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March is well underway, but before spring sneaks into the picture, here’s a look back at what happened in Boston’s food scene this February, including some exciting Italian, French, and Japanese restaurant debuts and fortunately not too many closures.
Read on for a summary of February 2019, including the most-read news stories and maps, the openings, and the closings.
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- Suburban Boston Dining News, Updated Weekly: A round-up of restaurant openings, closings, and other news outside of the immediate Boston vicinity.
- James Beard Winner Karen Akunowicz Debuts Italian Neighborhood Spot in South Boston: The Myers + Chang and Top Chef alum once spent a year in Modena, Italy, studying pasta-making.
- Growing Taqueria Chain Chilacates Doubled in Size Over the Weekend: The Chestnut Hill and Mission Hill locations opened, and the South End followed soon after.
- A Beverly Burger Restaurant Finally Expands to Boston: A&B Burgers opened in the West End.
- The Panera Bakery-Cafe Chain Is Closing Its Last Pay-What-You-Can Location: The Panera Cares business model wasn’t profitable, according to a statement from the company.
- Here Are the Local James Beard Foundation Semifinalists for 2019: The finalists will be announced on March 27.
- Frenchie Sibling Colette Debuts in Cambridge This Week: The new restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the Porter Square Hotel.
- Boston-Area Beer and Liquor News, Updated Weekly: A round-up of brewery openings and more.
- Bar Mezzana Team to Grow South End Reach With Another Restaurant: Details are sparse, but the team will take over for Stephi’s on Tremont.
- Eastern Standard and Branch Line Will Get a Cambridge Sibling: The hospitable duo will become a trio with Shy Bird in Kendall Square.
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- The Hottest Restaurants in Boston Right Now, February 2019: Boston’s best new hotspots, updated monthly.
- The Ultimate Guide to 2019 Restaurant Openings Around Boston: It’s going to be a good year for food halls, French food, and exciting new projects from familiar faces.
- 25 Essential Pizzas in the Boston Area: From old-school classics to fancy wood-fired pies.
- Boston’s Best Neighborhood Hangouts: Where to eat and drink and feel like a local.
- Where to Eat and Drink in the South End: Pepperoni pizza on Tremont Street and late-night beers in a neighborhood classic.
- Where to Eat and Drink in Inman Square: Half-sour pickles at a century-old Jewish deli and some of the best Indian food in Greater Boston.
- Where to Eat Chicken Wings in and Around Boston: From Korean fried to Buffalo-style, these are the best wings in the Hub.
- 19 Splendid Shakshuka Options Around Boston: Start the day off right with a spicy poached egg and tomato dish.
- 6 Boston-Area Brazilian Restaurants to Try During Carnival 2019: Or anytime.
- Where to Eat and Drink in Kendall Square: Ribs, fried chicken, poutine, and beautiful cocktails.
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- &pizza (1-3 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge): This D.C.-based pizza chain sells oblong personal pies with a variety of toppings; it’s sharing space with a Milk Bar.
- 1855 Bar à Vins (259 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston): This French wine bar lives above its sibling, French restaurant La Voile, and also serves food itself, including cheeses, a sage risotto, beef carpaccio, and more.
- A&B Burgers (101 Beverly St., West End, Boston): A full-service restaurant featuring burgers, born on the North Shore.
- American Provisions (1961-1981 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, Boston): This is the second — and long-awaited — location for a popular South Boston-based specialty shop, which stocks cheeses, charcuterie, sandwiches, and more.
- Bar Mercato (54 Devonshire St., Downtown Boston): Located in the Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall, Bar Mercato is an all-day restaurant that draws inspiration from European food halls.
- Bourbon Coffee (103 Canal St., West End, Boston): With a location in Cambridge’s Porter Square and roots in Rwanda, this cafe has expanded to the former West End location of Boston Common Coffee Co.
- Chilacates (33 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill; 1482 Tremont St., Mission Hill, Boston; 275 Shawmut St., South End, Boston): Not one, not two, but three new Chilacates locations opened in February, bringing the Mexican group up to five.
- Colette (1924 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge): South End hit Frenchie now has a sibling — another French restaurant — in Cambridge’s Porter Square Hotel.
