Boston Restaurant Talk

Friday, August 28, 2026

Red Lantern to Open in Marblehead

A new restaurant is coming to the North Shore, and it appears to have a connection to other dining spots north of Boston.

According to a source, the Red Lantern is planning to open in Marblehead, moving into the space on Pleasant Street that had been home to Mai Tai Lounge. An Instagram post from North Shore Dining indicates that the restaurant will be an Asian dining spot and that it appears to be affiliated with Gourmet Garden in Swampscott (along with other locations in the Greater Boston area), Chi Modern Asian Cuisine in Swampscott, and Ginger Cajun in Salem. Few details about the Red Lantern have been given as of yet, including what its menu might offer and when it could open, though it does appear to be close to debuting.

The address for the upcoming Red Lantern is 165 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945.

(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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INspire Cafe in Wakefield Is Closing

A community cafe in the northern suburbs of Boston that is known for being an inclusive workplace is shutting down.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, INspire Cafe is getting ready to close, with a Facebook post from the Main Street eatery saying the following:

With heavy hearts, we share that INspire cafe will be permanently closing its doors on Saturday, September 5 at 4pm....Unfortunately, the financial realities of operating the Cafe have become increasingly challenging. Rising food and operation costs, broader economic pressures, and and uncertainty surrounding federal funding have all contributed to growing financial pressures on the Cafe's mission-centered operations. The organization has worked tirelessly and explored multiple avenues to identify a sustainable path forward; however, it has reached a point where continued Cafe operations are no longer possible.

Since first opening early last year, INspire cafe has focused on helping bring about change by offering employment opportunities for people with diverse abilities.

The address for INspire Cafe is 411 Main Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880. Its website can be found at https://inspirecafe.org/

(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.)

Boston Fry House Opens in the Chinatown Section of Boston

A new dining spot that focuses on fried foods has come to downtown Boston.

According to an article from boston.com, Boston Fry House is now open in Chinatown, moving into a space on Kneeland Street between Harrison Avenue and Washington Street. The menu for the new restaurant offers such items as chicken tenders, fried clams, chicken nuggets, calamari, burgers, wings, haddock nuggets, french fries, onion rings, cheese bites, fried pickles, and more.

The address for Boston Fry House in Chinatown is 22 Kneeland Street, Boston, MA, 02111. Its website can be found at https://www.bostonfryhousema.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.)

Thursday, August 27, 2026

NU Kitchen in Somerville Has Closed

A trio of cafes known for their healthy options is back down to two, as they have closed their sole Boston-area location.

According to multiple sources, NU Kitchen in Somerville is no longer in business, with a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page putting up a photo of a note out front saying "After nearly 10 wonderful years, we've made the difficult decision to close NU Kitchen Somerville." The note does mention that locations in Worcester and Newburyport remain in operation, saying "we hope to see many of you there."

NU Kitchen first opened on Washington Street on the outskirts of Union Square in 2016, offering such options as soups, salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, smoothies, and more including vegan and gluten-free options.

The address for the now-closed NU Kitchen was 195 Washington Street, Somerville, MA, 02143. The website for the business is at https://www.thenukitchen.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.)

Leonardo's Bar Ristorante to Open in West Roxbury

A new Italian restaurant is on its way to a Boston neighborhood, and it has a family connection to a familiar name.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Leonardo's Bar Ristorante is planning to open in West Roxbury, moving into the space on the VFW Parkway that had been home to Mission on Fire, and before that, Sofia's, Vintage, and Fontaine's. A job post within the Zip Recruiter website indicates that Leonardo Testa, who is the son of restaurateur Vinny Testa, is behind the upcoming dining spot, saying that "He has all his father's recipe's and has updated all of them to today in 2026. Many of his father's old favorites are here plus many new ones." The listing also says the following:

We are a restaurant reminiscent of the family-style Italian restaurants found in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn from the 1940's with modern cooking techniques and flavors. We welcome our guests with open arms, lavishing attentive service, along with the familiar, comforting Southern Italian specialties. Abundant portions for all but "family-style" dining we offer for any size party. We specialize in sharing all our food. Our atmosphere is with rich woods and decorative interiors with red and blacked tablecloths; hand painted murals, photos and Italian artifacts cover the walls. Music from the big band era fills out the atmosphere with memories of yesterday. Everyone will feel right at home.

The address for the upcoming Leonardo's Bar Ristorante is 1430 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132.

(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.)

Gong Palace and Bar Is Opening in the Former Commonwealth Space in Cambridge's Kendall Square

A new dining spot is on its way to Cambridge, moving into the space where an upscale restaurant and function space had been until closing a few years ago.

According to a source, Gong Palace and Bar is going to be opening in Kendall Square, taking over the former Commonwealth space on Broad Canal Way. A photo sent to us indicates that a sign is up for the place while another sign in the window says that it will feature "authentic fine Chinese cuisine" with pictures of food shown including what look to be soup dumplings. An opening date has not been given as of yet for Gong Palace and Bar, with a note out front simply saying "coming soon."

Commonwealth first opened in 2013, shutting down ten years later in the fall of 2023; Steve Postal (Revival Cafe & Kitchen) was behind the spot.

The address for the upcoming Gong Palace and Bar in Kendall Square is 11 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA, 02142.

(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.)