Saint Brigid's Well to Open in the Former Daddy Jones Space in Somerville's Magoun Square

A brand new Irish pub is on its way to Somerville, moving into the space where a Greek restaurant used to be.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Saint Brigid's Well is planning to open in Magoun Square, taking over the former Daddy Jones space on Medford Street. The website for the upcoming place says the following about it:

We are a wee neighborhood pub with good honest grub and a very friendly atmosphere. The spirit is traditional Irish public house; the kitchen is careful, generous, and built for a proper meal. Saint Brigid is patron of brewing, scholars, sailors, blacksmiths, dairymaids, midwives, newborns, and more. That wide welcome gives the pub its purpose: a warm room for regulars, students, tourists, neighbors, and anyone who needs a good pint and better company. "A warm room, a proper meal, and better company." If you stop in once, it might be for fish and chips, shepherd's pie, Irish coffee, or a perfect pint. If you make us your local, it will be because the room feels easy and the food tastes like someone cared. Settle in and have one. Sláinte.

A video of an earlier licensing commission meeting indicates that Michael John Queally (bartender/manager, The Druid in Cambridge) is behind Saint Brigid's Well, while the website mentions that it could be opening around the middle of this month.

Daddy Jones closed late last year after 13 years in business; the space had previously been home to Lil Vinny's.

The address for the upcoming Saint Brigid's Well is 525 Medford Street, Somerville, MA, 02145. Its website is at https://stbrigidswellpub.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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Brookline Lunch in Cambridge to Expand, Opening in the Former L Street Diner Space in South Boston

A longtime diner in Cambridge will soon be joined by a second location.

According to a source, the people behind Brookline Lunch in Central Square will be opening another outlet in South Boston, moving into the space on L Street where the L Street Diner had been. An Instagram post from the business says the following:

...after 37 years—we have a new, second space to share in Southie! This not-so-secret project has been underway for four months and we can't wait to open our doors for you. We're racing toward opening and hope to serve our first plates in the next week(ish) ... TBA. We've also given the place a face lift (w new signs) so stay tuned for the reveal! We've been extra nostalgic as we take this step forward and know that no place will ever create the magic and memories like the original Brookline Lunch.

Brookline Lunch first opened in Cambridge 37 years ago, being known in part for its breakfast plates and Mediterranean fare.

The address for the upcoming Brookline Lunch in South Boston is 108 L Street, South Boston, MA, 02127.

(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.)

Tori Japan to Open Locations by Boston University, Malden, and Taunton

Last week, it was reported that a small group of Japanese restaurants would be expanding to a Boston neighborhood, and now we have learned that they will be opening three other locations in the region as well.

According to an article from What Now Boston, Tori Japan is planning to open locations by Boston University, Malden, and Taunton, with the three new spots joining another upcoming location in Dorchester's Ashmont area. The article mentions that it looks like the first to open will be the BU location which will take over the former Boston Halal space on Commonwealth Avenue and which could debut later this month, while Malden and Taunton are slated to open later this year and Dorchester in 2027.

Expect all the new locations of Tori Japan to feature teppanyaki, sushi, and bento boxes, and they will join existing locations in the Back Bay, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Chelsea, Saugus, Randolph, and Brockton, along with others in Providence, Central Falls, RI, and the original in Bridgewater Township, NJ. The website for all locations is at https://www.torijapan.com/

[Earlier Article]
Tori Japan Plans to Open in the Ashmont Section of Dorchester

(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.)

Bruegger's Bagels in West Roxbury Has Closed

A location of a chain of bagel spots with roots in the local region has closed, and now there is only one remaining within the Boston city limits.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Bruegger's Bagels in West Roxbury is no longer in business, with a sign out front saying "thank you for allowing us to make your mornings brighter and mor delicious." The note refers customers to the Longwood location of the chain, which is the sole remaining outlet in Boston as its downtown location closed earlier last year. (A number of others can still be found in the suburbs.)

Bruegger's Bagels first started out in Troy, NY in 1983, with its corporate offices being in Burlington, VT, until about ten years ago (they are now headquartered in Denver). 

The address for the now-closed location of Bruegger's Bagels in West Roxbury was 667 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury (Chestnut Hill), MA, 02467. The website for the chain is at https://www.brueggers.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.)

The Chicken & Rice Guys to Open Commissary and Warehouse in Woburn, Will Include Takeout Service

A restaurant, food truck, and catering business known for their halal street cuisine will be opening a hub in the northern suburbs of Boston.

According to a press release, the Chicken & Rice Guys will be opening a commissary and warehouse in Woburn, moving into a space at West Cummings Park just south of where Washington Street and Route 128/95 intersect. The new facility will have nearly 5,000 square feet of space and is slated to open in October--and the plan is for it to offer takeout service at some point after its debut. Co-founder and Operating Manager Jaemin Lee indicates that this is a relocation of its current warehouse and commissary in Everett, saying that "After 10 years operating out of Everett, we needed a base built for where we're headed next....Woburn broadens the boundaries of where we can operate and opens up markets we haven't been able to reach from inside the city. It gives our trucks, catering team, and kitchen the room to grow into that."

The Chicken & Rice Guys first started out as a single food truck in 2012, and today has locations in Boston's Downtown Crossing, Financial District, and Seaport District as well as Everett, along with food trucks that can be found throughout the Greater Boston area. 

The address for the upcoming Chicken & Rice Guys hub in Woburn is 218 W Cummings Park, Woburn, MA, 01801. The website for the business is at https://cnrguys.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.)

French Quarter in Downtown Boston Has Closed

A restaurant in the heart of Boston that featured traditional New Orleans dishes has shut down.

According to multiple sources, French Quarter on Washington Street is no longer in business, with an Instagram post from the dining spot saying the following:

To our guests, thank you for walking through our doors, celebrating with us, and making French Quarter part of your nights in Boston. You gave this restaurant its life and its meaning. To our staff, past and present, thank you for the care, hard work, humor, patience, and heart you gave to this place. French Quarter was never just the room or the menu. It was the people who made it feel alive....we are deeply grateful for every guest, every team member, and every memory made here. It has been an honor to serve you.

French Quarter first opened in downtown Boston six years ago, moving into the space where a location of Salvatore's had once been; its menu offered such options as red beans and rice, gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, cornbread, and more.

The address for the now-closed French Quarter was 545 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02111.

(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.)