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Over 60 Boston-Area Restaurants, a Food Hall, and a Casino Voluntarily Closed Amid Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

Tracking closures, fundraising, and more in the wake of COVID-19

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Update, March 15, 7:30 p.m.: Governor Charlie Baker has announced a statewide shutdown of all bars and restaurants from March 17 to April 6. Takeout and delivery will be allowed, but customers will not be able to dine in. Several sections of the piece below have been removed since they’re no longer relevant (seating and service alterations, deals related to dining in, etc.), and the temporary closure list below is no longer being updated.


PREVIOUSLY:

As the novel coronavirus spreads, Massachusetts has been in an official state of emergency since March 10, but restaurants have already been seeing declining business for several weeks — especially in Chinatown, which bore the brunt of xenophobic panic in the early days of the crisis — thanks to school closures; conference and event cancellations; and large companies telling employees to work from home.

Restaurants in Boston and beyond are trying to find ways to stay afloat while giving customers the opportunity to dine while coming into contact with as few other people as possible — spacing out tables more, optimizing takeout and delivery options and procedures, encouraging gift card sales, and the like. Boston isn’t imposing any strict measures along the lines of curfews or lockdowns, but the phrase of the week is “social distancing” as local and national governmental and health organizations urge people to keep a distance.

Eater will be tracking pertinent Boston-area restaurant industry updates right here — restaurants that are closing temporarily, drastically altering their layout and/or service model, offering price reductions to customers or other restaurant industry workers, and more. If you own or represent a Boston-area restaurant, please get in touch via email (boston@eater.com) to share updates on your plans; this list will be updated.

This piece was originally published on March 13, 2020. The date of the most recent update appears above.



Update, March 15, 7:30 p.m.: Given that restaurants are now required to close — aside from takeout and delivery — from March 17 to April 6, the list of temporary closures below will no longer be updated as it would have to include every restaurant. Updates will begin again after April 6 if there are restaurants that do not reopen right away. Meanwhile, the list will be preserved, representing the numerous restaurants that took the initiative to close before the state required it.

PREVIOUSLY:

A note for March 15: Numerous South Boston restaurants and bars have voluntarily agreed to close for the day (Sunday, March 15), including Lincoln, Capo, Loco, Fat Baby, the Junction, the Playwright, Broadway, Roza Lyons, Backyard Betty’s, Publico, Stats, Shennanigans, Six West at the Cambria Hotel (the hotel’s dining services remain in operation for hotel guests only), Coppersmith.

Temporary closures beyond March 15 in and around Boston:

