby to the Prudential Center as well as Downtown Crossing.

Featured Coverage

• Meet Your Adorable New Back Bay Lunch Spot [Gallery]

Address: 557 Boylston St.
Opening Date: July 13, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Provided

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FoMu

With three permanent locations, dairy-free ice cream shop FoMu has also been popping up like crazy with temporary satellite locations. This one will be open through October 2, operating from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Address: 144 Newbury St.
Opening Date: Mid-August 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: FoMu in the South End/Facebook

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Lady M Cake Boutique

With locations in Asia, Canada, and the United States, Lady M has built up a following for its baked goods, especially its signature crepe cakes. There are also cheesecakes, fruit tarts, and other sweets. Prior to the Boston opening, the company popped up at Chatime in Chinatown, where customers could order cakes. The Boston space is currently takeout only; there is no seating. Cakes are available whole and by the slice.

Address: 304 Newbury St.
Opening Date: June 24, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: A Lady M location/Official Site

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Porto

A high-end Mediterranean restaurant from the Trade team (Jody Adams, Eric Papachristos, Sean Griffing). Look for dishes like seafood stew, fried smelts, a lobster roll, and more. There's also a patio with a full bar. Jon Sanchez, an alum of Ames Street Deli and Study, is onboard as chef de cuisine, and Trade's Elissa Rae is general manager and overseeing the wine list.

Featured Coverage

• Porto Will Be a Mediterranean Seafood Oasis in Back Bay [Gallery and Interview]

Address: 780 Boylston St.
Opening Date: July 11, 2016
Online: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: From left: Papachristos, Adams, Griffing/Provided

Grid View

• Porto in Back Bay. Photos by Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater.

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Santouka Ramen

About a year after opening its first Massachusetts location in Harvard Square, Japan-based Santouka announced an expansion to Back Bay. The space used to be home to Mentei. With seating for 16, it's smaller than the Harvard location, and as such, diners won't find a lot of non-ramen appetizers and entrees. The ramen offerings, however, will be more varied at the Back Bay location than at the larger Cambridge spot. A Seaport District location might be in the works next.

Featured Coverage

• A Ramen 'Mothership' Touches Down in Back Bay This Month [Interview]

Address: 66 Hereford St.
Opening Date: June 26, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Image credit: Rendering of Back Bay storefront/Provided

Beacon Hill

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Florina Pizzeria and Paninoteca

This casual pizza spot took over the former Derne Street Deli space. It sells pizza by the slice and by the pie; hot and cold panini; various starters, such as spinach squares and meatballs; salads; and pastas.

Address: 16 Derne St.
Opening Date: August 29, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

Chinatown

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Bao Bao Bakery

Shuttered for a couple of years, Bao Bao Bakery has moved across the street and reopened, courtesy of the Double Chin team. The shop sells barbecue pork turnovers, scallion buns, and lots more.

Address: 84 Harrison Ave.
Opening Date: July 16, 2016
Online: Facebook / Instagram

Image credit: Instagram

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Sakura Sunakku

This "Japanese snackery" serves ice cream-filled crepes (as well as savory crepes), shave ice, milk tea, and more.

Address: 42 Beach St.
Opening Date: August 6, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook

Image credit: Facebook

Dorchester

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Dorchester Brewing Company

What was once the M.A. Peacard Co. sheet metal building is now a giant brewing space (25,000 square feet) with a "pretty sweet tasting room," complete with cornhole, backgammon, and other games. Co-founded by Todd Charbonneau, Matt Molloy, Travis Lee, and Holly Irgens, Dorchester Brewing Company provides a collaborative environment for contract brewers.

Address: 1250 Massachusetts Ave.
Opening Date: July 21, 2016. Brewing began in late June.
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

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Lucy's American Tavern

Facebook

Now open in a former Hollywood Video space in Adams Village, Lucy's American Tavern — named for Lucy Stone, a Dorchester resident, suffragette, abolitionist, and the first Massachusetts woman to earn a college degree — serves a gastropub-style menu at an "affordable" price point. There are small snacks like pickled vegetables and mini corn dogs; starters like smoked wings and Mexican-style street nachos; burgers and sandwiches; and lots more. It serves lunch and dinner to start, with brunch launching at a later date.

Featured Coverage

• Lucy's American Tavern Will Bring American Comfort Food to Dorchester [Interview]

Address: 11 Granite Ave.
Opening Date: August 17, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Image credit: Rendering/Facebook

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Unchained Pizza

A February 2015 roof collapse in the building housing Unchained Pizza in Quincy shuttered the pizzeria, but the plaza is being rebuilt, and the restaurant could open by the end of 2016. Meanwhile, a new location opened this summer in Dorchester. Unchained offers a variety of pizza options, including gluten-free, as well as calzones, subs, wraps, and more.

