Eater Guides

The Spring 2018 Restaurant Opening Guide: MetroWest and Central and Western Massachusetts

Beer, coffee, pretzels (and pretzel poutine?), pizza

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal@blumie Updated Apr 17, 2018, 12:20pm EDT

110 Grill’s meatloaf burger topped with onion strings

Part of The Massachusetts Restaurant Opening Guide, Spring 2018

There are a number of new restaurants brewing in Worcester and beyond, with spring 2018 likely bringing with it a 1920s-themed restaurant in a Worcester theater, a brewery in Maynard, a pub in Springfield, and more.

This guide covers the MetroWest region and all points further west; it’ll be updated frequently throughout the season as new information becomes available, so hit up the tipline with information on forthcoming restaurants throughout the region.

This guide was originally published on April 2, 2018; the date of the most recent update appears above.

Note: The clickable table of contents below may not display properly (or at all) on certain mobile platforms. For best results, view on a tablet or desktop.

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Chicopee

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in Chicopee. Know of something? Let us know.

Chicopee openings beyond spring 2018

Leadfoot Brewing could open in summer 2018 at 95 Chicopee St., courtesy of a duo who’ve been homebrewing for over a decade. They’ll have a 30-barrel system at their forthcoming brewery, located in an old warehouse. The opening lineup could include a Czech-German-style pilsner and an American lager, with various IPAs, session ales, and other experiments coming later.

East Brookfield

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in East Brookfield. Know of something? Let us know.

East Brookfield openings beyond spring 2018

Timberyard Brewing Company is heading for a summer 2018 opening at 555 E. Main St., serving “deliciously drinkable beers incorporating fresh, local ingredients.” The brewery space will include a taproom and a beer garden.

Framingham

La Pupusa Loca Grill

144 Waverly St., Framingham

Located in the former El Maya space, La Pupusa Loca Grill will serve Latin American cuisine. There will be a few tables, but the space is mostly geared towards takeout. La Pupusa Loca Grill used to be located in Ashland before moving to 672 Waverly St. in Framingham and then closing there as well.
Projected opening: April 2018

Rincon La Cabana

16 Irving St., Framingham

This 40-seat Ecuadorian restaurant will open downtown this spring in the former Deli Hut space.
Projected opening: April 2018

Framingham openings beyond spring 2018

Everett’s Braza Bar & Grill, a Brazilian buffet, will expand to the former La Pupusa space at 672 Waverly St. It has been approved for a full liquor license.

Hardwick

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in Hardwick. Know of something? Let us know.

Hardwick openings beyond spring 2018

Lost Towns Brewing has a nanobrewery and taproom in the works at 483 Main St., which used to be home to a deli. Keep an eye out for the brewery border collies, Spencer and Finn.

Harvard

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in Harvard. Know of something? Let us know.

Harvard openings beyond spring 2018

Around fall 2018, Carlson Orchards (115 Oak Hill Rd.) plans to open a tasting room onsite. The orchard has been producing non-alcoholic apple cider for decades but recently added hard cider to its lineup, beginning to distribute its first release, Oak Hill Blend, on April 1, 2018.

Holyoke

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in Holyoke. Know of something? Let us know.

Holyoke openings beyond spring 2018

In summer 2018, the rapidly expanding local chain 110 Grill is slated to open a Holyoke location. (Wrentham is also supposed to get a location in the summer, as well as Albany, New York.) The first location opened in Chelmsford in late 2014, and there are now more than a dozen around the northeast, most including outdoor seating, large bars, and private event space, as well as allergy-friendly menus.

Hudson

Ground Effect Brewing Co.

312 Main St., Hudson

Located down the street from Medusa Brewing Co., Ground Effect Brewing Co. will have 4,800 square feet of space, including a brewing facility, canning line, and taproom. The owners hope to be able to serve beer and wine there, and they plan to allow customers to bring in food and to partake of food trucks parked outside in the summer.
Projected opening: Late spring/early summer 2018

Hudson openings beyond spring 2018

Worcester’s acclaimed Armsby Abbey, a restaurant and craft beer destination, is slated to get a Hudson sibling called Cónico (10-12 Main St.); an opening timeline for the forthcoming Mexican restaurant has not yet been announced. It’s named for an heirloom Oaxacan corn, and the menu will include everything from tamales to tacos to simple grilled proteins — and, of course, beer.

