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- Boston Magazine looks at the worsening cook shortage. "As larger chains with more resources siphon talent with promises of higher wages, working conditions and hours in the city’s independent restaurants will only worsen," writes Corby Kummer. "The result? Talented aspiring cooks will flee to cheaper cities with hipper food cultures. Menus will get dumbed down. Diners may soon face the prospect of living in a city where the fine-ish dining options are top heavy with ‘classy’ corporate chains like P.F. Chang’s and Morton’s steakhouse — hardly the sign of a world-class metropolis."
- The Boston Globe takes a deep dive into Worcester’s growing food scene. "Worcester is in the midst of a bona fide restaurant renaissance," writes Leah Mennies, pointing out that there have been 55 restaurant openings in the past 18 months, including a bacon-centric gastropub and a restaurant "staffed with expats from the Boston area." Mennies points to a number of recent developments that are making the city more enticing to restaurateurs, from CitySquare, a huge downtown development project, to the 20-year Urban Revitalization Plan.
- Meanwhile in Hudson, there's also a "happening food scene," according to WGBH's Craving Boston. Brooke Jackson-Glidden highlights some of the most interesting spots, including a speakeasy in the back of an ice cream shop, a tiny cheese shop, and a brewery with beer flights and giant Jenga.
- Boston Magazine and The Improper Bostonian have both recently released their massive "best" collections for 2016. Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston restaurants & food category includes everything from best oyster bar (Neptune Oyster) to best dumplings (Mei Mei), while The Improper Bostonian’s Boston’s Best food & drink category spans from best burger (Little Big Diner) to best power dining (Sorellina).
- Eater examines the how the immense popularity of Pokémon Go is affecting restaurants, for better or worse. (And here’s a bonus bit of silliness from McSweeney’s, imagining Anthony Bourdain as a Pokémon Go master.)