Address: 960 William T. Morrissey Blvd. (The Marketplace on Morrissey)
Opening Date: September 13, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Image credit: Facebook

Downtown Boston

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Clover

Clover expanded with two Boston proper locations this summer. This one, an 88-seat space in the Financial District, is located inside Boston's first high-rise building, once a shoe factory. It serves as the flagship Boston location and has some special features that other Clovers don't have, like a pop-up space inside (a raised area that has its own door and overlooks the restaurant). This location hosts CSA pick-ups four days a week from a number of farms.

Address: 160 Federal St.
Opening Date: July 1, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: CloverFIN under construction/Official Site

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Levend Bagelry at the Boston Public Market

A familiar local brand that has been popping up at farmers markets around the area now has a stall at the Public Market. Owner Alex Jong serves sourdough bagels plain, in sandwich form, and as pizza bagels. One Levend bagel variety is called The Birdfeeder, a whole wheat sourdough bagel with hemp, flax, sunflower seeds, and oats.

Address: 100 Hanover St.
Opening Date: July 8, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Image credit: Facebook

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Top Catch at Joe's Waterfront

Facebook

Joe's American Bar & Grill has added a new seafood-focused concept on the second floor of its waterfront space. Open daily and with space for private events, Top Catch has raw bar options, chowder and bisque, fish & chips, and more.

Address: 100 Atlantic Ave.
Opening Date: June 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

Downtown Crossing

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Haley.Henry

A "small, neighborhood wine bar" from Sportello alum Haley Fortier, Haley.Henry features imported tinned fish, "ceviche-style small plates," charcuterie, and cheese.

Featured Coverage

• Haley.Henry Wine Bar Arrives Downtown Friday With "Spain's Sexiest Porker" and Mountains of Shaved Bottarga [Menu]

Address: 45 Province St.
Opening Date: August 5, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

East Boston

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Downeast Cider House

Downeast expanded from Charlestown to East Boston's Boston Harbor Shipyard this summer, a move that will ultimately expand production by as much as a factor of ten. The old Charlestown facility lives on; the plan is to use it for events, tours, and small-batch production, such as a barrel-aging program.

Address: 256 Marginal St.
Opening Date: September 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Downeast's new facility, under construction/Facebook

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Wahlburgers

Owned by the notorious Wahlberg family, Wahlburgers has quickly grown from a single Hingham restaurant to a worldwide chain, with the first Boston proper location sprouting up near Fenway in fall 2015. The next local outpost to open — within many more on the way — was at Logan Airport early this summer.

Address: 1 Harborside Dr.
Opening Date: Late June 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Wahlburgers' original Hingham location/Facebook

Fenway

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FoMu

Specializing in dairy-free, coconut milk-based ice cream, this growing local company is popping up next to the Regal Cinemas at Landmark Center from early July through at least September 30 (but possibly through the end of 2016). The tiny takeout kiosk features "simple scoops of some of the most popular flavors." There are full locations in Allston, Jamaica Plain, and the South End, and there's another temporary pop-up like this one located in Inman Square through the end of July.

Address: 201 Brookline Ave.
Opening Date: July 6, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: FoMu in the South End/Facebook

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Sweetgreen

Katie Chudy for Eater

The DC-based, fast-casual salad chain keeps expanding its leafy green imprint on the Boston area. This summer, it opened in Fenway and the South End, and Downtown Crossing and Harvard Square are next.

Address: 132 Brookline Ave.
Opening Date: July 2, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Sweetgreen in Fort Point/Katie Chudy for Eater

Fort Point

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Craft Beer Cellar

Facebook

This is the 11th Massachusetts location (and the 26th location overall) for the craft beer retail shop, which is based in Belmont.

Address: 34 Farnsworth St.
Opening Date: August 17, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

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Squeeze Juice Company

Facebook

The local juice company continues to expand with a location inside the Everybody Fights gym, formerly home to a Nourish Your Soul juice bar. Squeeze serves juice and smoothies, a range of coffee and espresso beverages, snacks, and kombucha on tap.

Address: 15 Channel Center St.
Opening Date: Mid-September 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Squeeze at 53 Exchange Pl./Facebook

Jamaica Plain

Pink Samurai

Facebook

This fast-casual dumpling spot also serves bao, crab rangoon, and more, and on the beverage side, there are fresh juices, sake, and beer. (Note: On the final day of summer 2016, word came out that it might have closed already. Stay tuned for confirmation.)

Address: 658 Centre St.
Opening Date: Early September 2016
Online: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

Longwood Medical Area

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Clover

Clover continued to expand with two Boston proper locations this summer. This one has a 20-seat seasonal patio.

