99 Restaurant in Charlestown May Close, Be Replaced by Apartments

A longtime location of a local group of restaurants could become the site of residential development.

According to an article from Universal Hub, the 99 Restaurant in Charlestown may be closing at some point, as the Boston Planning Department board has approved of plans to build 240 apartments at the Austin Street site. The article mentions that the six-story structure could be built by 2028, though it is not yet known when the restaurant might have to close.

The Charlestown location of the 99 Restaurant was the site of a notorious shooting back in 1995 that left four people dead and which UH says was "one of the last major spasms of mob violence in Boston."

The address for the 99 Restaurant in Charlestown is 31 Austin Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129. The website for the chain (which is headquartered in Woburn) is at https://www.99restaurants.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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The Halal Guys Opens in Newton

Last summer, it was reported that a growing chain of halal spots with roots in New York City would be opening a new location in the western suburbs of Boston, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to a press release, The Halal Guys is now open in Newton, moving into a space on Needham Street just south of where it meets Dedham Street and Winchester Street and a short distance south of Route 9. The new location offers some new menu items including a lamb and beef gyro, waffle fries, and a berry mint refresher, and it joins others locally in downtown Boston, the Theater District, the Fenway, South Bay, Cambridge's Porter Square, Dedham, and further out, in Shrewsbury.

The Halal Guys first started out in 1990 as a food cart in Manhattan.

The address for the new location of The Halal Guys in Newton is 55 Needham Street, Newton, MA, 02461. The website for the chain can be found at https://thehalalguys.com/

[Earlier Article]
The Halal Guys Plans to Open New Location in Newton

(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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Restaurant News for the Week Ending April 19, 2026

Below are some of the biggest restaurant and food-related news stories that have been posted between April 13, 2026, and April 19, 2026.

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Clarke's at Faneuil Hall in Boston Is Closing
A bar in the heart of downtown Boston that has been around for more than 50 years will soon be shutting down permanently.
Full Story

Tree House Brewing Is Looking to Open at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston
It looks like one of the best-known breweries in New England could be coming to downtown Boston, though plans are in their early stages.
Full Story

Avra Estiatorio Opens at Lyrik Back Bay in Boston
An upscale Greek and Mediterranean restaurant that got its start in New York City and now has a handful of locations around the country has come to a new development.
Full Story

Rosa Y Marigold Opens at Lyrik Back Bay in Boston
A restaurant with a connection to a couple of other local dining spots has come to a new mixed-use project.
Full Story

Amar in the Back Bay Is Closing
A high-end restaurant in Boston that was first opened by an acclaimed chef a few years ago is going to be closing.
Full Story

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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.)

Clarke's at Faneuil Hall in Boston Is Closing

A bar in the heart of downtown Boston that has been around for more than 50 years will soon be shutting down permanently.

According to an article in The Boston Globe, Clarke's at Faneuil Hall is getting ready to close its doors, with the article indicating that management informed employees that its last day in operation will be sometime next week. The Merchants Row pub first opened its doors back in 1975, being particularly popular with the after-work crowd and tourists alike while also being a place for work and holiday parties, and also being one of the last of the old-school drinking spots in and around Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall. 

The address for Clarke's is 21 Merchants Row, Boston, MA, 02109.

(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.)

Tree House Brewing Is Looking to Open at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston

It looks like one of the best-known breweries in New England could be coming to downtown Boston, though plans are in their early stages.

According to an article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Tree House Brewing Company has filed a proposal to open in the former Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar/Cheers Replica Bar at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, with the plans being to operate a brewery and distillery that would also include an outdoor beer garden. These plans are in their very early stages, as Tree House has only applied for a Farmer-Brewery license with the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission as of this writing and it has not yet met with the Boston Licensing Board.

In 2024, Tree House Brewing Company had looked at opening a taproom, distillery, and tasting room at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay, but those plans never came to be, though they do have a kiosk at the Pru site where they sell cans and merchandise while also having a seasonal beer garden; the company currently has locations in Charlton, Sandwich, Deerfield, and Tewksbury along with a farm in Woodstock, CT, and a taproom in Saratoga Springs, NY, with its website being at https://treehousebrew.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.)

A South East Kitchen Opens in Framingham

A brand new Asian restaurant has debuted west of Boston.

According to Kiat Cormier who posted on the ChewOnThis Facebook group page, A South East Kitchen has debuted in Framingham and is currently going through a soft opening. An opening menu for the dining spot shows a focus on Thai fare, including such items as spring rolls, chicken satay, Thai eggplant, golden shrimp, massaman curry, basil fried rice, drunken noodle, pad see ew, pad thai, green curry noodle, and gai ka pow, along with Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee.

The address for A South East Kitchen is 855 Worcester Road (Route 9) Suite 1C, Framingham, MA. Its Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584544907322

(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.)