clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Former Batali Restaurant Babbo Closes in Boston’s Seaport District

The four-year-old Italian restaurant was Mario Batali’s first foray into the Boston restaurant scene, later followed by Eataly, but he eventually divested from both following allegations of sexual misconduct

A wide shot of the bar area at Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca shows light streaming through windows behind a long bar, with small tables and wooden chairs in the foreground
Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

A four-year-old Italian restaurant formerly under the direction of celebrity chef Mario Batali will close: Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca (11 Fan Pier Blvd., Seaport District, Boston) is slated for permanent closure on or before September 15, 2019, resulting in 62 staff layoffs. (See update below.)

Open since April 2015, Babbo is a more casual counterpart to New York City’s fine-dining establishment by a similar name (just Babbo, without the “pizzeria e enoteca.”) Its debut in Boston came with much enthusiasm due to the high-profile status of Batali and his then-business partner, Joe Bastianich; it was their first foray into Boston’s restaurant scene, and Batali had been drumming up excitement for the expansion since 2012.

In 2017, Batali was hit with far-reaching sexual misconduct allegations, including inappropriate touching and abusive language alongside an NYPD investigation for two sexual assault accusations. Batali also faced criminal charges for an alleged incident in Boston in 2017. Batali has since divested from his restaurant interests, including Babbo and Eataly, which opened in Boston in 2016 and remains in operation.

Following Batali’s retreat from the public eye, Babbo continued on in both Boston and New York, but it’s approaching the end of the line here. This story will be updated should new information and an exact closing date become available. In the meantime, Babbo will continue to serve wood-fired pizzas, pastas, and more for the coming weeks in its sizable Seaport District space.

Update, August 9, 2019: Babbo closed on August 8.

A pizza oven burns in the background of this photo of part of the Babbo Boston interior. Counter seating surrounds the oven, and there are regular dining tables in the foreground.
Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca in Boston
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater
A view of part of the dining area at Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca in Boston, including multiple wooden tables and shelves full of wine bottles
Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca in Boston
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Batali’s Restaurant Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca to Close by September [BG]
Mario Batali Faces Criminal Charges for Alleged Sexual Assault in Boston [EBOS]

Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca

11 Fan Pier Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210 (617) 421-4466 Visit Website

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Eater Boston newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter.