Pastoral ARTisan Pizza + Kitchen + Bar in Boston's Fort Point Is Closing

A neighborhood restaurant near the Boston waterfront that is known in part for its wood-fired pizza is shutting down.

According to a source, Pastoral ARTisan Pizza + Kitchen + Bar in Fort Point is closing after business hours today, with Kobie Ali of the Congress Street spot saying the following in a Facebook post:

This is tough. I have never worked at a place I love more than Pastoral - ARTisan Pizza, Kitchen & Bar! Come hang for one last slice [today]!

Pastoral first opened in 2013, offering Neapolitan pizza along with pasta dishes and other Italian and Mediterranean options.

The address for Pastoral is 345 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210. Its website can be found at https://pastoralfortpoint.com/

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

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[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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Ama at The Atlas Opens in Allston

The people behind an award-winning Dorchester restaurant have opened a new spot that resides within a luxury hotel in Allston

According to an article from Eater Boston, Ama at The Atlas is now open on Western Avenue, with the dining spot being part of Pearl & Law Hospitality which operates Comfort Kitchen in Uphams Corner. Like that restaurant, Ama focuses on flavors and ingredients of the African diaspora, with the menu including such options as momos, curry chickpea pita, duck fried rice, berbere-spiced fried chicken, lamb kofta, confit pork belly, tamarind trout, braised veal shank, blue corn gnocchi, roasted eggplant, fried yuca, charred escarole, and sticky date pudding, along with beer, cider, wine, cocktails, and mocktails. (The dining spot also features breakfast service in addition to lunch and dinner.)

Comfort Kitchen has received much in the way of accolades since opening in 2023, including "Best New Restaurant" by The Boston Globe and Boston Magazine and being mentioned as one of the top 50 dining spots in the country by The New York Times.

The address for Ama at The Atlas is 40 Western Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134. Its website can be found at https://www.ama-boston.com/

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

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[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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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.)

Arwa Yemeni Coffee to Open in Brookline

A small group of Yemeni coffee shops will be opening its first Greater Boston location--and its first in Massachusetts.

According to a press release, Arwa Yemeni Coffee has reached a lease agreement with real estate firm The Hamilton Company to open on Beacon Street in Brookline, with the address indicating that it will move into a space in Coolidge Corner. An earlier Brookline News article mentions that the upcoming coffee shop will offer pastries and other bakery items in addition to coffee, and it plans to be open late on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. No opening date has been given as of yet, so keep checking back for updates.

Arwa Yemeni Coffee, which was founded in 2022, currently has ten locations in Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, and California.

The address for the upcoming Arwa Yemeni Coffee is 1333 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA, 02446. The website for all locations is at https://www.arwacoffee.com/

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

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[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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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.)

Norinori Test Kitchen Opens in Brookline

Approximately a year ago, it was reported that the people behind a sushi spot and a French-Japanese fusion restaurant were planning to open a third eatery, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to an article from MassLive, Norinori Test Kitchen is now open in Brookline, moving into a space on Chestnut Hill Avenue in the Cleveland Circle area by the Brighton line. As mentioned in an earlier article here, the new restaurant offers handrolls and bento boxes, and NoToro Hospitality Group (Matsunori Handroll Bar, Mai) is behind the spot.

The address for Norinori Test Kitchen is 399 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brookline, MA, 02445. Its website can be found at https://norinori.kitchen/

[Earlier Article]
Norinori Test Kitchen Plans to Open in the Cleveland Circle Area in Brookline

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

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[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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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.)

The Milkshake Factory to Open in Walpole

A franchise of dessert shops whose roots in Pennsylvania date back more than 100 years will be expanding to the Greater Boston area.

According to a source, the MilkShake Factory is planning to open in Walpole, apparently moving into the former GameStop space in the Walpole Mall on Route 1. This will be the first location in Massachusetts, and based on the others, expect to see a variety of milkshakes offered along with sundaes, root beer floats, and "molten cups."

The MilkShake Factory's roots can be traced back to a soda fountain that opened in Pittsburgh back in 1914, with the business now expanding across the country with a number of new outlets in the works; the closest location currently in operation is in Stamford, CT, with another coming soon to nearby Darien.

The website for the MilkShake Factory is at https://www.milkshakefactory.com/ 

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

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[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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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.)

Alice & Monarch to Open in Cambridge's Kendall Square

It looks like a dual-concept spot is on its way to Cambridge.

According to posts within the jobs section of the bostonchefs.com site, Alice & Monarch are planning to open at an as-of-yet undisclosed location in Kendall Square. The listings say that Alice will be a Mediterranean-inspired taverna on the main level of the space (with an emphasis on Italian fare) while Monarch will be found through a long hallway on the lower level and will be an elevated cocktail and small plates lounge that will also have space for private events.

No other information has been given as of yet for Alice & Monarch, so check back for updates as they come in. (It looks like the website for Alice will be at https://alicecambridge.com/)

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

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[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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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.)