For craft beer and gastropub grub

Malden is getting a roomy brewpub. Faces, which has ties to the now-defunct Lanes and Games (its closure will always be devastating), will open in April, serving its own beer — which will be brewed onsite and will include IPAs, stouts, sours, and more — as well as wine, liquor, and beer from other producers. The brewpub will also serve American-style gastropub fare.

Faces is the brainchild of Bob Martignetti, his three brothers, and childhood friend Eddie Ducharme, who will serve as head brewer. The brewpub is named after a Cambridge nightclub the Martignettis’ father and uncles operated from the 1970s until 1990. The new Faces is situated inside an old bank, which was the site of the first armed bank robbery in the history of the United States. In a kitschy but fun move, the bank vaults will serve as private dining rooms.

Mid-April 2020

For Thailand’s take on Hainanese chicken rice

One of two Hainanese chicken rice spots set to open this spring (and one of a surprisingly large number of chicken-focused restaurants on deck), Hen Chicken Rice will be a tiny, casual Union Square restaurant showcasing khao man gai, the Thai take on Southeast Asia’s classic poached chicken and rice dish.

Hen Chicken Rice will serve several versions of the dish, with options such as boiled chicken thigh or crispy fried chicken, white or brown rice, and Hainan chile or sweet soy sauce, among a few other possibilities. Chef Pong Kansab is an alum of Blue Ginger, Grill 23, and the Smoke Shop.

April 2020

For daytime pastries, rooftop cocktails, and a taste of Italy

Possibly sneaking in at the very end of spring, with the full rollout continuing into early summer, is the trio of connected new projects from Will Gilson and his Puritan & Co. team, collectively known as the Lexington and including a rooftop cocktail bar, private event space, an Italian restaurant called Geppetto, and a cafe called Café Beatrice, all located in a building called the Shed at Cambridge Crossing. (A distillery and brewery from Cambridge’s Lamplighter Brewing team will also open at the Shed later in the year.) The overall project is meant to feel like “a hotel with no rooms,” Gilson told Eater — the type of place someone could meet all their needs for the day, from morning coffee, pastries, and wifi to after-work cocktails to a full dinner.

The rooftop bar and Café Beatrice are expected to open in mid-June, making that spring cutoff, with Geppetto arriving shortly after July 4. The bar — which will eventually serve lunch and dinner daily but might start with just dinner — will serve food like “a really great burger, steak frites, big salads, great chicken wings — you know, fun bar food,” as Gilson previously told Eater. The cafe will showcase sweet and savory treats by acclaimed pastry chef Brian Mercury; the all-day, casual space will also have wifi, a patio, and drinks.

Mid-June 2020 (partial opening, with everything expected to be open in July)

For ramen and more from an Iron Chef

Like Apizza (see above), Momosan Ramen Boston will open at the Hub on Causeway’s food hall, Hub Hall, this spring. Unlike Apizza and the rest of the Hub Hall vendors, Momosan will be a full-service, standalone restaurant. The restaurant comes from restaurateur Masaharu Morimoto, who is best known from Iron Chef on television, and it has sister locations in New York, Seattle, and Waikiki. Along with ramen, Momosan will also serve a variety of Japanese bar snacks, grilled dishes, sushi, sake, and more.

Early April 2020

For modern Eastern Mediterranean fare — casual by day, more formal by night

Ozcan Ozan of the now-closed Sultan’s Kitchen — a former downtown Boston staple for Turkish lunch — is opening Servia in Boston’s historic Cunard Building this spring, with executive chef Claudio Cavalleri onboard. The Servia team is describing the restaurant as “modern Eastern Mediterranean,” and its daytime and nighttime personalities will be a bit different.

By day, past Sultan’s Kitchen fans will be pleased to find that Servia is a casual, takeout-friendly spot. By night, it’ll be more of a formal sit-down experience, and there will also be a meze-focused bar with wine and cocktails.

