Eater Guides

The Winter 2017-2018 Restaurant Opening Guide: Boston Proper

Tiki drinks, tacos, toga parties

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal@blumie Updated Mar 18, 2018, 5:36pm EDT

Smoky shoyu ramen with egg and pork add-ons at Oisa Ramen, which opened downtown this winter

Winter wasn’t all bad, with plenty of interesting restaurants making their debuts over the course of the season. Here’s the rundown on what opened in Boston proper from late December 2017 through late March 2018, sorted by neighborhood. (Looking for last season’s openings? Find those here. A sneak peek at spring 2018? That’s right here.)

This guide was originally published on December 21, 2017; the date of the most recent update appears above.

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Allston

A rougamo, or Chinese “burger,” sits on a white background, with meat visible between two pieces of flatbread — Rougamo at Xi’an Street Foods, which opened in Allston this winter

New Sushi, Inc.

66 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston

This is New Sushi’s second location; the original is on the edge of Beacon Hill, near Government Center. The counter-service restaurant serves poke bowls, sushi burritos, and more. The owner is also behind Nijiya in Medford and Hoshi-ya in Brighton.
Opened: February 9, 2018

Xi’an Street Foods

182 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston

This China-based chain has no relation to New York City-based Xi’an Famous Foods (which is also coming to Boston at some point). On the menu: flatbread sandwiches called rougamo stuffed with various meats or veggies; biang biang noodles; and more.
Opened: January 26, 2018

Back Bay

Overhead view of shakshuka and an egg-filled Jerusalem bagel — Dishes from Tatte Bakery & Cafe, which expanded to Back Bay this winter

Anna’s Taqueria

Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston

The beloved local taqueria chain has expanded to the Prudential Center, its eighth location. Anna’s also has locations in Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, and Newton, as well as one other in Boston proper (near MGH).
Opened: February 1, 2018

Globe Bar & Cafe

384 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston

This longtime Boylston Street staple just moved a little bit down the street, into the former Rattlesnake space. The original location closed on December 21, 2017. Once seasonally appropriate, the new location will open up a roof deck. On the menu: comfort food, such as baked lobster mac and cheese, steak tips, and burgers.
Opened: January 9, 2018

Tatte Bakery & Cafe

399 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston

Following just a few months behind a new Fenway location, this expanding local cafe chain opened near the Public Garden in winter 2018, serving up baked goods, shakshuka, and lots more. This location is open seven days a week.
Opened: January 18, 2018

Beacon Hill

Nourish Your Soul

282 Cambridge St., Beacon Hill, Boston

A juice bar with locations in West Medford and Winchester expanded to Beacon Hill this winter with smoothies, coffee, chia pudding, toasts, and more.
Opened: March 1, 2018

Chinatown

Apm Coffee

99 Kneeland St., Chinatown, Boston

A play on a.m./p.m., Apm Coffee — located inside the One Greenway apartment building — quickly replaced the location of Cambridge-based Beantowne Coffee House that resided here for a year. Apm serves Intelligentsia coffee and a variety of snacks, including salads, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, a cheese pudding, and more.
Opened: Mid-February 2018

Downtown Boston

Pork bun at Tiki Rock, which opened downtown next to Oisa Ramen this winter

Delta Haus

200 High St., Downtown Boston

Located underneath sibling spot Finn McCool’s and right by other sibling spot Bushwood Cocktail Club (which is Caddyshack-themed), Delta Haus draws inspiration from not one but three movies: Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, and Old School. Drinks, food, and decor all play to the theme, and there are a variety of games, from shuffleboard to air hockey. There may be toga parties in the future.
Opened: January 18, 2018

Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes

140 Tremont St., Downtown Boston

This Texas-based burger chain has a growing local presence. It recently opened in Jamaica Plain and Berlin (Massachusetts) and expanded to the Boston Common area on the first day of winter.
Opened: December 21, 2017

Oisa Ramen Slurp & Go

2 Broad St., Downtown Boston

A popular ramen pop-up got its own brick-and-mortar location in part of the former Place space. (The other part is now home to Tiki Rock Bar, a Tiki bar.) There’s space for about six people to stand at a counter and six people to sit, and the menu offers three types of ramen (for dining in only), plus a few rice bowls (for takeout only). There’s also a small beer selection for those who dine in. It’s meant to be a quick, casual spot, and at least to start, it’s only open for lunch and only on weekdays.
Opened: January 15, 2018

Shaking Crab

140 Boylston St., Theatre District, Boston

This growing local chain that features Cajun-style boiled seafood opened in the original Troquet space on the edge of the Common this winter. (It also expanded to Cambridge’s Porter Square in fall 2017, and Brookline’s Coolidge Corner will get a location too.)
Opened: January 23, 2018

Tiki Rock

2 Broad St., Downtown Boston

A Tiki bar sharing the former Place space with Oisa Ramen Slurp & Go, Tiki Rock serves a variety of fun cocktails from beverage director Charles Smedile (Uni, Clio, Waypoint), along with Polynesian-inspired dishes and sushi, courtesy of chef de cuisine Matt McPherson (South End Buttery, Porto) and sushi chef Minggan “Tony” Wu. Owner Christopher Straub is a longtime alum of Hyatt hotels.
Opened: January 10, 2018

White Bull Tavern

1 Union St., Downtown Boston

Located steps from Faneuil Hall, this venue serves oysters, pizza, appetizers that come served in cast-iron skillets, and more. The space was designed by Dave O from At Absolute Zero Design, who also designed the eclectic Beat Brasserie space in Cambridge.
Opened: January 20, 2018

East Boston

Kaki Lima Batagor — Batagor from Kaki Lima, which took up residency at KO Pies at the Shipyard this winter (the residency has now ended)

