After 28 Years, a Back Bay Middle Eastern Restaurant Has Closed

A long-running Middle Eastern restaurant in Boston has closed. Caffe Jaffa (48 Gloucester St., Boston) first opened in 1991, spending the next 28 years serving shawarma, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and more to the Back Bay neighborhood. The restaurant announced its closure on its website and on social media, marking March 30 as its final day in business.

“We want to thank all of you for the loyal support you have shown us through the years,” the message read. “We truly appreciate all of our customers and cannot forget the many years of business support and friendships we have gained.”

The restaurant was known for serving appetizers like grape leaves, baba ghanoush, and tabouleh plus kebab plates, falafel, hummus, and desserts like carrot cake and baklava.

Last year, the owner decided to retire and put Cafe Jaffa on the market, keeping the restaurant running pending a sale. Now that it has closed, it is likely that a new tenant will take over, and reports indicate that the new restaurant could be called Krasi, run by Demetri Tsolakis of Committee in the Seaport and Greco in Back Bay (and soon the Seaport as well). The potential Krasi team isn’t sharing information yet; stay tuned for updates.

• Cafe Jaffa in Boston’s Back Bay Has Closed [BRT]
• This Middle Eastern Cafe in Back Bay Is on the Market [BM]