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All the Boston Food News That Mattered in November 2019: From Meaty Skewers to Muffins

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

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Two wooden skewers of meat on a blue plate — one with pieces of Japanese sausage and one with bacon-wrapped scallops - with a side of greens and sliced cherry tomatoes.
Kurobuta sausage (front) and bacon and scallop skewers at Ōmori Izakaya, now open in Brookline Village
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater
Part of The Year in Eater: A Look Back at the 2019 Boston Food World

Thanksgiving is just about here, December holidays are coming up fast, and the Boston restaurant world keeps turning. November was quite a busy month for both openings and closings: The Boston area said hello to a new izakaya in Brookline, a hotly anticipated farm-to-table restaurant that expanded from Concord to Boston proper, and lots more, while farewells included a three-decade-old Ethiopian restaurant in Boston, a tiny roast beef shop in a student-heavy area, and a gorgeous but short-lived Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Bay Village.

Read on for a summary of November 2019, including the most-read news stories and maps, the openings, and the closings.

An ornate glass goose sits on a table, surrounded by food and garnishes. The goose doubles as a bowl and is filled with goose intestines.
Sichuan hot pot from Shu DaXia, a Chinese chain expanding to Boston
Shu DaXia/Official Website
  1. Eater Awards 2019: Here Are the Boston Finalists: Narrowing down the playing field for best restaurant, design, and empire builder of the year.
  2. Boston’s Late 2019 Restaurant Openings, Updated Weekly: A roundup of pertinent updates on Boston-area restaurant openings.
  3. A Truly Farm-to-Table Restaurant Arrives in the Seaport District: Woods Hill Pier 4 opened on November 26.
  4. Boston-Area Beer News, Updated Weekly: A round-up of brewery updates and other booze news in and around Boston.
  5. A Major New York Restaurant Group Will Open a Rooftop Restaurant at a Boston Hotel: The Taj will reopen next spring as the Newbury, with Major Food Group running a rooftop restaurant as well as a bar.
  6. Boston’s Late 2019 Restaurant Closings, Updated Weekly: A roundup of pertinent updates on Boston-area restaurant closings (and announced closings that will take place later).
  7. Eat Ross’s Bribe Muffins and More in a Fake Central Perk at a Boston ‘Friends’ Pop-Up: In celebration of 25 years since the show debuted.
  8. A Sichuan Hot Pot Chain From China Will Open Its First American Location in Boston: Shu DaXia plans to open in the space currently occupied by Scoozi.
  9. A New Brookline Izakaya Is Dripping With Meaty Skewers: Ōmori Izakaya is now open in the former Best Burger Bar space.
  10. A Hanukkah-Themed Bar Will Pop Up in Somerville Next Month: Plus, a Korean food kiosk will open temporarily in Kendall Square, and more news.
A white bowl with a thick, ink-like swoosh of black around the rim is filled with spicy miso ramen, including corn, bean sprouts, and egg, and other ingredients.
Spicy miso ramen at Ruckus, which appears on Eater Boston’s ramen and Chinatown maps
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater
  1. The Hottest Restaurants in Boston Right Now, Updated Monthly: Boston’s best new hot spots.
  2. The Best Dishes the Eater Boston Team Ate This Week: We’re sharing some of our current favorite dishes with you every Friday.
  3. Where to Eat at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS): The best meal of your life probably wasn’t in an airport, but if that’s where you need to be, here’s where to eat.
  4. 24 Boston-Area Ramen Destinations to Visit in Any Weather: Whether it’s a frigid winter day, a drizzly summer night, or anything in between, a hearty bowl of ramen is always in season.
  5. Where to Eat in Boston’s Chinatown: Go to these restaurants for dumplings and dim sum and noodles and sushi and so much more.
  6. Where to Eat Peking Duck in Boston’s Chinatown: Order ahead and prepare to feast at these five Chinatown spots.
  7. 24 Outstanding Boston-Area Sushi Restaurants: From simple perfection to mountains of gold flakes and truffles.
  8. Where to Eat Around Cambridgeport and West Cambridge: These 17 destinations cover everything from pastries to fine dining.
  9. Where to Eat Chicken Wings in and Around Boston: From Korean fried to Buffalo-style, these are the best wings in the Hub.
  10. The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide to Eating in Boston: Iconic dishes, neighborhood guides, essential eats, and more recommendations for the hungry tourist.
A shaved whelk salad is presented in a whelk shell. From out of frame, a hand pours a stream of broth onto the dish.
Rhode Island shaved whelk with coconut lobster broth, green apple, and makrut lime at Woods Hill Pier 4, now open in the Seaport District
White Loft Studio

For a comprehensive list of November openings, check this weekly updated roundup. Here are a few highlights from the month:

  • Woods Hill Pier 4, a truly farm-to-table restaurant (the owner also owns a farm and sources many of the restaurant’s ingredients from it) on the former site of Anthony’s Pier 4 in Boston’s Seaport District
  • Ōmori Izakaya, a cozy tavern in Brookline Village serving a wide-ranging menu of Japanese food, including sushi, yakitori, and more
  • Dryft, located in a glitzy new Revere Beach development and serving Neapolitan-style pizza, seafood, and more
  • A new Brookline location of Soup Shack, a popular Jamaica Plain restaurant for soups inspired by Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan
A restaurant interior featuring high ceilings, elegant columns, and lots of greenery
Nahita, now closed in Bay Village
Nahita [Official Photo]

For a comprehensive list of November closings, check this weekly updated roundup for details. A few sad farewells from the month:

  • Nahita, a short-lived Peruvian-Japanese restaurant with a gorgeous design, located in the former Liquid Art House space in Boston’s Bay Village
  • Addis Red Sea, a 31-year-old Ethiopian restaurant in Boston’s South End
  • Bubor Cha Cha, a decade-old Chinatown restaurant that started out serving Malaysian, Thai, and Indonesian food but later switched its focus to Cantonese and dim sum
  • Roast Beast, a tiny, popular roast beef shop near BU

The Year in Eater: A Look Back at the 2019 Boston Food World