A few months ago, it was learned that a South Shore institution was on the selling block and it was not known what might become of the place. Now we have learned that a well-known restaurateur within the Boston-area dining scene is taking it over.
According to a source, Eric Papachristos is taking ownership of The Venetian Restaurant in East Weymouth, with an article in the Patriot Ledger saying that the plan is to keep the name and its focus on Italian and Italian-American fare, while the space itself will go through renovations. The article indicates that The Broad Street dining spot will close around the beginning of the year for a short period of time for upgrades, including new fixtures and equipment. Papachristos, whose father owns the nearby Niko's Restaurant, is one of the people behind Saloniki, a trio of Greek restaurants located in Boston and Cambridge, as well as Trade on the Boston waterfront and Porto in the Back Bay.
The Venetian started out in Yarmouth in the 1920s, moving to North Weymouth then a couple of spaces in East Weymouth before settling into its current home in 1940.
The address for The Venetian Restaurant is 909 Broad Street, East Weymouth, MA, 02189.
[November 7 update: Wicked Local says that The Venetian Restaurant will actually close after business hours this Sunday as it gets ready for the ownership change.]
[December 11 update: A message sent to us indicates that The Venetian Restaurant is open, and that it never really closed with the ownership change; a new menu was recently rolled out, however, and there will be some quick renovations made to the space after the new year.]
[Earlier Article]
The Venetian Restaurant in East Weymouth Is Being Sold
by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
