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The Celtics may not be playing, but here’s another reason to watch the NBA Finals this month: Boston-area pizzeria Rock City Pizza is getting a national spotlight on ESPN during the games. The pizzeria, founded by Joseph Charles in 2013, was selected as one of four Black-owned businesses that the sports network is showcasing via its 2023 Champion Black Businesses project, the Boston Business Journal reports. Rock City includes two locations in Allston and Randolph, with a third on the way in Roslindale. (It’ll be taking over a former location of Stash’s Pizza, whose owner was arrested and charged with federal labor crimes earlier this year.)
Rock City Pizza and the other three Black-owned businesses from Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix, Arizona, will be highlighted on various ESPN platforms during the NBA Finals, and the owners also got to individually sit down with Shark Tank celebrity and businessperson Mark Cuban to get advice on running their businesses. The Celtics nominated Charles for the recognition, according to the Journal.
Looking for more summer daytrip ideas?
Boston Magazine has the scoop on how to plan a fun summer weekend trip to Charlestown, Rhode Island, which is the home of Indigenous restaurant Sly Fox Den Too, whose chef and owner Sherry Pocknett was recently crowned Best Chef: Northeast in this year’s James Beard Awards.
A new lightning-round omakase to check out
If you’re a fan of the omakase at hidden South End sushi restaurant No Relation, tucked within tropical bar Shore Leave, here’s a new, quicker-paced version to check out: The team has launched a less formal, 45-minute, 12-course omakase at Shore Leave, including nigiri and sashimi, for $85 per person, starting this month.
Kantin at Allston’s Super 88 food court appears to have shut down
Boston Restaurant Talk reports that Kantin, a longtime restaurant at Allston’s Super 88 food court with a sprawling menu featuring barbecued meats, congee, soup noodles, and more, appears to have shut down. The space has been emptied out, and it’s unclear what happened and whether the restaurant plans to reopen elsewhere, according to the industry blog.
