
RESTAURANTS OPENED AND CLOSED 2020 / 2021
March, 2021
CLOSED:
-- Al Capone, Boston (Downtown), MA
-- The Boston Eagle, Boston (South End), MA
-- The Dark Horse Public House, Somerville (Magoun Square), MA
-- Mr. Dooley's Olde Irish Village Pub, Cohasset, MA
-- My Cousin's Place, Boston (North End), MA
-- Teriyaki House, Boston (Back Bay/Fenway), MA
-- West Street Tavern & Restaurant, Nonantum, MA
OPEN:
-- Achilito's Taqueria, Brighton, MA
-- As Good As It Gets Cafe, Acton, MA
-- Banh Mi Ok, Boston, MA
-- Bonfire Indian Grill, Waltham, MA
-- Dolma Mediterranean Cuisine, Brookline, MA
-- Eddie Merlot's, Boston (Seaport District), MA
-- The Farmer's Daughter, Sudbury, MA
-- Hot Doogy, Natick, MA
-- Jersey Mike's Subs, Bedford, MA
-- Jinny's Pizzeria, Newton Centre, MA
-- Mike & Patty's, Somerville (Bow Market), MA
-- Moge Tee, Allston, MA
-- Penang, Waltham, MA
-- Pizza Days, Quincy, MA
-- Tiger Sugar, Allston, MA
-- Vello Restaurant and Bar, Brookline, MA
-- Wellesley Tavern, Wellesley, MA
-- Ziggy's, Brighton, MA
February, 2021
CLOSED:
-- Andre's Cafe, Boston (South End), MA
-- Atomic Bean Cafe, Cambridge, MA
-- Border Cafe, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- Brad's Gourmet Delicatessen, Hudson, MA
-- Central Grill, Woburn, MA
-- Eastern Standard, Boston (Kenmore Square), MA
-- The Hawthorne, Boston (Kenmore Square), MA
-- Island Creek Oyster Bar, Boston (Kenmore Square), MA
-- Osteria Posto, Waltham, MA
-- The People's Republik, Cambridge, MA
-- Punjabi Kitchen, Somerville (Daivs Square), MA
-- Ryal Side Cafe, Beverly, MA
-- Snappy Kitchen, Somerville (Daivs Square), MA
OPEN:
-- All Spice, Boston (South End), MA
-- Blue Bottle Coffee, Chestnut Hill, MA
-- Butter "UR" Biscuit, Beverly, MA
-- Cicada Coffee Bar, Cambridge, MA
-- Deep Cuts Deli, West Medford, MA
-- Glasser Coffee Company, Brighton, MA
-- Jersey Mike's Subs, Stoughton, MA
-- Laced Quality Kitchen, Cambridge (CambridgeSide), MA
-- La Neta, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Love Art Sushi, Boston (Downtown), MA
-- Niku Ramen, Boston, MA
-- Peshwari Kebabs, Waltham, MA
-- Poke Boys, Allston, MA
-- Sweetgreen, Cambridge (Kendall Square), MA
-- Trinktisch Restaurant, Belmont, MA
-- Underdog Hot Chicken, Allston, MA
-- La Victoria Taqueria, Belmont, MA
January, 2021
CLOSED:
-- Banana Boat, Revere Beach, MA
-- Cafe Sorelli, Woburn, MA
-- China Roma, Revere, MA
-- The Eating Establishment, Hanover, MA
-- Finn McCool's, Boston, MA
-- La Vita Mia, Saugus, MA
-- Tapiocarias House of Flavors, Cambridge (Inman Square), MA
OPEN:
-- Achilito's Taqueria, Foxborough, MA
-- Banh Mi Huong Que, Boston (Chinatown), MA
-- Bellagio Pizza & Grill, Dedham, MA
-- Diggy's Pizza, Westford, MA
-- Farmhouse Cafe, South Weymouth, MA
-- Geppetto, Cambridge (Cambridge Crossing), MA
-- La Patrona Mexican Grill, Jamaica Plain, MA
-- Olga's Kafe, South Boston, MA
-- Plus Cafe, Marblehead, MA
-- Royaltea, Waltham, MA
-- The Scoop N Scootery, Brighton, MA
-- Shanghai Cuisine, Waltham, MA
-- Spyce, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- SushiCo, Newton Centre, MA
-- Torito Mexican Restaurant, Danvers, MA
-- Vinotta, Waltham, MA
-- Windy City Pizza, South Weymouth, MA
December, 2020
CLOSED:
-- Anthony's, Beverly, MA
-- Black and Orange Bar and Grill, Woburn, MA
-- Blue Coyote Grille, Maynard, MA
-- Bradford Tavern, Rowley, MA
-- China King, Boston (Chinatown), MA
-- China Moon, Stoneham, MA
-- Crush Pizza, Boston, MA
-- Herrera's Mexican Grill, Boston (Transportation Building), MA
-- Kashmir, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Legal Oysteria, Charlestown, MA
-- Max Brenner, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Mystic Coffee Roaster (cafe), Medford, MA
