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November 2017 in Review, From Dumplings to Doughnuts

The month in openings, closings, top news, and more

Dumpling Palace Soup Dumplings
Dumpling Palace soup dumplings
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November 2017 featured tons of openings, particularly in Boston’s Seaport District and West End. It was a month filled with pasta, pizza, and yes, more juice bars. Non-local chains Caffe Nero and Sweetgreen continued to expand around the Boston area with two new locations apiece, while Luke’s Lobster added a new location as well. And that wasn’t the only addition on the lobster roll front: Lobstah on a Roll opened in the South End, serving up five-foot-long lobster rolls.

Things were quieter on the closure side, but we lost Self Portrait (the recently revamped T.W. Food in Cambridge), the Newton expansion of Bottega Fiorentina, and a few other spots.

Read on for a summary of November 2017, including the most-read news stories and maps, the openings, and the closings.



citrus & salt
A cocktail at Citrus & Salt, now open in Back Bay
Sarah Storrer/Eater
  1. Citrus & Salt Opens Soon, and There Will Be Dole Whips: The Back Bay Harry’s replacement is almost ready.
  2. The Broadway Opens in South Boston With Nitro Cold Brew Martinis and Wood-Fired Pizza: Boston Beer Garden has been reborn.
  3. Allston Gets a New Unlimited Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Factory opened two days ago in the former Redneck’s space.
  4. New South End Restaurant Serves Five-Foot-Long Lobster Rolls: Made with the meat of 80 lobsters.
  5. Stop Stealing Things From Restaurants (and More Updates): A Providence restaurant embraces its destination status, Eater can now receive encrypted tips, and other news bites.
  6. A Bar for Well-Intentioned Witty Battles Opens in Cambridge: Wit’s End debuted over the weekend in Inman Square.
  7. Tuscan Kitchen Opens Next Week in Seaport With Tableside Truffles and More Than 400 Wines: Look inside the sunny, sizable space.
  8. Flatbread Company Brighton Joins Boston’s Growing Bowling Scene With Pizza and Local Beers: Don’t forget to wear socks.
  9. City Winery Is Finally Open in Boston: There will be live music, wine, and so many events.
  10. The Smoke Shop Will Open in Fort Point Tomorrow: Andy Husbands’s second barbecue joint finds a home in the old Tavern Road space.

Food at Momi Nonmi
A dish from Momi Nonmi
Hien Nguyen/Momi Nonmi
  1. The Hottest Restaurants in Boston Right Now, November 2017: The Eater Boston Heatmap is updated monthly, and the November update included the addition of Eventide Fenway, Better Bagels, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar (Fort Point), and Momi Nonmi.
  2. The Hottest Brunches in Boston Right Now, Fall 2017: Tired of your usual brunching routine?
  3. The Fall 2017 Restaurant Opening Guide: Boston Proper: It’s a delicious season.
  4. Boston’s Best Dive Bars: Drink cheaply at these fine establishments.
  5. Where to Eat Dumplings in and Around Boston: From mini juicy buns to Taiwan-style pan-fried dumplings, Greater Boston’s got the goods.
  6. Where to Eat at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS): The best meal of your entire life: It probably wasn't in an airport. However, if that's where you need to be, here's where you should eat.
  7. Where to Eat Doughnuts in and Around Boston: Greater Boston’s perfect dozen.
  8. Where to Eat Spaghetti and Meatballs in Boston: Boston is full of red sauce joints. These are the must-tries.
  9. Drink Festive Cocktails at Miracle (and More Fall Food Events): All the local food and drink events you'll actually want to attend.
  10. It’s Cider Doughnut Season: Where to Eat Them Not Too Far From Boston: Go for the doughnuts, stay for the cider and pies.

