Boston Restaurant Talk

Monday, August 03, 2026

Restaurant News for the Week Ending August 2, 2026

Below are some of the biggest restaurant and food-related news stories that have been posted between July 27, 2026, and August 2, 2026.

Lo Kai Restaurant & Lounge in Dracut Is Closing
An old-school Chinese restaurant north of Boston known in part for its Polynesian drinks is shutting down.
Full Story

Scrappie's Pizzeria to Open a Brick-and-Mortar Location in Boston's Beacon Hill
A popup pizza business that has become an underground favorite will be expanding to a permanent space.
Full Story

Thai Hut in Somerville Is Going to Be Closing; Owners May Open a New Restaurant northwest of Boston
A neighborhood spot for Thai food is shutting down, though the people behind it may be opening a new place well outside of the area.
Full Story

Fable Brewing Company in Woburn Has Partially Opened
A brewer based in the northern suburbs of Boston is in the first phase of opening its new facility.
Full Story

Boloco to Close Its Sole Remaining Location; Downtown Boston Outlet Shuts Down September 25
What was once a local chain of restaurants will soon be officially gone, as its final location is going to be shutting down.
Full Story

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Friday, July 31, 2026

Lo Kai Restaurant & Lounge in Dracut Is Closing

An old-school Chinese restaurant north of Boston known in part for its Polynesian drinks is shutting down.

According to an article from boston.com, Lo Kai Restaurant & Lounge in Dracut is getting ready to close its doors, with a note on its website saying the following:

After over 50 years in business, we are now announcing that the Lo Kai Restaurant will permanently close its doors this summer. We recognize that this news may come as a shock, but we invite you to come in and enjoy a pupu platter, a Mai Tai, or anything you would like before we conclude our time here on Lakeview Avenue....We want to assure you that this decision did not come lightly. Due to a number of factors, we have determined this to be the best course of action.

The note goes on to say that Lo Kai will close after business hours on August 8.

Lo Kai Restaurant & Lounge first opened in 1972, being a place to go for Chinese-American fare and drinks such as Scorpion Bowls and Mai Tais while also featuring live music.

The address for Lo Kai Restaurant & Lounge is 1655 Lakeview Ave, Dracut, MA 01826. Its website can be found at https://thelokai.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Tradesman Coffee Shop & Bar Opens by the Greenway and South Station in Downtown Boston

The team behind a local group of coffee shops and lounges have opened another location in Boston.

According to a press release, Tradesman Coffee Shop & Bar is now open across from the Greenway and South Station in the downtown area, with the new Federal Street location being one of their "coffee by day, bar by night" spots. The new Tradesman offers such options as salads, sandwiches, wings, pizza, and nachos along with wine and cocktails, and it joins other locations in downtown Boston as well as ones in Charlestown's Hood Park and at Boston Landing in Brighton.

The address for the new Tradesman Coffee Shop & Bar is 176 Federal Street, Boston, MA, 02110. Its Instagram page can be found at https://www.instagram.com/TRADESMANGREENWAY/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Piccolino to Open in South Boston

A new neighborhood spot that will feature small plates and drinks is on its way to South Boston.

According to a licensing board hearing page, Piccolino is planning to open on Dorchester Street just east of Andrew Square, with the notice mentioning that it plans to have a dining section with seating for 49 and a bar area with 10 seats, with the manager listed being Emily Swaine. The Instagram page for the upcoming place states that it will be a "coffee & aperitivo bar...neighborhood spot for connecting over drinks & small plates." More should be known after a meeting with the city of Boston slated for next week, so stay tuned for updates.

The address for the upcoming Piccolino is 236 Dorchester Street, South Boston, MA, 02127. Its website can be found at https://www.piccolinoboston.com/ while its Instagram page is at https://www.instagram.com/piccolinoboston/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Thai Hut in Somerville Is Going to Be Closing; Owners May Open a New Restaurant northwest of Boston

It looks like a neighborhood spot for Thai food in Somerville is shutting down, though the people behind it may be opening a new place well outside of the area.

According to a number of sources, including a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Thai Hut on Beacon Street is going to be closing, with a Facebook comment within the Somerville, MA Community Facebook page from real estate agent Apple Tomamichel (who represents both the buyer and seller of the place) saying that "Thai Hut is taking a well-deserved break" while wishing the owners "nothing but success in their next adventure" and mentioning that "The new tenant will also be bringing Asian cuisine to the neighborhood—either a Thai restaurant or a Thai-Vietnamese concept."

There is some chatter that the Thai Hut owners could be opening a new restaurant somewhere northwest of Boston (with Westford being mentioned), though nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

The address for Thai Hut--which remains open for now--is 93 Beacon Street, Somerville, MA, 02143. Its website can be found at https://www.thaihuts.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Scrappie's Pizzeria to Open a Brick-and-Mortar Location in Boston's Beacon Hill

A popup pizza business that has become an underground favorite will be expanding to a permanent space.

According to an article from boston.com, Scrappie's Pizzeria is planning to open a brick-and-mortar shop in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, moving into the former Figs space on Charles Street. Founder Andrew Blau has been working out of Brick Street Bagels in South Boston, with his pizzas made from dough using pulverized leftover bread from a few unnamed Beacon Hill dining spots, according to an earlier Boston Magazine article.

If all goes well, the permanent location of Scrappie's could be opening in late September or early October.

The address for the upcoming Scrappie's Pizza in Beacon Hill is 42 Charles Street, Boston, MA, 02114. The website for the business is at https://scrappiespizzeria.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)