-- Oisa Ramen Slurp & Go, Boston, MA
OPEN:
-- The Charles, Reading, MA
-- Donahue's Pub, Holbrook, MA
-- Dovetail, Charlestown, MA
-- Eat at Jumbo's, Somerville (Ball Square), MA
-- Fiya Chicken, Boston (BU), MA
-- Hot Chix Halal, Medford, MA
-- Jamie's Roast Beef, Peabody, MA
-- Jersey Mike's Subs, Dedham, MA
-- Khalil's Kitchen, Brockton, MA
-- Lakon Paris Patisserie, Newton Highlands, MA
-- La Saison Bakery, Cambridge, MA
-- Northern Spy, Canton, MA
-- OTTO Pizza, Andover, MA
-- Peruvian Taste, Charlestown, MA
-- Saltie Girl Seafood Pizza, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Square Mfg. Co., Natick, MA
-- Zuru Zuru, Malden, MA
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November, 2020
CLOSED:
-- 99 Restaurant & Pub, Braintree, MA
-- 99 Restaurant & Pub, West Concord, MA
-- Cafeteria, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Ceia, Newburyport, MA
-- Gaslight, Boston (South End), MA
-- Grumpy White's, Quincy, MA
-- The Kitchen Cafe, Boston (Leather District), MA
-- Moroccan Hospitality Restaurant, Somerville, MA
-- Newcomb Farms, Quincy, MA
-- ONCE, Somerville, MA
-- Stacy's Juicebar, Needham, MA
-- Whole Heart Provisions, Allston, MA
-- Wonder Bar, Allston, MA
OPEN:
-- B&B Fish, Marblehead, MA
-- Bianca, Chestnut Hill, MA
-- Blackbird Doughnuts, Boston (Beacon Hill/West End), MA
-- Daniella's Ristorante, Peabody, MA
-- Friendship BBQ, Allston, MA
-- Garbanzo, Watertown, MA
-- Griddle & Grill, Sharon, MA
-- Home Kitchen, Needham, MA
-- Kinfolks BBQ & Fried Chicken, South Easton, MA
-- Lady C&J Cafe, Brockton, MA
-- The Lexington, Cambridge (Cambridge Crossing), MA
-- Mexcito Street Tacos, Cambridge (Kendall Square), MA
-- The Novel Kitchen by Curds & Co., Brookline, MA
-- Offsuit, Boston (Leather District), MA
-- PapiVivi , Lynn, MA
-- Rivershed, Weymouth Landing, MA
-- Rossetti Restaurant, Beverly, MA
-- Rutchada Thai Cuisine, Roslindale, MA
-- The Smoke Shop BBQ, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- Source, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- Stonewall Kitchen (Cafe), Boston (Fort Point), MA
-- Taco Bell Cantina, Boston (BU), MA
-- Third Cliff Bakery, Jamaica Plain, MA
-- Villa Bakery Cafe, Brighton, MA
-- Wachusett Brew Yard, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- Zhu Vegan Kitchen, Brookline, MA
October, 2020
CLOSED:
-- Bison County, Waltham, MA
-- Cape Cod Cafe, Easton, MA
-- Chic Chick, Allston, MA
-- Cobblestone Cafe, Boston (North End), MA
-- Frozen Hoagies, Somerville, MA
-- Hometown Cafe, Danvers, MA
-- House of Siam, Boston (Tremont Street), MA
-- John Harvard's Brew House, Framingham, MA
-- Liberty Publick House, Holbrook, MA
-- Minigrow by Honeygrow, Boston (downtown), MA
-- Pizzeria Regina, Kingston, MA
-- Southside Tavern, Quincy, MA
-- Stoddard's Fine Food & Ale, Boston, MA
-- Swissbakers, Boston (North Station), MA
-- Uno Due Go, Boston, MA
-- Wonder Bar, Allston, MA
OPEN:
-- Amazing Pizza, Beverly, MA
-- Atlantico, Boston (South End), MA
-- Cafe Beatrice, Cambridge, MA
-- Cafe Yafa, Natick, MA
-- Cajun Crab Shack, Roslindale, MA
-- Casa Loca Mexican Cantina, Westwood, MA
-- Cha Feo, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Ducali Caffe, Boston (North End), MA
-- Dumpling Garden, Saugus, MA
-- Flour, Boston (Beacon Hill/West End), MA
-- The Habit Burger Grill, Wilmington, MA
-- Hen, Somerville (Union Square), MA
-- Moon & Flower House, Boston (Chinatown), MA
-- Number One Taste, Watertown, MA
-- Old Colony Brewing, Whitman, MA
-- Paco's Mexican Grill, Cambridge, MA
-- Popeyes, Quincy, MA
-- Public Coffee Co., Jamaica Plain, MA
-- Revolution Hall, Lexington, MA
-- Servia, Boston, MA
-- Shawarma & Shakes, Weymouth, MA
-- Soall Viet Kitchen, Beverly, MA