  • Anna’s Taqueria: “With MIT’s classes transitioned to online for the remainder of the semester, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the doors of our MIT location at the MIT Stratton Student Center until further notice. Anna’s Taqueria’s first commitment has always been to customers and employees, and our hope with this decision is to help keep them safe and healthy. We will share information about MIT and our other locations as it becomes available on a day-by-day basis. If you do choose to stay home instead of dining out, please consider ordering from Anna’s on your favorite delivery apps.” 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
  • Armory Cafe: Temporarily closed, at least from March 13 through March 29. Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville
  • Atwood’s Tavern: Temporarily closed as of March 15. “While this is a hard reality to face, we know this is merely a temporary storm we must all weather together. So we’re battening down the hatches and will spend this time planning an amazing spring and summer season of music and patio bliss.” Gift cards available for purchase online. 877 Cambridge St., East Cambridge
  • Backyard Betty’s: Closed on March 15, with hours for the days following determined on a day-by-day basis. Keep an eye on social media for updates. Sister restaurant Publico is doing the same thing. 170 W. Broadway, South Boston
  • Bagelsaurus: Selling bulk bagels, spreads, bottled/canned beverages, and a few take-home specials on March 15 (no sandwiches, no coffee); then, closed for “at least a week” starting on March 16 “to get some ‘social distance’ and see how this plays out. We care about your stomachs and we care about your safety and we hope to see you soon.”
  • Bar Mezzana: Temporarily closing after dinner service on March 14. “In solidarity with our employees whose health and well-being is our first priority, and in an effort to behave in a socially responsible way, we are temporarily closing our doors to the public for the foreseeable future.” Gift cards available for purchase online. Sibling restaurants Shore Leave, No Relation, and Black Lamb are also temporarily closed. 360 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston
  • Barracuda Tavern: The restaurant is closed as of March 12 “until further notice.” 15 Bosworth St., Downtown Crossing, Boston
  • Bastille Kitchen: Closed as of March 15, with tentative plans to reopen on March 20; keep an eye on social media for updates. 49 Melcher St., Fort Point, Boston
  • Big Night Entertainment Group venues: All venues are temporarily closed as of March 15 with a plan to reopen on April 1. Empire, 1 Marina Park Dr., Seaport District, Boston; Guy Fieri’s Tequila Cocina, 110 Causeway St., West End, Boston; The Grand and Scorpion Bar, 58 Seaport Blvd., Seaport District, Boston; Memoire and Mystique at Encore Boston Harbor, 1 Broadway, Everett; Red Lantern, 39 Stanhope St., Back Bay, Boston; Versus, 42 Province St., downtown Boston
  • Black Lamb: Temporarily closed following service on March 14; see statement from sister restaurant Bar Mezzana above. Gift cards available for purchase online. 571 Tremont St., South End, Boston
  • Blue Bottle: The cafe chain is temporarily closing all United States locations, effective March 16, for at least two weeks. “In the meantime, for the next three months, no matter what happens, we are not planning any changes to our number of staff, pay rates, or health care benefits. All our staff, including baristas, will be paid for their scheduled hours.” Multiple locations
  • Brass Union: Closing for at least the weekend of March 14; stay tuned for updates on whether it will reopen during the week of March 16. “The CDC and public health officials are telling us that we should avoid public spaces and maintain safe social distance. While there has not been a clear directive to businesses like ours, we believe that closing is the only way for us to comply with the public health advisory.” Sister restaurants the Independent, Foundry on Elm, and the Saloon, all in Somerville, remain open, with groups seated at alternating tables (at least six feet apart). 70 Union Sq., Union Square, Somerville
  • Central Cafe and Restaurant: Temporarily closed as of March 15. “We at Central feel it Prudent to err on the side of caution until this situation presents itself more clearly.”
  • Chickadee: Temporarily closed starting on March 15, following brunch service. “To our amazing guests, friends, family, and supporters... we have made the incredibly difficult decision, along with many of our restaurant peers, to temporarily shut our doors so that we may act in the best interest of public health and safety. ... Please continue to support each other, and if you still wish to champion restaurants from afar, please consider purchasing gift cards, cookbooks, merchandise, and keep us in your thoughts as we will keep you in ours.” Gift card purchases are 20% off until March 21. 21 Drydock Ave., Seaport District, Boston
  • Club Passim: The music venue is closed through April 1, including Sunday live music brunch. “We are working with the musicians affected by this decision to host their performances online instead so they can continue to generate income while we are closed. Passim will offer refunds to any ticket buyers who would like one. However, we will be encouraging ticket buyers to waive their refunds so we can pay artists and staff during this time of transition. Passim is also working on putting together a fundraising campaign to help support the music community at large. Stay tuned for more information on that.” 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge
  • Coppa: “To the Boston community, this past week your solidarity has been exactly what it needs to be, exactly what it always is and exactly why we are so damn proud to be a part of it. Our teams kept showing up and you all showed up. Serving food and drinks is what we do, it’s what we love, and we are proud to do it in a way that keeps our industry growing stronger all the time. It is with that in mind that we have decided that the safe thing to do is to shut our doors temporarily. This is uncharted territory for all of us, and we will keep you posted as to how and when we will open again. To our teams, you have shown grace, warmth and dedication, and our gratitude for you all is immeasurable. We are beyond eager to reunite with our work family, and of course, the best guests ever for our first service back after we get through this.” Coppa and sister restaurant Toro will temporarily close after dinner service on March 15; sister restaurant Little Donkey is already temporarily closed. 253 Shawmut Ave., South End, Boston
  • Create Gallery & Cocktails: Temporarily closed as of March 16. “I’ll be using my time away from CREATE to develop a system for us to continue our dedication to supporting our artists.” Keep an eye on social media for updates and art sales. 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Daddy Jones: Closed for at least one week, as of March 13, “while continuing to pay staff. We will only be doing drop offs to those requesting meals for families with children stuck at home. We love you but we want to lead the charge in employee care.” Gift cards available for purchase online; plus, see fundraising section below for information on Daddy Jones’ fundraising efforts to help feed local families. 525 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville
  • Dante: Temporarily closed as of March 15 (along with sister restaurants Il Casale and the Wellington). “Based on all we know about federal, state, and city-wide mandates, CDC guidelines and science strongly suggesting to minimize non-essential social contact, we have made the hard decision to temporarily close our restaurants until we feel it is safe to reopen ... During this temporary closure we will work towards finding ways we can assist in the livelihoods of our employees and the greater hospitality community. There are many efforts already underway. We will cover employee premium contributions for medical insurance for those currently enrolled, for the next month. We’ll be assisting our staff in getting the resources they need to get through this difficult time.” 40 Edwin H. Land Blvd., East Cambridge
  • Encore Boston Harbor: The new casino (which includes 15 restaurants and bars) is closing for two weeks, starting March 15. “The company will pay all full-time employees during this period as it evaluates the impact of the temporary closure. A limited number of employees and management will remain at the resort to secure, sanitize and maintain the facility. 1 Broadway, Everett
  • Fat Hen: As of March 15, “taking a little break until things settle down a bit” along with sister/neighbor restaurant La Brasa. 126 Broadway, East Somerville
  • Flat Top Johnny’s: “To do our part in protecting our employees, customers, and their friends and families we have decided to suspend operations as of [March 15]. We will reopen as soon as possible and we look forward to seeing you all when we do.” 1 Kendall Sq., Kendall Square, Cambridge
  • Gracie’s Ice Cream: Closing until further notice after service on March 15. “We’ve been selling a good amount of ice cream, for which I’m grateful, but for the next week or ten days or two weeks or three weeks everyone really should be staying inside as much as possible. ... I’m not doing everything I can to protect my community if I’m open trying to sell ice cream, so we’re going to close. I don’t know for how long. ... Y’all have been very supportive the last few days of us, and all the local restaurants around, but here’s what we, our employees, and the employees of every other restaurant closing now needs: Please get in touch with your elected officials and advocate for tangible and immediate relief for the employees of small businesses. You can find your representative here: https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/ Please also get in touch with your local food bank and give them as much of your cash as you can. If you’ve done both of those things and you still really want to support us, buying our merch online is a good way and is much appreciated.” 22 Union Sq., Union Square, Somerville
  • Highland Fried and Highland Kitchen: Both restaurants are closing temporarily as of March 15. “We feel this is the right thing to do at this time to maintain the health and safety of our employees and guests along with not contributing to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.” Highland Fried, 1271 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge; Highland Kitchen, 150 Highland Ave., Somerville
  • Il Casale: Both locations (as well as sister spots Dante and the Wellington) are closed until further notice, as of March 15. See the Dante listing above for information about how the restaurant group is taking care of its staff. 50 Leonard St., Belmont; 1727 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington
  • Island Creek Oyster Bar: “With our team’s health and well-being our top priority, we have decided to temporarily close our doors for the foreseeable future, effective today, Saturday, March 15th. These are unprecedented times, and we can’t wait to be shucking oysters for our neighbors and friends as soon as it is prudent to do so. Please continue to check Instagram and our website for the most up to date information on when we can all come back together to break bread in healthier times. Stay safe and #flattenthecurve!” Sister restaurant Row 34 is also closed. 500 Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston; 300 District Ave., Burlington
  • La Brasa: As of March 15, “taking a little break until things settle down a bit” along with sister/neighbor restaurant Fat Hen. 124 Broadway, East Somerville
  • Little Donkey: Temporarily closed as of March 15. See Coppa listing above for a statement from the owners of Toro, Coppa, and Little Donkey. 505 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge
  • Lolita Fort Point: Currently suspending brunch and lunch services. Opening at 4 p.m. for dinner daily. 253 Summer St., Fort Point, Boston
  • Maca: The Bow Market macaron shop is moving to online-only temporarily, as of 6 p.m. on March 15. Order online. 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Mass Hole Donuts: “We have temporarily halted operations at our brick and mortar shop out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our staff and guests. We hope to reopen as delivery-only next Saturday, March 21. In the meantime, you can support us by purchasing an e-gift card here, or placing an order for any weekend May-December 2020 here. Thank you for the support!” 2 Lake St., Arlington
  • Moonshine 152: “Per recommendation from the City of Boston, Moonshine 152 will be VOLUNTARILY closed until further notice [as of March 15] pending further information from city and state officials. While as a smaller restaurant in the neighborhood it was made clear to us that ARE able to stay open, out of an abundance of caution we have made the CHOICE to close, While we had planned to close Monday [March 16], we are effectively closing until further notice from the City of Boston. Thank you to all our staff, neighbors, friends, regulars & strangers for supporting us these past few days. Moonshine isn’t Moonshine without you.” 152 Dorchester Ave., South Boston
  • Nibble Kitchen: “Nibble Kitchen will be closed for the next two weeks [as of March 14] due to Covid-19 and the need for social distancing and safe practices. This is in accordance with the City of Somerville protocol of closing public offices and spaces (Nibble Kitchen is a city-run program). We will continue to monitor the situation and will re-evaluate our decision weekly. We will update you with any changes via our website and social media channels. .But we look forward to seeing you down the line soon! Until then, good and healthy wishes to everyone.” 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Once Somerville: The venue is closed through the end of March and raising money for staff. “I am trying to keep everyone getting something until we can sort out unemployment or paid sick leave etc. ... Please, if you can, the staff will be very grateful. I love you, regardless. So grateful to be a part of the music bubble.”
  • Parlor Sports: Closed “until further notice” as of March 15. “We love and care about each and every one of you, and we’ll see you on the other side of this! We will continue to interact via social media, and will miss you all terribly!” Sister/neighbor spot Trina’s Starlite Lounge is also temporarily closed. 1 Beacon St., Somerville
  • Parsnip: Temporarily closing from March 16 through March 22 “in light of the encouragement to practice social distancing.” 91 Winthrop St., Harvard Square, Cambridge
  • Publico: Closed on March 15, with hours for the days following determined on a day-by-day basis. Keep an eye on social media for updates. Sister restaurant Backyard Betty’s is doing the same thing. 11 Dorchester St., South Boston