And at some point in 2019, Medusa Brewing Company (111 Main St.) is expected to expand into a vacant lot in downtown Hudson (1 Houghton St.), thanks to a $5.5 million investment. The current space includes a taproom that seats over 100 and serves full pours.

Marlborough

Brew on the Grid

187 Boston Post Rd., Marlborough

Yet another upcoming expansion for this Worcester-based coffee shop, which also opened in Cambridge in the late summer (but later closed). It’ll also expand to Lynn this spring and Salem next year.
Projected opening: April 2018

Proteinhouse [NOW OPEN]

90D Apex Dr., Apex Center, Marlborough

This is the first Massachusetts location for the small national chain that tells customers to “eat with a purpose”; another is slated to open in Worcester in July 2018. Proteinhouse’s mission is “to provide nutritious, all natural, quality recipes that promote both physical and mental wellness” with a menu of salads, “lean bowls,” acai bowls, “high protein burgers,” and more.
Opened: March 21, 2018

Walden Woods Brewing

277 Main St., Marlborough

Run by “two beer geek brewers who also love history” (and they love Henry David Thoreau, too), Walden Woods Brewing will be Marlborough’s first brewpub and will serve “traditional European and American-style” beers with a “regional or historic twist.” The opening lineup will include an American Pale Ale, an India Pale Ale, and more. The taproom will be open Thursday through Sunday.
Projected opening: Imminent. It was on the verge of opening in mid-March but ran into a last-minute delay; stay tuned.

Maynard

Amory’s Tomb Brewing Company

76 Main St., Maynard

This small, rustic brewery from a duo of brothers-in-law will shun wifi and televisions and encourage conversation and community. Founders Allen Quinn and Richard Barron will use a manual three-barrel system and mostly produce beer for onsite drinking, but there will be occasional special bottle releases. Expect farmhouse ales in a variety of styles.
Projected opening: Imminent. It was previously slated for a late 2017 opening.

Maynard openings beyond spring 2018

110 Grill — mentioned above in the Holyoke section and below in the Worcester section — will also count Maynard among its upcoming new locations. This one is slated for late 2018.

Northampton

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in Northampton. Know of something? Let us know.

Northampton openings beyond spring 2018

It’s a while off, but a cat cafe called Cat.fe might open somewhere in Northampton around summer 2019. As of late March 2018, the founders didn’t have a lease yet, but they’re seeking a space in the downtown area where customers would be able to visit with — and potentially adopt — shelter cats, as well as purchase cafe fare in an adjacent space.

North Grafton

Reunion Tap & Table

198 Worcester St., North Grafton

Reunion Tap & Table’s co-owner Shawn Briggs is also co-founder of North Grafton’s Wicked Twisted Pretzels, so the restaurant — while not part of the Wicked Twisted brand — will of course serve pretzels, possibly in dishes such as pretzel poutine and pretzel nachos. Other than that, expect “elevated American fare, but done very well,” as Briggs told the Worcester Business Journal, as well as craft beer. This is the first project for the Hanna-Briggs Restaurant Group (the other co-owner is Sargon Hanna), and they’ve brought on Boston chef Ryan Marcoux as executive chef. He was opening chef de cuisine at Boston Chops and Parsnip.
Projected opening: By June 2018

South Deerfield

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in South Deerfield. Know of something? Let us know.

South Deerfield openings beyond spring 2018

Berkshire Brewing Company (12 Railroad St.) has been open since 1994, brewing beer and pouring samples during brewery tours but unable to operate a taproom. Thanks to a recent change in a law, the brewery can now add a taproom; opening timeline TBD. It’ll have 20 taps and serve pretzels from Baked in Shelburne Falls, and there will likely be food trucks outside on summer weekends. Plus, customers will be able to bring their own food into the taproom.

