Boston Restaurant Talk

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Carbone's in Hopkinton Is Closing

A longtime Italian restaurant in the western suburbs of Boston that appeared to be closing around the start of the pandemic only to remain open is now closing for real.

According to a source, Carbone's Restaurant in Hopkinton is shutting down, with a MassLive article mentioning that the Cedar Street dining spot is planning to close on June 27, as co-owners (and siblings) Mary Ann Lorentzen and Peter Carbone are looking to retire. The restaurant, which has been around for 93 years, looked like it was going to shutter in the fall of 2020, as the owners were seeking to sell the business with the hope being that a new owner would continue to run the restaurant, though the decision would have ultimately been made by the person who purchased the place; Carbone's never did get sold and remained open for business through the pandemic and beyond.

The address for Carbone's Restaurant is 280 Cedar Street (Route 85), Hopkinton, MA, 01748. Its website can be found at http://carboneshopkinton.com/

[Earlier Article]
Carbone's in Hopkinton May Be Closing; Restaurant Space Apparently Going Up for Sale

(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.)

Foodie's Market in Boston's South End Is Closing Today

A beloved neighborhood grocery store is saying farewell today.

According to a poster within the South End Community Board Facebook group page, Foodie's Market in the South End of Boston is shutting down permanently at 4:00 PM, with a sign out front at the Washington Street store saying "Thank you for 28 wonderful years. It has been our sincere honor, pleasure and joy to serve the South End Community. We value your loyalty and friendship very much and wish you well in the future." The South Boston location of Foodie's on W Broadway will remain in operation.

The address for Foodie's Market in the South End is 1421 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02118. The website for the business is at https://foodiesmarkets.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.)

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Shkodra Byrek to Open in Dedham

A new restaurant that features a cuisine not commonly found in the region will soon be opening just southwest of Boston.

According to its website, Shkodra Byrek is planning to open in Dedham, moving into a space on Washington Street on the northern edge of Dedham Square. The website and social media for the place indicate that the dining spot will be offering Albanian dishes (along with other Mediterranean fare), including such options as tripe soup, stuffed cabbage, cheese and yogurt pie, beef and onion pie, baked meat dumplings, skillet corn bread, layered pancakes, sausage, grilled octopus, smoked trout, baked lamb, grilled kebabs, pasta, and more.

The address for the upcoming Shkodra Byrek is 338 Washington Street, Dedham, MA, 02026. Its website can be found at https://shkodrabyrek.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.)

Off the Rails Boston to Replace Scholars American Bistro and Cocktail Lounge in Downtown Crossing

A few days ago, a restaurant and bar in the heart of Boston closed after 15 years in business, but a new concept is on its way to the space, and it will be under the same ownership.

According to an article from boston.com, Off the Rails Boston is planning to replace Scholars American Bistro and Cocktail Lounge in Downtown Crossing, with the upcoming School Street spot focusing more on live music and entertainment while its menu will tend to lean toward "elevated Americana-inspired" fare. The article mentions that Off the Rails will also have a setting that is influenced by Nashville as well as Boston, and if all goes as planned it could be debuting sometime late this summer.

The address for the upcoming Off the Rails Bosto is 25 School Street, Boston, MA, 02108.

[Earlier Article]
Scholars American Bistro and Cocktail Lounge in Boston's Downtown Crossing Is Closing

(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.)

New City Microcreamery Opens in Chestnut Hill

Last fall, it was reported that a local group of ice cream shops was expanding to a space where another ice cream shop had been, and now we have learned that it has debuted.

According to a source, New City Microcreamery is now open in Chestnut Hill, with the social media pages for the business confirming that it is now up and running in the former White Mountain Creamery space on Commonwealth Avenue by Boston College. The new location joins others in Hudson, Cambridge's Central Square, Arlington, and Sudbury, while a seasonal popup has also opened at Bolton Orchards in Bolton.

New City Microcreamery first started out in Hudson in 2015 while White Mountain Creamery debuted back in 1983.

The address for the new location of New City Microcreamery in Chestnut Hill is 19 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467. The website for all locations is at https://newcitymicrocreamery.com/

[Earlier Article]
White Mountain Creamery in Chestnut Hill Is Closing; New City Microcreamery to Replace It

(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.)

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Blaze Pizza in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood Has Closed

Another Boston-area location of a group of pizza restaurants formerly based in California and now headquartered in Georgia has shut down, and now only one remains in the region.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Blaze Pizza in the Fenway section of Boston is no longer in business and has its windows papered over, with a check on the website seeming to confirm this, saying that it is now closed. The chain of pizzerias once had locations in the Theatre District, by Boston University, and in Burlington, but the only one still operating is at One Canal Park in East Cambridge (another can be found in Nashua, NH).

Blaze Pizza first started out in 2012, with investors early on including Tom Werner, Maria Shriver, and LeBron James.

The address for the now-closed location of Blaze Pizza in the Fenway was 1282 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215. The website for Blaze can be found at https://www.blazepizza.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.)