  • Puritan & Company: Temporarily closing following brunch service on March 15. “The safety of our staff, our business and especially you, our guests, is what’s most important right now. We want to give our team the necessary time to prepare for the road ahead, and the best and most fair thing that we can do is make sure that safety and stability are our number 1 concern. In addition, it is important for us to know that every employee who works for us has a job to come back to.” Meanwhile, gift cards can be purchased online. 1166 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge
  • Rancatores: Closing all three locations for two weeks, as of March 13. 36 Leonard St., Belmont; 1752 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington; 333 Walnut St., Newtonville
  • Rebel Rebel: Closed until further notice as of March 15. “We need to stay healthy, and we need you to stay healthy, so when this is all over we can emerge and bathe ourselves in sunshine and pét-nat. Our team is being cared for, and we hope you’ll care for yourselves, too. If you want to continue to support us from home, we’re still selling gift cards + merch via our website. It’s possible we’ll put some online classes together for you to do at home, but we need a few days to figure that out. We’ll continue to update as we know more about how long we’ll be gone, but know that we’re making the choice so there’s still a tiny wine bar for you to visit when this is all over” 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Remnant Brewing: Temporarily closed as of March 16. “We sincerely thank everyone for your patience and understanding during these uncertain times and can’t wait to see your beautiful faces back in our taproom again soon.” 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Row 34: Temporarily closed as of March 15; see the listing above for sister restaurant Island Creek Oyster Bar for a statement from the team. 383 Congress St., Fort Point, Boston; 5 Portwalk Pl., Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  • Serafina: The Back Bay location is closed for the foreseeable future. “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the virus. We are all in this together, and we hope to see you all again soon.” 237 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston
  • Shore Leave and No Relation: Both temporarily closed following service on March 14; see statement from sister restaurant Bar Mezzana above. Gift cards available for purchase online (Shore Leave, No Relation). Existing reservation holders for No Relation will have first priority on rescheduling when it reopens. 11 William E. Mullins Way, South End, Boston
  • The Table at Season to Taste: “In the interest of the community’s health and safety we are making the very difficult decision to close for a minimum of two weeks,” starting March 14. 2447 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge
  • Taranta: Closed for at least March 15 and 16 to “minimize expenses”; a decision about what to do the following week is forthcoming. 210 Hanover St., North End, Boston
  • T&B Pizza: Temporarily closed as of March 15. “Based on recommendations from the state and national government, we will be closing until further notice.”
  • Time Out Market Boston: The food hall is temporarily closed as of March 16 “for as long as required to fully support the local and global efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.” 401 Park Dr., Fenway, Boston
  • Toro: Temporarily closed following dinner service on March 15. See Coppa listing above for a statement from the owners of Toro, Coppa, and Little Donkey. 1704 Washington St., South End, Boston
  • Tres Gatos: As of March 14, closed for at least a week. (Check for weekly updates on its website and Facebook page.) Gift cards are available for purchase online. “Our book and record store may open for limited hours on certain days in order for our customers to be able to pick up special orders or shop for a book or record: helpful for staying sane at home,” says owner David Doyle; keep an eye on social media for more info. Sister restaurants Little Dipper and Casa Verde currently remain open with normal hours and will ramp up takeout capabilities. Tres Gatos, 470 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Boston [closed]; Little Dipper, 669 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Boston [open]; Casa Verde, 711 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Boston [open]
  • Trina’s Starlite Lounge: “Family looks out for one another, especially when times get tough. Well, times are tough and we had to make the hardest decision of our life — in order to keep our family, and extended family (you!) safe and healthy, we will be closing this Monday [March 16] until further notice. Many of you have asked how you can help support our staff through all of this — instead of doing Monday brunch, we will be cooking off any leftover food we have, boxing it up to go, and giving it away for free, with a suggested cash donation, that will get divided amongst our kick ass staff.” Sister/neighbor spot Parlor Sports is also temporarily closed. 3 Beacon St., Somerville
  • Variety Bar: “We don’t take much seriously at Variety, but we do take the COVID-19 outbreak very seriously. For the health & safety of our employees, guests, and community we will be closed until further notice effective immediately [as of March 15]. Thank you to everyone who has supported us since our recent reopen, we look forward to serving you again in the hopefully not so distant future.” 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • Veggie Galaxy: Closing “indefinitely” as of March 15. “The time for containment is over, according to the experts, and to save lives and avoid overwhelming our inadequately prepared healthcare system, social isolation RIGHT NOW is crucial. We can’t in good conscience stay open and provide a space for folks to congregate ... Our staff will be able to apply for unemployment immediately. And we will use this time to work on projects that we haven’t had time for (website, menu updates, repairs, etc.), so we’ll be in great shape to welcome our staff and you, our guests, back when it’s once again safe to all be together.” 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge
  • Vinal Bakery: Closing “for now” after business on March 15 (open only from 9 a.m. to noon on the 15th, giving away 450 English muffins, with customers encouraged to leave donations for Vinal’s staff). “We are seriously concerned for the health and welfare of our staff and the greater community at large. While it was a difficult decision to make it was easily the smartest choice. We hope that others follow us and choose to put our collective health first. We feel so lucky to be in this neighborhood and have all of you come in to our little bakery. We hope to see you all soon! We will give you all the biggest hugs and high fives!”
  • Warehouse Bar & Grille: “We have decided to voluntarily close [as of March 15] in order to ensure the safety of our guests and staff. We are not sure what the future holds but look forward to receiving some guidance from [the city of Boston].” 40 Broad St., downtown Boston
  • The Wellington: Along with sister spots Dante and il Casale, closed until further notice, as of March 15. See the Dante listing above for information about how the restaurant group is taking care of its staff. 75 Leonard St., Belmont
  • Whole Heart Provisions: The Harvard Square location is closed as of March 13 and will remain closed until Harvard resumes classes; the Central Square location is temporarily closed as of March 14. The Central Square location remains open, and takeout, delivery, catering, gift cards, and merch are available online. Smith Campus Center, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge [closed]; 298 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge [closed]; 487 Cambridge St., Allston [open]