Springfield

Naismith’s Pub & Pretzel

211 Worthington St., Downtown Springfield

The long-vacant Naismith’s space will soon be home to a new gastropub, Naismith’s Pub & Pretzel, that will feature beer, pretzels, and “a full European-style food menu.” There will also be live music.
Projected opening: Late spring 2018

Springfield openings beyond spring 2018

When the MGM Springfield resort and casino opens around summer 2018, it’ll have a number of restaurants, including a coastal Italian restaurant called Cal Mare from Michael Mina (of Pabu), as well as the Chandler Steakhouse, serving steak and seafood from the Hell’s Kitchen season 14 winner, Meghan Gill; Tap Sports Bar, which will include bowling, arcade games, a beer garden, and lots of television screens and sports memorabilia; and South End Market, a food hall. The latter will include a pan-Asian restaurant called Wicked Noodles; Jack’s Lobster Shack, featuring lobster rolls and clam chowder; Bill’s Diner, serving diner food; and Hearth Grill, with “healthy options”; as well as a wine and cheese bar and a gelato and espresso counter.

West Springfield

Nothing on our radar for spring 2018 in West Springfield. Know of something? Let us know.

West Springfield openings beyond spring 2018

Two Weeks Notice Brew Co. nailed down a brewery space in West Springfield in March 2018 and is hoping to open by late summer 2018. The “one-barrel nanobrewery” features “hop forward ales, dark ales, and fresh flavors.”

Worcester

Tuna tartare with citrus wasabi and avocado at Craft Table & Bar

110 Grill

123 Front St., Worcester

As mentioned above, this growing local chain serves modern American food and offers menus for gluten-free diners and people with other dietary restrictions. This is one of many locations in the works in and around Massachusetts.
Projected opening: May 2018

Craft Table & Bar

50 Franklin St., Worcester

Slated to open on the bottom level of the Bancroft Hotel, this “polished-casual” restaurant comes from the group behind Brew on the Grid and more. There’s also a recently opened Craft Table location in East Boston.
Projected opening: Spring 2018

Josephine

551 Main St., Worcester

Named for singer Josephine Baker, this will be a 1920s-themed restaurant (from the owner of the Fairmount Grille in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood). It’ll be located inside the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts.
Projected opening: Spring 2018

Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse

64 Water St., Worcester

Located in the former Perfect Game space, this “local neighbor pub with 20 craft beers of tap [and] kickass food” comes from Adam Hicks, who owns Depot Street Tavern in Milford.
Projected opening: Early May 2018

Revolution Pie + Pint

50 Franklin St., Worcester

Another from New England Craft Restaurant Concepts (Brew on the Grid, Craft Table & Bar, more), this restaurant will be located in the Bancroft Hotel and will feature pizza and beer. A Lynn location is also in the works.
Projected opening: Spring 2018

Worcester openings beyond spring 2018

From the group behind Brew on the Grid, Craft Table & Bar (mentioned above), and other forthcoming venues in and around Worcester, Brew Beer Garden — a 500-seat, year-round venue — is taking over the former Paris Cinema space (64-66 Franklin St.) in summer 2018. It will serve beer, sausages, Wicked Twisted soft pretzels, and more. There will also be live bands and DJs and plenty of space available for private events.

The same group will also open the Missing Link in the former Techni Mediterranean Grill space at 8 Portland St., serving sausages, sliders, pretzels, and more.

In July 2018, Proteinhouse — which opened its first Massachusetts location in Marlborough in spring 2018 — will expand to Worcester, serving a menu that revolves around protein, with “protein pancakes,” “high protein burgers,” protein shakes, and more.

Also in the works, potentially for fall 2018, Fuel America is slated to open a coffee roasting facility and cafe at the Mercantile Center (100-120 Front St.), serving coffee, espresso, juices, baked goods, sandwiches, smoothies, and more, featuring locally sourced dairy products. There will also be some local beers and wines available, as well as roastery tours and coffee tastings. Fuel already has three locations, all in Boston — one in Brighton and two at Logan Airport.