Nonna’s Pie Zia Gianna
Nonna’s Pie at Zia Gianna, now open in Dorchester
Zia Gianna [Official Photo]
  • Bodega Canal (57 Canal St., West End, Boston): Mexican food from the team behind Ward 8 and North Square Oyster.
  • Boston Juicing (283 Main St., Charlestown, Boston): Juices, sandwiches, soups, and more.
  • The Broadway (732 E. Broadway, South Boston): Boston Beer Garden’s rebirth (under the same ownership) with nitro cold brew martinis on draft.
  • Caffe Nero (55 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston; 218 Legacy Pl., Dedham): This European-born cafe chain keeps expanding around Massachusetts. The two most recent openings are in Boston’s Seaport District and at Dedham’s Legacy Place development.
  • Chulo Cuisine & Bar (5 Spring St., Watertown): A Nepalese restaurant on the second floor of a Persian restaurant, Molana.
  • Citrus & Salt (142 Berkeley St., Back Bay, Boston): Jason Santos’s Mexico-inspired replacement for Back Bay Harry’s, with boozy Dole Whips and more.
  • City Winery (1 Canal St., West End, Boston): New York-based music venue, restaurant, and winery.
  • Cupola (1231 Centre St., Newton Centre): A casual pasta spot (replacing Bottega Fiorentina) with a focus on Florentine and Tuscan cuisine. There will be Neapolitan pizzas eventually as well.
  • Down the Road Beer Company (199 Ashland St., Everett): Formerly a contract brewer, Down the Road now has its own home, complete with a taproom full of pinball machines and plenty of beer on tap.
  • Fiorella’s (24 Walden St., Concord): This Newton-based Italian restaurant has expanded to the former Bondir Concord space.
  • Flatbread Company (76 Guest St., Boston Landing, Brighton, Boston): This local pizza chain has expanded to the new Boston Landing development in Brighton, and it’s one of several locations that features candlepin bowling.
  • Friendly’s (180 Boston Post Rd. W., Marlborough): A new prototype of an old chain, featuring drive-through windows.
  • Gong Cha (44 Harrison Ave., Chinatown, Boston): This Taiwan-based chain serves a wide variety of customizable bubble teas and more.
  • J&M Diner (50 Worcester Rd., Framingham): The diner burned down in March but relocated in November; it’s been welcoming back long lines of regulars since.
  • Jugos Supremo (502 Massachusetts Ave., South End, Boston): A juice-filled South End sibling to Jugos, a Back Bay juice bar.
  • Lee Han Sandwich (419 Hancock St., Quincy): Banh mi and bubble tea.
  • Lobstah on a Roll (537 Columbus Ave., South End, Boston): Replacing Emma’s Pizza, this new restaurant — which will soon have a sibling in Arlington — serves five-foot-long lobster rolls.
  • Luke’s Lobster (53 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston): This is Boston’s third location of the New York-born, Maine-inspired, fast-casual lobster roll restaurant.
  • North Shore Lobster and SeaGrilz (203 Newbury St., Peabody): Seawitch Restaurant & Oyster Bar has reopened under new ownership as North Shore Lobster and SeaGrilz, a casual seafood market and restaurant.
  • Oath Pizza (1350 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston): The Nantucket-based chain formerly known has Oath Craft Pizza has expanded to Fenway with its avocado oil-infused crispy crusts.
  • Pollo Campero (25 State St., Lynn): The third Massachusetts location for a Guatemalan fast-casual chicken chain.
  • The Popover Lady at Boston Public Market (100 Hanover St., Downtown Boston): Popovers, scones, fruit pies, and other baked goods.
  • Pressed Juicery (180 Linden St., Suite 107, Wellesley): A California-based juice chain serving cold-pressed juices and more.
  • Rogue Lounge (222 Friend St., West End, Boston): Sushi pizza and mai tais on tap in the former North Star space.
  • Shan-A-Punjab (500 Harvard St., Brookline): Indian food in the former Rubin’s Delicatessen space. It’s a relocation from right across the street.
  • Singh Ching (184 Cambridge St., Burlington): Indochinese food and sister restaurant to the new Singh Saab in Arlington (which is a relocation/revamp of Waltham’s Santa Banta).
  • The Smoke Shop (343 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston): Andy Husbands’s Kendall Square barbecue joint now has a second location in the former Tavern Road space.
  • Somerville Bread Company (201 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville): A walk-up window with bread available Thursday through Sunday and bagels and biscuits on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Som Tum Modern Thai Cuisine (1894 Centre St., West Roxbury, Boston): One Thai replaced another (Sticky Rice).
  • Sushi Factory (140 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston): An all-you-can-eat sushi spot from the owner of Hi B3ar Ice Cream Roll nearby.
  • Sweetgreen (47 Northern Ave., Seaport District, Boston; 60 State St., Downtown Boston): Two new Boston locations of the DC-based salad chain.
  • Top Mix Bar & Kitchen (257 Norfolk Ave., Roxbury, Boston): Top Mix focuses on cocktails — such as various martinis and a pineapple mojito — and also serves food, including sweet plantain ravioli, a maple bacon burger, and more.
  • Tora Japanese Restaurant (20B Tyler St., Chinatown, Boston): Kaisen don (rice bowls topped with sashimi), poke bowls, soups, and more.
  • Tuscan Kitchen (64 Seaport Blvd.): A giant, stately Italian restaurant with several sister spots in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
  • Wit’s End (1248 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge): The menu features “dueling” items — two versions of the same dish, such as a bacon and gouda mac and cheese versus a lobster and mushroom one.
  • Zia Gianna (1739 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston): Sicilian sandwiches, baked goods, espresso, and more.
  • Zo Greek (355 Revolution Dr., Assembly Row, Somerville): With two locations in downtown Boston (and a food truck), Zo has expanded across the river with a location that features a full bar.

A dish at Self Portrait
A dish at Self Portrait
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  • Bottega Fiorentina (1231 Centre St., Newton Centre): Coolidge Corner’s fast-casual Italian staple expanded to Newton in spring 2016, but the Newton location closed this month, quickly replaced by Cupola.
  • Emerald Lounge (200 Stuart St., Downtown Boston): This five-year-old Revere Hotel nightclub has closed to make way for a new restaurant slated to open in spring 2018.
  • Jamie’s Grille & Pub (360 Gannett Rd., North Scituate): A fire destroyed this 50-year-old pub, which has sister spots in Braintree and Whitman. The team hopes to rebuild the Scituate location.
  • Self Portrait (77 Walden St., Cambridge): T.W. Food was revamped into a French bistro called Self Portrait in April, but it closed in November.

Upcoming closures that have been announced but haven’t happened yet:

  • Cottage Tavern (1227 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park, Boston): This classic watering hole aims to transfer its liquor and food license to the Innovation and Design Building in the Seaport District.
  • Country Kitchen (181 Sudbury Rd., Concord): Owner Trish Irons is getting ready to retire but is evaluating options for Country Kitchen (selling the business and staying on as a consultant, giving recipes to a nearby business, etc.), which will close in its current form on December 15.
  • Dudley Dough (2302 Washington St., Roxbury, Boston): The Haley House’s fair-wage pizzeria will close at the end of the year due to financial struggles.
  • Globe Bar & Cafe (565 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston): It’s not closing for good; it’s just relocating down the street to the former Rattlesnake space. Relocation dates haven’t been announced yet.
  • Pikaichi (1 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston): This Allston ramen destination will close on December 17 due to a rent hike but will try to relocate soon.

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