-- The Station (Artifact Cider), Cambridge (Central Square), MA
-- Sugoi Sushi, South Braintree, MA
-- Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, Natick, MA
-- Taqueria El Barrio, Boston (Fenway), MA
-- Tenoch, Melrose, MA
-- TKK Fried Chicken, Allston, MA
-- Venice Italian Kitchen, Arlington, MA
-- ZZ Dessert/OneZo, Allston, MA
-- ZZ Dessert/OneZo, Boston (Chinatown), MA
September, 2020
CLOSED:
-- Bar Rustic, Kingston, MA
-- Bertucci's, Cambridge (Alewife), MA
-- Blue State Coffee, Boston (BU), MA
-- Emack & Bolio's, Cambridge (Porter Square), MA
-- Hingham Beer Works, Hingham, MA
-- Lir, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Midwest Grill, Saugus, MA
-- Misono Grill, Allston, MA
-- Moe's Southwest Grill, Foxborough (2), MA
-- Nahant Fish & Lobster, Nahant, MA
-- Newman's Bakery, Swampscott, MA
-- Norm's White Horse, Methuen, MA
-- Post 390, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- The Pour House, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- Rangoli Grill, Westford, MA
-- Riva Restaurant, Scituate, MA
-- Sapa, Hingham, MA
-- Taqueria El Barrio, Boston (BU), MA
-- Three Squares, Needham, MA
-- Tonkatsu King, Allston, MA
OPEN:
-- Abbott's Frozen Custard, Arlington Heights, MA
-- The Baker's Daughter, Swampscott, MA
-- Cobble, Brookline (Coolidge Corner), MA
-- Casa De Greek, Billerica, MA
-- Cupcake Mojo, Boston (Seaport District), MA
-- Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood, Boston (Fenway), MA
-- The Dial, Cambridge, MA
-- Earnest Drinks/Gracie's, Cambridge (Kendall Square), MA
-- Elliott Kebab & Grill, Beverly, MA
-- Esquite Restaurant, Revere, MA
-- Evviva Trattoria, Maynard, MA
-- FAB Gastropub, Somerville, MA
-- Gigi's Pizza Co., Watertown, MA
-- Istanbul Diner Cafe, Revere, MA
-- Lord Hobo, Boston (Seaport District), MA
-- Newcomb Cafe, Braintree, MA
-- Nusr-et Steakhouse, Boston, MA
-- Peka, Brighton, MA
-- Perillas, Somerville (Union Square), MA
-- Pomona, Winthrop, MA
-- Summer Shack, Cambridge (Harvard Square), MA
-- Thistle & Leek, Newton Centre, MA
-- Zaaki, Allston, MA
August, 2020
CLOSED:
-- Aladdin's Grill, Revere, MA
-- Anna's Taqueria, Brookline (Coolidge Corner), MA
-- Bickford's, Acton, MA
-- Black Jack Pasta Kitchen, Boston (South End), MA
-- Bukowski Tavern, Cambridge (Inman Square), MA
-- Bull McCabe's, Somerville (Union Square), MA
-- Cheers, Boston (Faneuil Hall), MA
-- Chili's, Danvers, MA
-- Coolidge Market, Allston, MA
-- Derby Joe, Salem, MA
-- Dick's Last Resort, Boston, MA
-- The Four's, Boston (North Station), MA
-- The Friendly Toast, Cambridge (Kendall Square), MA
-- The Frogmore, Jamaica Plain, MA
-- Hearth 'n Kettle, Weymouth, MA
-- Kelley Square Pub, Peabody, MA
-- Legal Sea Foods, Boston (Park Plaza), MA
-- Legal Test Kitchen, Boston (Seaport District), MA
-- McGreevy's, Boston (Back Bay), MA
-- The Met, Natick, MA
-- Peet's Coffee, Sudbury, MA
-- Popover King, Boston, MA
-- Pratty's CAV, Gloucester, MA
-- Red Robin, Woburn, MA
-- Rustico, Boston, MA
-- Saltie Girl, Boston (Time Out Market), MA
-- Sky Restaurant, Norwood, MA
-- Squires, Hanover, MA
-- Stacks Espresso Bar, Newton Highlands, MA
-- Stellina, Watertown, MA
-- Taranta, Boston (North End), MA
RESTAURANTS RIDE THE PERFECT STORM
5--5-21
Numerous companies released their first-quarter earnings last week. They were on average spectacular. McDonald’s same-store sales rose 13.7% over a two-year period. All of Yum Brands’ concepts are up on a two-year basis. Starbucks recovered. Cheesecake Factory’s same-store sales so far this quarter are up a ridiculous 220%. Texas Roadhouse and Bloomin’ Brands concepts all did well. Popeyes held serve in the first quarter despite its nearly 30% same-store sales growth. Chipotle was, well, Chipotle. So was Wingstop.
