A Portuguese Cornerstone in Cambridge Shuts Down After 40 Years

Portugalia Restaurant, an East Cambridge landmark for classic Portuguese fare, has shut down after 40 years. Boston’s Consulate-General of Portugal confirmed the closure in a Facebook post, writing that owner Maria Valente has “been present in the life of our community for many years.” The neighborhood has long been a hub for Portuguese residents in the Boston area, and Portugalia was a gathering spot for decades where diners could dig into grilled Portuguese sausages, seafood stews, and a variety of salt cod, or bacalhau, dishes including fritters and baked salt cod with tangy tartar sauce and pureed potatoes. The consulate’s Facebook post did not disclose a reason for the closure, and the restaurant did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.

Central Square restaurant Pagu hosts next roundtable dinner and discussion focused on AAPI awareness

Following a successful debut in April, Pagu chef and owner Tracy Chang is back with another roundtable event at her Cambridge restaurant on Thursday, May 18. This time, the discussion centers around AAPI experiences in the restaurant industry, and featured chefs include Wusong Road’s Jason Doo, Rubato’s Laurence Louie, Hot Chix’s Alex Nystedt, Mimi Chuka Diner’s Ted Woo, and KT Cheung, who formerly headed up Korean-rooted Cambridge restaurant Cloud & Spirits. Tickets for the dinner and discussion start at $99 per person.

The former home of beloved restaurant, bar, and live music venue Atwood’s won’t be vacant for long

Remnant Brewing in Somerville’s Bow Market is expanding into the old Atwood’s location, Boston Restaurant Talk reports. In a Facebook post announcing the news, the brewery promised to “continue the legacy of Atwood’s by creating a warm, community-centric, and welcoming place for everyone” as it moves into the well-loved space. The spot is slated to open this summer, according to a rep for the brewery.

At least one Barbara Lynch investor wants out following reports of workplace harassment

In a follow-up to its Barbara Lynch investigation, the Boston Globe reports that the chef is pressing onward with opening her new restaurant the Rudder, in Gloucester, while saying little to staff in the wake of last month’s news reports detailing employee allegations of workplace misconduct in the Globe and the New York Times. Meanwhile, at least one unnamed investor confirmed with the Globe that they’ve told Lynch they want out after Lynch sent a letter to investors calling the employee allegations “false and hyperbolic,” according to the report. The investor had not made back the money they were hoping for on Lynch’s top-tier restaurants like Menton and Sportello, and the employee allegations — and Lynch’s response — left the investor ready to sever ties. “I don’t know how you regroup from this,” the investor told the Globe.

For those who are interested in hearing more about the Boston Globe report and learning about the ongoing reckoning surrounding restaurants and toxic work cultures, WBUR is hosting a live discussion on the topic on Tuesday evening with Globe reporter Janelle Nanos, restaurateur Irene Li, writer Hannah Selinger, and Hassel Aviles, co-founder of Not 9 to 5, a hospitality-focused mental health advocacy group. Admission is free and registration is available here.

Update: May 15, 2:45 p.m.: This post has been updated to include the tentative opening date for Remnant Brewing’s second location.