Burro Bar Will Replace La Motta’s in the South End [Updated]

The Alpine Restaurant Group — which is behind Posto, the Painted Burro, and other restaurants in Somerville’s Davis Square and beyond — is expanding again. According to a post on Boston Restaurant Talk, the group plans to open Burro Bar (a close sibling to the Painted Burro) in the space at 1357 Washington St. currently occupied by La Motta’s. The address was long home to the Aquitaine Group’s Union Bar & Grill, which closed in late 2014 before the opening of La Motta’s, a neighborhood Italian restaurant under the same ownership as Union, in late 2015.

In a statement sent to Eater by email, a spokesperson for the Aquitaine Group confirmed that an offer had been made on La Motta’s. The Aquitaine Group is also behind Gaslight Brasserie, Cinquecento, and a number of other Boston-area venues.

Courtesy of Kim Marshall for Burro Bar

Burro Bar opened its first location in the former Ribelle space in Brookline’s Washington Square neighborhood in January 2017. Along with an extensive cocktail list, which includes six variations of margaritas, Burro Bar’s menu includes a vast array of Mexican street food and tacos.

It’s unclear at the moment if the South End version of Burro Bar will offer the same menu as its Washington Square sibling, and the Alpine Restaurant Group has not yet announced an opening timeline. This will be the group’s first Boston proper restaurant; 2013 plans for a Painted Burro expansion to Boston’s Downtown Crossing neighborhood fell through. The group currently operates three restaurants in Somerville’s Davis Square, one in Brookline, and one in Waltham.

Stay tuned for more details on the forthcoming Burro Bar — and for a closing date for La Motta’s, which remains open at this time.

Update, 12/21/17: La Motta’s will officially close its doors on December 31, 2017. The Aquitaine Group provided the following statement:

As many may already know, La Motta’s will have its last night of service and close its doors on New Year’s Eve, December 31^st, 2017. The Aquitaine Group has proudly served the South End and greater Boston community for 13 years from this location. It has been an honor to host so many people from our neighborhood and beyond who have become like family. We welcome our loyal guests, friends and family to visit our other South End and suburban locations including Aquitaine, Cinquecento, Gaslight, Metropolis Café, Greenlight Café, Aquitaine Dedham, Gaslight Lynnfield and Aquitaine Chestnut Hill (once re-opened from renovations). We hope everyone has a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy New Year.

• Burro Bar Plans to Take Over La Motta's Space in Boston's South End [BRT]
• Burro Bar Opens Tonight With So Many Tacos [EBOS]