The short of it is people have money. They’re tired of sitting around and they’re eating out. They’re eating out more at restaurants—we drove past a Chuck E. Cheese with a full parking lot on Sunday—and they’re also ordering the same amount of takeout they did before all of this happened.
What’s happening for the restaurant business is a perfect storm: People have a lot of cash right now. There are relatively fewer restaurants, leaving more business for what’s left. The economy in general is slowly reopening with more people getting vaccinated and returning to work. Spring is in the air. And people are in a mood to get out.
The risk for restaurants is to watch these numbers and declare victory, something we’ve seen a few executives do already. By doing so, executives risk missing a potential problem that turns customers away down the road. Or they grow complacent, continuing with strategies that work during a temporary surge in demand but aren’t strong enough to keep things going in the long term.
And it’s safe to say that this sales boom will fade. There is only so much stimulus, after all. Unemployment benefits eventually run out. And consumers have to return to work—meaning the economy will eventually need to stand on its own.
All that said, the post-pandemic restaurant boom is a world better than what the industry was experiencing a year ago. Just don’t get too drunk celebrating.
Best Pizza in Every New England State
So much pizza, so little time. Our picks for the best pizza in every New England state guarantee the perfect slice.
There’s so much great pizza in New England that narrowing a list down to the best pizza in every state means overlooking a lot of excellent pies. But the following spots are so truly exceptional that any real pizza lover must pay them a visit posthaste.
First, a quick history: New Englanders have been enjoying great pizza ever since the first large waves of Italian immigrants began selling hot pies on the streets of cities like New York, Chicago, and Boston at the turn of the last century. Gennaro Lombardi is credited with running the first American pizzeria, beginning at his New York grocery store in 1897 and later at the pizzeria Lombardi’s in 1905. However, an October 4, 1903, article in the Boston Journal offers the following gem:
Scattered through North and Prince streets and other portions of the Italian colony where Neapolitans congregate are occasional little shops with the words “Pizze Cavuie” on the windows. The words mean simply “hot cakes” in the Neapolitan dialect, but only a traveler would know that the pizze are one of the famous products of Naples, eaten by rich and poor, high and low, and dutifully partaken of by every tourist as one of the features that must be “done” in order to say that one has seen Naples…
So maybe pizza hit New England’s shores before New York’s. Maybe it was simultaneous. When it comes to food history, important moments tended to happen without official scribes present.
Now … on to our picks!
Where to Find the Best Pizza in Every New England State

Best Pizza in Connecticut: Sally’s Apizza
Best Pizza in Connecticut: Sally’s Apizza
You can’t write about pizza in Connecticut without starting in New Haven, and of all the excellent spots serving apizza — the traditional local moniker for Neapolitan-style pies, pronounced “a-BEETS” — we’re partial to Sally’s for its thin, charred-at-the edges crust; its generous toppings (if you’re feeling ambitious, try the bacon and onion); and its zippy red sauce. It’s worth noting that Sally’s has recently been sold, after having been owned by the Consiglio family for more than 80 years, but all indications are that the new crew will stay the course.