Delivery and takeout information has been moved to a separate page.


  • Adventure Pub: Laid off or furloughed workers get a 30% discount on Adventure Pub’s “family boxes,” combo meals (with a roll of toilet paper) available for curbside pickup or free delivery within five miles. Arlington
  • Anoush’ella: The original South End location is offering free meals to out-of-work hospitality workers while supplies last — about 60-70 can be fed each day. South End, Boston
  • Blackmoor, LongCross, and Olde Magoun’s Saloon: Offering a 50% discount off of food for any restaurant worker who orders (with paystub). Charlestown, Medford, Somerville
  • Cafe Landwer: Anyone can sponsor a breakfast or lunch to be delivered to a healthcare worker at area hospitals, and for every three meals sponsored, Cafe Landwer will also donate a meal. Look for the “Adopt a Doctor, Nurse or Pharmacist” option here. Boston
  • Crush Pizza: The Quincy location (1250 Hancock St.) is serving free pizza slices to any child, aiming to help families who have lost jobs or whose children rely on school meals. Quincy
  • Daddy Jones: Raising money via GoFundMe to be able to cook food for local families in need who are having trouble feeding children during school/work closures. “Leftover donations will be coordinated with the city of Somerville for families and businesses in need.” Somerville
  • Lovin’ Spoonfuls: The food rescue organization is continuing its work throughout Massachusetts’ partial restaurant shutdown, providing emergency food relief throughout Greater Boston, Metrowest, and Hampden County. Monetary donations are being accepted to support the organization’s work. Boston and beyond
  • Penguin Pizza: The Mission Hill restaurant is putting together an initiative called Feeding the Frontline, encouraging people to “pay it forward” by paying for orders or gift cards that restaurants can fulfill for hospitals, first responders, vulnerable populations, etc. Boston and beyond
  • Pennypacker’s: Jumping onboard the Daddy Jones train by helping feed Somerville families in need, especially those with children relying on school lunches. Families can reach out via phone (857-523-8053) or social media message, and Pennypacker’s will help in whatever way they can. Somerville
  • Sher-A-Punjab: Located at 1237 Hancock St. in Quincy, the restaurant is offering free food to those who can’t afford to eat between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. each day. Quincy
  • Talulla: Talulla is selling frozen casseroles and soups. For each casserole sold, the restaurant will donate 10 bagged lunches to Fletcher Maynard Academy in Cambridge for families in need (and five lunches per each soup sold). 377 Walden St., Cambridge
  • Trina’s Starlite Lounge: We are following the lead of our friends Daddy Jones Bar and reaching out to our community to help anyone in need. If you, or anyone you know is struggling to feed your family during this crisis, we will personally bring you food. Please DM us, and if you don’t feel comfortable messaging the restaurant, you can DM any one of the owners directly. Feel free to email as well.” Somerville
  • True Bistro: “We are offering the option to donate a meal to member of the community struggling to make ends meet, and encourage any who have lost their job or are struggling to put food on the table to reach out to us and let us know and food will be provided for you at no cost to you.” Somerville