Spring 2020

For Hainanese chicken rice in Allston (as opposed to Somerville, because that’s also happening this spring)

Singaporean food is coming to Allston, courtesy of Chic Chick, which is set to open on Brighton Avenue in the space currently occupied by Iron Kitchen ( the two are under the same ownership, but Chic Chick will have new management.) The new restaurant will specialize in Hainanese chicken rice, which is typical of Singaporean street markets; it’s also found in other parts of Southeast Asia, but the Chic Chick team is positioning the restaurant as Singaporean.

The chicken is poached with various spices and accoutrements, and the rice is cooked in the poaching liquid. It all comes served with various dipping sauces. Chic Chick will also feature various teas, including tea lattes.

Late March 2020

For wood-fired pizza that’s not technically Neapolitan

Pastoral’s been holding down the wood-fired pizza fort in Fort Point for nearly six years, but soon it’ll be joined by another wood-fired pizzeria: Da LaPosta will open this spring, bringing Neapolitan-adjacent pizzas to 12 Farnsworth St., the space formerly occupied by Bee’s Knees Supply Co. The pizzeria comes from Mario LaPosta, the former pizzaiolo of now-closed Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca.

LaPosta, whose family is from Naples, will cook his pizzas between 800 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is typical of pizzerias in Naples. LaPosta doesn’t consider his pizzas to be Neapolitan, though; it’s a designation that comes with some very strict requirements, including sourcing of specific Italian ingredients. “I prefer the term pizza artigianale [artisanal], especially with our commitment to local, sustainable ingredients,” he previously told Eater.

Spring 2020

For something mysterious from a solid team

Brian Moy (who owns popular Chinatown restaurants Shōjō and Ruckus, as well as a Logan Airport offshoot of Shōjō) is opening a new restaurant underneath Ruckus this spring; like the rest of the restaurants, it’ll be overseen by Toro and Tiger Mama alum Mike Stark, who has been the group’s executive chef for nearly three years.

The group hasn’t shared a name or details about the new restaurant yet, but Shōjō and Ruckus have always been a big hit with diners, so whatever the team tries is worth checking out. Their existing restaurants serve modern Asian cuisine, with Shōjō featuring funky small plates and cocktails and Ruckus centering around casual noodle bowls. Stay tuned for more information.

May/June 2020

For top-notch cocktails and all the seafood

Led by Ran Duan, the talented Baldwin Bar and Blossom Bar team is opening a new seafood-focused venue in Washington Square, which Duan has said will feature a cocktail program totally different from the acclaimed offerings at Baldwin and Blossom or anywhere in town. It’s a “style of cocktail that doesn’t exist in Boston,” he previously told Eater.

As for the seafood, Bar Mezzana and Eventide Fenway alum Ian Maschal will lead the kitchen, serving plenty of crudo, whole grilled fish, and more, as well as vegetarian and vegan options.

Late spring/early summer 2020

For fried chicken and fish

Since summer 2018, a fried chicken and fish restaurant — a Providence import called Bucktown — has been in the works for Mission Hill. When it finally opens later this year, possibly in late spring, diners can expect items like fried chicken, fried fish sandwiches, fried bologna sandwiches, burgers, fried shrimp, fried oysters, collard greens, potato salad, mac and cheese, and more. The Boston location will be larger than the Providence location, so it may have an expanded menu. Stay tuned for more details.

Late spring/early summer 2020

For wood-fired everything (including Roman-style pizza)

Probably debuting in the very early days of spring 2020 or even at the end of winter, Bianca is the newest addition to Nancy and Tim Cushman’s growing restaurant group, which includes O Ya, Hojoko, Gogo Ya, and Ms. Cluck’s Deluxe Chicken & Dumplings locally as well as additional restaurants in New York and Mexico City.

While the name Bianca comes from the Italian word for “white,” it’s meant to refer to a clean plate, and the restaurant is more of an open-ended American spot with a focus on wood-fired cooking (on a smoker, grills, ovens, and rotisserie). Bianca will be a family-friendly restaurant meant to tailor to locals, and it will include Mr. Roni Cups, a Roman-style pizzeria with slices and whole pizzas available.

Late winter/early spring 2020