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2020 has begun, and Boston’s restaurant scene is keeping busy with a variety of openings and closings, out-of-town chains announcing Boston expansion plans, so much pizza news, and more.
The Boston area welcomed a permanent location for a longtime barbecue company this month, as well as the rebirth of a nonprofit bakery and cafe, a grilled pizza joint from Rhode Island, a suburban location for a growing local doughnut chain, and more.
On the closure side, a creative Japan-meets-New-England spot has bid farewell to the South End, a decades-old restaurant with one of the best views in town announced an upcoming closure, and a favorite downtown burger shop closed in preparation for a move to a nearby food hall.
Read on for a summary of January 2020, including the most-read news stories and maps, the openings, and the closings.
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- Boston Booze News, Updated Weekly: Brewery openings and closings and other Boston-area beer, wine, cider, and liquor updates (with a focus on beer).
- Boston’s Winter 2020 Restaurant Openings, Updated Weekly: A roundup of pertinent updates on Boston-area restaurant openings.
- Boston’s Coming Attractions, Updated Weekly: A roundup of restaurants slated to open in and around Boston in the near and far future.
- Boston’s Winter 2020 Restaurant Closings, Updated Weekly: A roundup of pertinent updates on Boston-area restaurant closings (and announced closings that will take place later).
- Taiwanese Boba Chain Tiger Sugar Will Bring Its Photogenic Tea to Boston: Tiger Sugar has filed paperwork for Cambridge and Allston locations, furthering its explosive American expansion.
- Two Delicious Ways to Break Up a Drive Between Boston and Montreal: A five-hour drive away, the Canadian city makes for a perfect multi-day road trip from Boston. Here’s where to eat on the way.
- Top of the Hub, Boston’s Decades-Old Restaurant With a View, Is Closing in April: The closure will bring an end to 55 years of dining with a 52nd-story view of the city.
- Boston’s Insatiable Hunger for Pizza Continues Into 2020: Updates from the pizza scene, from a grilled pizza restaurant on the verge of opening to a new source for Detroit-style pizza — and lots more.
- Boston’s Newest Udon Restaurant Debuts in Kenmore Square: Osaka, Japan-based udon chain Tsurutontan is now open on Commonwealth Avenue.
- New England Restaurant News, Updated Weekly: Regional food and beverage updates from New England, beyond the borders of Massachusetts.
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- The 38 Essential Restaurants in Boston, Winter 2020: Boston’s greatest restaurants for any occasion.
- The Hottest Restaurants in Boston Right Now, January 2020: Boston’s best new hot spots.
- The Ultimate Guide to 2020 Restaurant Openings Around Boston: Japanese food, so much chicken, food halls, plenty of booze, lots of Dorchester openings, and more.
- The Hottest New Brunches in Boston Right Now, January 2020: Tired of your usual brunching routine?
- 20 of Boston’s Best Affordable Dining Destinations: Save money while eating well.
- The Best Dishes the Eater Boston Team Ate This Week: We’re sharing some of our current favorite dishes with you every Friday.
- 24 Boston-Area Restaurants That Serve Top-Notch Fried Chicken: Crispy, juicy, sometimes spicy.
- Outstanding Breakfast Sandwiches Around Boston: Behold, some of the Boston area’s most mouth-watering, all-in-one breakfasts: on croissants, on biscuits, on point.
- Where to Eat Italian Food in Boston: It’s not all about the North End (but okay, sure, there’s a lot of good Italian food in the North End).
- The Cocktail Heatmap: Where to Drink Right Now, January 2020: Hot new cocktail destinations to try this month.
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For a comprehensive list of January openings, check this weekly updated roundup. Here are a few highlights from the month:
- Inside Dorchester Brewing Company, M & M BBQ finally has a permanent restaurant space, serving ribs, fried chicken sandwiches, pretzels, and more. Formerly known as M & M Ribs, the business has existed in some form or another, mostly as a food truck and catering business, since the 1980s.
- Roxbury’s Haley House Bakery Cafe has reopened after a year hiatus in Nubian Square (the neighborhood formerly known as Dudley Square). The nonprofit cafe is part of nonprofit community organization Haley House, which has been operating for decades, providing the community with food and housing support through a variety of initiatives.
- Newport, Rhode Island’s Bar ‘Cino has expanded to Brookline, where it’s serving thin-crust grilled pizzas, pasta, and more.
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For a comprehensive list of January closings, check this weekly updated roundup for details. A few sad farewells from the month:
- Whaling in Oklahoma has closed in the South End after about a year and a half in business. Chef Tim Maslow’s (Strip-T’s, Ribelle) restaurant paired Japanese flavors with New England ingredients.
- Downtown Boston burger shop Wheelhouse closed up shop at its original location at the end of the month — but not to worry; it’s reopening in a couple months at forthcoming downtown food hall High Street Place, along with a sibling spot focused on fried chicken.
- It’s not yet gone, but decades-old restaurant-with-a-view Top of the Hub, located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Center, has announced that it will be closing in April, along with the Skywalk Observatory two floors below.