For fundraisers, Venmo tip jars, and other ways that diners can support local out-of-work restaurant workers, click here. For an overview of nationwide relief funds and organizations accepting donations for restaurant industry workers, click here.

  • Love Art: From Ronald Liu, founder of the Love Art family of restaurants: “We are all proud of how progressive and inclusive Boston is but at the end of the day, many Asian/Asian Americans now fear being the next victim of targeted racism. Many of my own staff have expressed their desire to not have closing shifts because they’re scared of what may happen on a T-ride home at 11 p.m. and some have reported not being able to get an Uber because they keep cancelling once they discover they’re picking up an Asian/Asian American rider. As a result, we’ve set up a shuttle system where different managers have freed ourselves up to give rides home at the end of the night at each of our locations. This is an unfortunate reality for many others in the service industry and while having a shuttle service isn’t feasible in some cases, please take these concerns from your Asian/Asian American staff seriously.” Multiple locations
  • Tanám: “Worker ownership isn’t rhetoric or empty words for us. It’s a continuing practice of examining where the traditional hospitality industry fails workers and making strides to unlearn and replace those practices with ones that prioritize works as people, and not property. Paid sick leave and comprehensive health insurance have always been and will be a core component of worker ownership at Tanám.” 1 Bow Market Way, Bow Market, Union Square, Somerville
  • The Varano Group restaurants: As of March 13, compensating all servers and bartenders for gratuity lost for the next two weeks. Strega North End, 379 Hanover St., North End, Boston; Rina’s Pizzeria, 371 Hanover St., North End, Boston; Nico’s Ristorante, 417 Hanover St., North End, Boston