Address: 360 Longwood Ave.
Opening Date: July 21, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Screenshot from a CloverLMA construction video/YouTube

North End

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Il Molo

Il Molo, "the dock" in Italian, opened in the former Davide space this summer. Donato Fratarolli (Lucia Ristorante) and his son Donato Jr. are behind the "serious seafood" spot, with Pino Maffeo (Sage, Lucia Winchester) as culinary director. The restaurant's Facebook page promises "New England-focused seafood with Italian/Mediterranean influences."

Address: 326 Commercial St.
Opening Date: Late July 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Image credit: Facebook

Roxbury

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Doña Habana

Facebook

Cuban food from the owners of Vejigantes and Merengue. It's located inside of the Hampton Inn in Newmarket Square.

Address: 811 Massachusetts Ave.
Opening Date: September 1, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook

Image credit: Facebook

Seaport District

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Shake Shack

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Way ahead of its previously estimated 2017 opening, Shake Shack Seaport arrived this summer. The growing fast-casual chain features burgers, milkshakes, and more, and other nearby locations include Chestnut Hill, Harvard Square, and Newbury Street. This is Shake Shack's 100th location.

Featured Coverage

• The 100th Shake Shack Opens Today, and It's Right Here in Boston [Interview]

Address: 77 Seaport Blvd.
Opening Date: August 16, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Shake Shack Seaport/Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

South Boston

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GrandTen Bar

GrandTen Distilling has opened a "still-to-glass" cocktail bar within its Southie distillery, where every drink contains items produced there. The lineup includes a mix of cocktails inspired by classics as well as original recipes. Bar manager Steve Schnelwar is an alum of Tavern Road and 80 Thoreau. The bar has small snacks, and food trucks are onsite on weekends and for special events. Moving forward, stay tuned for more additions to the space, including games, expanded seating, movie and trivia nights, and more.

Address: 383 Dorchester Ave.
Opening Date: July 8, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: GrandTen Distilling, before renovations/Facebook

South End

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Aquitaine

After almost two decades, Aquitaine's South End location closed in late February for a few months of major renovations. This summer, it reopened with a refreshed look and menu.

Address: 569 Tremont St.
Reopening Date: July 13, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Aquitaine, post-renovation/Official Site

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Emma's Pizza

Emma's Pizza in Cambridge, known for its ultra-thin-crust pizzas, got a new sibling in the former Mangia space in Boston's South End. The new location serves slices and whole pizzas, and the focus is on takeout and delivery, although there is some counter seating and a seasonal patio. Emma's has been around since 1962 in various locations and under different owners, but the current Cambridge location (40 Hampshire St. in Kendall Square) opened in 2000 and has been under the same ownership since 2004.

Address: 537 Columbus Ave.
Opening Date: August 2, 2016
Online: Website / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Emma's in the South End/Instagram

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Fuji at Ink Block

Facebook

The newest addition to the JP Fuji Group is another location of its Fuji concept, which is also open in Quincy, Cambridge's Kendall Square, and Somerville's Assembly Row. (The group also has a number of other concepts in Quincy and beyond.) Fuji serves up a large menu of sushi as well as Japanese and Chinese-inspired entrees, rice and noodle dishes, and more.

Address: 352B Harrison Ave.
Opening Date: August 1, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Facebook

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Gita at Wink & Nod

Katie Chudy for Eater

Since opening in early 2014, Wink & Nod has functioned as a culinary incubator, bringing in different concepts for residencies lasting around six months. Gita is this summer's new arrival, featuring contemporary Nepalese cuisine from chef Gita Kantrow. She has interned at Trade, Rialto, and Journeyman. Her menu also draws inspiration from Indian, Tibetan, and Western influences.

Address: 3 Appleton St.
Opening Date: August 1, 2016
Online: Website

Image credit: Wink & Nod/Katie Chudy for Eater

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Pressed

Courtesy of Courtney Perkins

This Beacon Hill juice-bar-and-more has expanded to the South End, and the new location has an expanded superfood bowl menu, special seasonal juices, and more salads and other "healthy lunch options." That's in addition to Pressed's core menu of cold-pressed juices, paletas (popsicles), "superfood shakes," and other plant-based foods.

Address: 643 Tremont St.
Opening Date: September 12, 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Courtesy of Courtney Perkins

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Sweetgreen

Ahead of its estimated fall opening, the Ink Block location of DC-based, fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen opened its doors this summer.

Address: 354 Harrison Ave.
Opening date: Mid-September 2016
Online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Image credit: Sweetgreen in Chestnut Hill/Chris Coe for Eater

Main Image: Shutterstock/Marcio Jose Bastos Silva