Best Pizza in Maine: Slab
Neapolitan-style thin-crust pizza may be enjoying an extended moment in the spotlight, but Stephen Lanzalotta’s thick Sicilian slab pies in Portland are a reminder that the world of pizza contains delicious multitudes. The oil-enriched crust is bubbly and tender, topped with rivulets of tangy-sweet sauce and melted mozzarella and provolone. Sure, you can add other toppings, but try the original first. It’s perfection.

Best Pizza in Massachusetts: Area Four
It takes 30 hours of fermentation and a 13-year-old sourdough starter for the pizza crust at Boston’s Area Four to develop its signature tang and a shatteringly crisp exterior that belies the tender, chewy interior. This crust is so good we’d eat it plain. But then we’d be missing out on one of the best clam and bacon pies in New England, not to mention the earthy mushroom-fontina-gremolata blend. You can find Area Four in Kendall Square in Cambridge and the South End in Boston.
Best Pizza in New Hampshire: Alley Cat
It’s not just the Alley Cat’s extra-crisp crust — which holds up even under a blanket of toppings like cheese and pepperoni or barbecue chicken and red onion — that earns our praise. Nor is it the charming hole-in-the-wall vibe of this downtown Manchester joint. It’s also the refreshingly restrained prices, with slices for $2.10 and most of the 20-inch extra-large pies costing less than $20.

Best Pizza in Rhode Island: Al Forno
Think back to pizza as we knew it before Al Forno. When George Germon and Johanne Killeen opened their restaurant in Providence in 1980, they introduced grilled pizza to New Englanders, launched the careers of future luminaries like Ken Oringer and Suzanne Goin, and drew our attention away from the pillow-crusted pies that had long defined the genre. It was a watershed moment, a game-changer, and it’s well worth remembering that these rustic delights are still on the menu, still made with the best seasonal ingredients, and still fantastic.

Best Pizza in Vermont: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth
Yes, it’s a chain, but it’s not a chain-chain. And the crowds lining up on St. Paul Street in Burlington (and at sister locations in Middlebury and Waitsfield) are a testament to the quality of these handmade pies baked in hand-built wood-fired oven and topped with local cheeses, house-made sausage, and organic red sauce. There’s beauty in watching them get made, and even more beauty in the eating.
Where are your favorite spots for the best pizza in every New England state? Let us know!
SONIC Unveils Bold New Restaurant Design

On the heels of launching a new brand identity and advertising campaign in the spring, SONIC Drive-In recently unveiled the first drive-in of the brand’s new restaurant design – Delight. The updated look provides a fun and inviting space for guests to enjoy a moment of carefree bliss in their daily routine.
“Over the past few months, SONIC has delighted millions of Americans, and we’re excited to visually bring that feeling to life with our new drive-in design,” said Claudia San Pedro, Brand President, SONIC Drive-In. “Whether our guests are trying the latest craveable innovation in our drive-in stalls, sharing some Tots with friends on our patio, or getting their SONIC fix at the drive-thru, we want to create an atmosphere that sparks moments of delightful possibility.“
Located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the first of the newly designed drive-ins features 18 docks, a drive-thru and a covered outdoor patio, where guests can dine under string lights and enjoy lawn games.
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The exterior of the drive-in highlights SONIC’s new brand identity with pops of red, blue and a bit of yellow, reminding guests that summertime is a feeling, not just a season. The new design also pays homage to SONIC’s signature beverages, with a large, brightly-lit cherry placed atop the building as a nod to the more than 9 million Cherry Limeades enjoyed at its drive-ins across the country each year.
Inside the drive-in, a brand-new kitchen layout enables teams to operate more efficiently, delivering on the brand’s original slogan of “service at the speed of sound.” That quick service is amplified by SONIC’s Mobile Order Ahead platform, allowing guests to take advantage of contactless ordering and payment.
The updated design will also translate seamlessly to previous formats and footprints as SONIC grows its presence across the U.S., and internationally. Already, several SONIC franchisees currently building or remodeling their locations have taken advantage of this new design.
The second restaurant in the new design is under construction in Fort Worth, Texas, and expected to open in July.
Interested in becoming a SONIC franchise owner? Learn more at SONICFranchises.com
ENTERTAINMENT