- Darwin’s Ltd. (31 Putnam Ave., Cambridge): A switch in the works since 2012, Darwin’s has opened its fourth cafe in the previous home of Petsi Pies. (Petsi’s Somerville location remains in operation.)
- Fox & the Knife (28 W. Broadway, South Boston): Karen Akunowicz, a James Beard winner and longtime Myers + Chang alum, is at the helm of this Italian-inspired enoteca.
- Futago Udon (508-512 Park Dr., Fenway, Boston): From the team behind a Somerville soba restaurant comes another noodle-focused spot, this time featuring udon.
- The Grateful Dedham Diner (573 High St., Dedham): This new Dedham diner is located in a former D’Angelo’s space and serves breakfast all day (until closing at 3 p.m.)
- Isshindo Ramen (1 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston): Taking over the former space of another ramen shop, Pikaichi, Isshindo — which specializes in tonkotsu ramen — is located within the Super 88 market (not within the main food court but in an adjacent space).
- Kane’s Donuts (Essex Landing, 1565 Broadway, Saugus): Located on Route 1 in view of a famous orange dinosaur, this is the second Saugus location — and third location overall — for a decades-old doughnut shop.
- The Landing (223 Adams St., Newton): Neapolitan-style pizza and more from and owner who grew up on the Italian coast between Rome and Naples.
- Lisa’s Family Pizzeria (368 Trapelo Rd., Belmont): The small local chain serves pizzas, calzones, subs, pasta, and more.
- The Local Kitchen & Drinks (99 3rd Ave., Waltham): This is the fifth location for the local (and Local) chain, which serves dishes like Hong Kong noodles, Buffalo wings, tacos, and corn chowder.
- Los Amigos Taqueria (424 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville): This local Mexican chain now has five locations; this newest one took over the longtime Blue Shirt Cafe space in Davis Square.
- Mexicali Mexican Grill (225 Shrewsbury St., Worcester): Taking over a former British Beer Company space, this is the eighth location for Mexicali, which serves burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and more.
- Milk Bar (1-3 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge): Sugar queen Christina Tosi has brought her growing bakery chain to Boston for the first time, and it’s sharing space with D.C.-based pizza chain &pizza.
- Pho Common (468 Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston): This Vietnamese restaurant, which serves pho and more, took the place of another Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Countryside.
- Playa Bowls (2199 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton, Boston): This New Jersey-based chain serves acai bowls, smoothies, and more; this location is right by Boston College.
- Serafina (237 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston): This is the second local location for the New York-based Italian chain, which also has a Financial District outpost.
- The Square Root (2 Corinth St., Roslindale, Boston): A cafe, performance venue, and co-working space in one.
- Sufra (52 Queensberry St., Fenway, Boston): Another example of a food truck putting down permanent roots, Sufra took over the former Black Jack Pasta space, where it serves shawarma, falafel, and more.
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- Allora Ristorante (139 Lakeside Ave., Marlborough): This Italian restaurant was open for over a decade.
- Boston Common Coffee Co. (103 Canal St., West End, Boston): This local cafe group is down from four locations to one, with its Canal Street location recently taken over by another cafe. It remains open in the Financial District.
- The Greek Grille (599 Main St., Winchester): Souvlaki, spanakopita, Greek pizza, and more was on the menu at the Greek Grille, open for 10 years.
- Hi B3ar Ice Cream Roll (147 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston): This rolled ice cream spot is closed for now, with a sign out front indicating renovations.
- Panera Cares (3 Center Plz., Downtown Boston): This was the last remaining location of bakery-cafe chain Panera’s pay-what-you-can experiment, which began in 2010. (This particular location was open for six years.)
- The Red-Eyed Pig (1753 Centre St., West Roxbury, Boston): This pub served Southern-leaning food, with barbecue, hush puppies, and more.
- Roadworthy (135 Washington St., Dedham): Roadworthy opened in 2016 and served a “soul fuel” menu of Sicilian pan pizzas, chicken parm, salad, and such.
- Sami’s Trailer (107 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Longwood Medical Area, Boston): Known for serving wraps since 1979, this trailer has closed indefinitely.
- Sushi Factory (140 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston): Only open since late 2019, this all-you-can-eat sushi joint is closed, but just for renovations and a menu change. The renovations seem extensive; it’s unclear whether it’ll still be a sushi restaurant when it reemerges.