Boston Restaurant Talk

Thursday, April 02, 2026

The Federal in Waltham Has Closed

An upscale restaurant in the western suburbs of Boston that was known in part for its steak and seafood options has shut down.

According to a source, The Federal in Waltham is no longer in business, with a note on the website for the dining spot (which was also shown on a Waltham Channel Facebook post) saying the following:

We would like to thank all of our guests for their support over the last seven years. Unfortunately we have made the difficult decision to close the restaurant permanently. The current economy and ever increasing costs make it impossible to continue. We will continue operating our sister property, Stazione di Federal and will honor all outstanding gift cards there.

The Federal first opened on Tower Road within the development at the former Polaroid site in the early part of 2019, taking over the space where Flank had been.

The address for the now-closed Federal was 74 Tower Road, Waltham, MA, 02451.

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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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Salt & Straw to Open in Boston's Seaport District

A chain of ice cream shops with roots in the Pacific Northwest will be opening a location in Boston.

According to multiple sources, Salt & Straw is planning to open in the city's Seaport District, with a MassLive article mentioning that it will move into a space on Seaport Boulevard. Once it opens, the shop will feature ice cream with a variety of flavors including some unusual ones, with its offerings including such possibilities as Arbequina olive oil, black forest cake, pear and blue cheese, carrot cake, cream cheese, guava, and donut chunks, strawberry with honey balsamic, and chocolate babka with hazelnut fudge.

The address for the upcoming location of Salt & Straw is 200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02210. The website for the business is at https://saltandstraw.com/

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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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Wednesday, April 01, 2026

Fenway Grill & Bar Opens in the Former Thornton's Fenway Grille Space in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

A new restaurant has come to the Fenway section of Boston, moving into the space where a longtime dining and drinking spot had been.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Fenway Grill & Bar is now open on Peterborough Street, taking over the former Thornton's Fenway Grille space. The website for the place indicates that it is a comfort food spot that offers dishes with Mediterranean and Turkish influences, with its menu including such options as eggs with spicy sausage, lentil soup, shepherd's salad, baba ganoush, hummus, chicken kebab, lamb chops, Turkish flatbreads, roasted eggplant with grilled lamb, rice pilaf, and baklava.

Thornton's closed in the fall of 2024 after being in business for more than 30 years.

The address for Fenway Grill & Bar is 100 Peterborough Street, Boston, MA, 02215. Its website can be found at https://www.fenwaygrillbar.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]

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Steel & Rye Team to Open Two Pence Market in Milton Village

A brand new food shop is on its way to a space just south of Boston, and it will have an ownership connection to a popular restaurant nearby.

According to a Facebook post, Two Pence Market is going to be open in Milton, with an earlier Milton Times article stating that it will move into the historic building on Eliot Street in Milton Village where Bank of Boston had once been. The Facebook post and the article indicate that the people behind Steel & Rye will be running the market, which will offer specialty foods and ready-to-eat items along with ice cream and coffee, and it plans to have patio seating as well, while the kitchen will be "rooted in seasonality, local farms, and thoughtful cooking."

Steel & Rye, which is located a few blocks up Eliot Street, is known in part for its New American fare, pizza, freshly-made bread, and cocktails.

The address for the upcoming Two Pence Market is 2 Eliot Street, Milton, MA, 02186.

(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.)

Kush by Saba to Open in Somerville's Union Square in April

A new restaurant is getting ready to open in Somerville, and a Food Network winner is behind the place.

According to an article in the Boston Business Journal, Kush by Saba will soon be opening in Union Square, moving into the space on Sanborn Court that had been home to Wade BBQ, and before that, Littleburg. The upcoming dining spot will focus on modern Mediterranean fare with global influences and will be run by Saba Wahid Duffy, who has been operating the business as a food truck with the same name and which first got up and running on the heels of her winning Chopped: Martha's Rules in 2021. If all goes as planned, Kush by Saba will open on April 28.

Back in 2024, Boston Magazine mentioned Saba Wahid Duffy's plans to turn her food truck into a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

The address for the upcoming Kush by Saba in Union Square is 5 Sanborn Court, Somerville, MA, 02143. The website for the business is at https://kushbysaba.com/

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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]

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.)

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Sunflower Organic Pizza to Open in Burlington

A new pizzeria is on its way to the northern suburbs of Boston.

According to an article from the Daily Times Chronicle, Sunflower Organic Pizza is going to be opening in Burlington, moving into a space on Wheeler Road just south of the Middlesex Turnpike/Route 128 intersection that had once been the site of Tweeter, Ski Haus, and GOLFTEC. The article mentions that the dining spot will offer pizzas made with fresh, sustainably-sourced ingredients including organic dough, fresh vegetables, and high-quality pizza toppings.

The address for the upcoming location of Sunflower Organic Pizza in Burlington is 1 Wheeler Road, Burlington, MA, 01803.

(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.)