Craft Table & Bar

107 Porter St., East Boston

From the group behind Worcester-based coffee shop Brew on the Grid and more, Craft Table & Bar has opened in East Boston, replacing the nearly decade-old Ecco (and keeping some favorite menu items). The restaurant’s website describes Craft Table as “polished-casual.” It’ll soon have a sibling in Worcester as well.
Opened: February 2, 2018

Kaki Lima at KO Pies at the Shipyard [NOW CLOSED]

256 Marginal St., East Boston

The popular Indonesian street food pop-up returned to KO Pies for the winter, where it had popped up a lot in the past, to offer a limited menu alongside KO Pies’s standard Australian meat pie-based menu. This residency is now over, but stay tuned for the Kaki Lima team’s next move.
Opened: January 18, 2018

Fenway

landwer cafe farmer’s breakfast — Food from Cafe Landwer, which opened in Audubon Circle this winter — and will later expand to Cleveland Circle

Cafe Landwer

900 Boylston St., Audubon Circle/Fenway, Boston

This is the first United States location for the Israeli cafe chain, which serves shakshuka, pizza, Mediterranean foods, and more. (There’s also one in the works for Cleveland Circle in Brighton — and another recently opened in Toronto.)
Opened: January 18, 2018

Caffe Nero

1375 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston

Yet another location of the London-based cafe chain that is quickly spreading around the Boston area opened this winter, this time in Fenway.
Opened: February 27, 2018

Cava

1350 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston

This rapidly expanding DC-based fast-casual Mediterranean chain is also coming to Back Bay, Cambridge’s Kendall Square, Hingham, and Dedham, but Fenway was the first to open in the region.
Opened: January 18, 2018

Jamaica Plain

Exodus Bagels

3346 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, Boston

This popular pop-up had a Roslindale brick-and-mortar in the works for a while, but plans have shifted — that space will remain the Exodus kitchen and will eventually be a storefront, but the first Exodus storefront is now open in the former Canto 6 space in JP.
Opened: February 13, 2018

Mission Hill

Wow Wings

Delivery-only restaurant connected to Mission Hill’s Mission Sushi & Wok and other restaurants

This delivery-only restaurant is an offshoot of Mission Sushi & Wok and Ginger Exchange, serving the restaurants’ popular Korean fried chicken as well as bibimbap, kimchi fries, bao, and more.
Opened: February 2018

Roslindale

Tasty Thai

153 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale, Boston

This Thai restaurant took over the former Seven Star Street Bistro space this winter, serving a variety of curries, fried rice dishes, stir-fried noodles, and more. After a busy opening, the restaurant has decided to shut down table service for now, focusing on takeout.
Opened: March 9, 2018

Seaport District

hopsters seaport — Hopsters is now open in the Seaport District, serving food and drinks as well as letting people brew their own beer

75 on Courthouse Square

60 Seaport Blvd., Seaport District, Boston

This is the latest in a group that includes 75 Chestnut and 75 on Liberty Wharf, as well as Boston’s two Cheers locations and Hampshire House. It is located in a Seaport complex that includes a Kings Bowl and Tuscan Kitchen, and it serves American comfort food.
Opened: January 26, 2018

Hopsters

51 Sleeper St., Seaport District, Boston

This Newton-based brewery — which allows customers to brew their own beers — has expanded to Boston’s Seaport neighborhood with a brewery and restaurant. Hopsters also operates a beer shop in the Boston Public Market.
Opened: January 4, 2018

South Boston

My Diner

455 E 1st St., South Boston

After development forced breakfast-and-lunch spot My Diner to leave South Boston after more than a decade, it reopened in Melrose. Now, it has expanded from Melrose back to a new South Boston location. (The Melrose location remains open as well.)
Opened: February 15, 2018

Shredded

246 W. Broadway, South Boston

A casual spot serving salads and noodle bowls. Think Sweetgreen, but locally owned.
Opened: March 16, 2018

South End

Bootleg Special

400 Tremont St., South End, Boston

This restaurant features Cajun-style boiled seafood dishes, not to mention po’ boys, beignets, and more. And plenty of boozy cocktails.
Opened: February 16, 2018

Humaari at Wink & Nod

3 Appleton St., South End, Boston

The latest culinary resident at Wink & Nod is Humaari, “a Mediterranean concept grounded in pita and hummus,” from chef Louis DiBiccari and his kitchen team from the now-defunct Tavern Road. It’ll be in operation at Wink & Nod until September 19, 2018.
Opened: March 19, 2018

Southern Proper

The Girard, 600 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston

A Southern (“but not kitschy”) restaurant located in a new South End development. Jason Cheek (Sam’s, Toro, KO Prime) is behind it. There’s some barbecue on the menu, but it is not “a barbecue joint.” Go for the fried chicken, beer, and more.
Opened: March 1, 2018

West End

A fast-food burger, fries, and a soda in red and white packaging, isolated on a white background. — A meal from Tasty Burger, which expanded to the West End this winter

Hurricane’s at the Garden

150 Canal St., West End, Boston

Hurricane O’Reilly’s was recently sold by the Glynn Hospitality Group to the Briar Group, and it has been renovated and rebranded into Hurricane’s at the Garden.
Opened: January 24, 2018

Tasty Burger

1 Nashua St., West End, Boston

This local burger chain has expanded again, this time opening in Boston’s West End — right by TD Garden. This location serves beer and wine.
Opened: January 29, 2018

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The Winter 2017-2018 Restaurant Opening Guide: Boston Proper

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Kaki Lima at KO Pies at the Shipyard [NOW CLOSED]

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