Boston Restaurant Talk

Friday, March 28, 2025

Jade's Restaurant in Peabody Is Closing

An old-school Chinese restaurant on the North Shore is shutting down.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Jade's Restaurant in Peabody is getting ready to close its doors, with the post saying the following:

After 30 incredible years, it's with a heavy heart that we say goodbye. We've shared so many wonderful memories together—celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, family gatherings, and countless special moments with you all. From the first bite of your favorite dish to the familiar faces we've come to know so well, it's been an honor to be part of your lives. We're sad to close this chapter. Please join us for our last weekend to celebrate these beautiful memories. Thank you for being part of our journey—we'll miss you!

Jade's Restaurant is known in part for its Chinese-American fare along with its Polynesian drinks.

The address for Jade's Restaurant is 4 Bourbon Street, Peabody, MA, 01960. Its website can be found at https://www.jadesrestaurant.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]

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El Barco May Be Coming to Boston's Back Bay

It looks like a Mexican restaurant on Martha's Vineyard may be expanding to Boston.

According to a licensing board hearing page, Shack Foods of Back Bay LLC has petitioned change its DBA to El Barco, with the address given being 50 Dalton Street. This also happens to be the address of a location of Summer Shack, and restaurateur Patrick Lyons is behind both Summer Shack and El Barco, so it appears that if approved, the latter would apparently replace the former. More should be known about the plans by late next week after the hearing and possible approval, so stay tuned for updates.

The Martha's Vineyard location of El Barco debuted in 2024, offering tacos, burritos, margaritas, and more. Its website can be found at https://elbarcomv.com/ while the website for the proposed location in Boston will be at https://elbarcoboston.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]

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Render Coffee in Boston's South End Is Closing

The original location of what had once been a small group of coffee bars is shutting down, leaving only one remaining.

According to a poster within the South End Community Board Facebook group page, Render Coffee on Columbus Avenue is planning to close on April 5, with another poster showing a photo of a sign out front saying "Coming Soon: New Bakery/Coffee Generation." Once the South End location of Render Coffee, closes, the only location left will be in Boston's Seaport District; there had also been outlets in the Financial District and Charlestown, but those are no longer in operation.

The South End location of Render first opened in 2012, taking over the space where Uptown Espresso had once been.

The address for Render Coffee is 563 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA, 02119. The website for the business is at https://www.rendercoffeebar.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]

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Thursday, March 27, 2025

Mr. Tamole Is Opening at Boston Public Market

The people behind a business that sells Mexican goods in a variety of stores in the region are opening a restaurant in an indoor marketplace in downtown Boston.

Boston Magazine is reporting that Mr. Tamole is opening at Boston Public Market, offering such options as tamales, tacos, and tortas at their stall. The mother-and-son team behind the business focus on dishes and products using family recipes from Puebla (a city in East-Central Mexico), and items they are known for that can be purchased at shops locally (as well as online) include salsa and mole paste.

The website for Mr. Tamole is at https://www.mrtamole.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.)

Trencito Taqueria & Deli Opens in the Former Tap Tap Station Cafe Space in Waltham

A new dining spot that offers Mexican food and more has come to Waltham.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Trencito Taqueria & Deli is now open on Carter Street, taking over the space that had been home to Tap Tap Station Cafe. A Facebook post from The Waltham Channel gives more information, saying that it offers breakfast, pizza, and sandwiches, while its menu shows such items as tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, pupusas, gorditas, and more.

The Waltham Channel mentions that the people behind Trencito Taqueria & Deli also run New York Taco & Pizza on Lexington Street in Waltham, and that the menu items are similar at the two places.

The address for Trencito Taqueria & Deli is 3 Carter Street, Waltham, MA, 02453. Its website is at https://www.trencito-taqueria-deli-pizza.com/

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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]

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.)

Playa Bowls Opens in South Boston on March 29

A couple of years ago, it was reported that a New Jersey-based chain of dining spots was planning to open in South Boston, and now we have learned that it is just about ready to debut, though in a different space than what was originally thought.

According to a post from Caught In Southie, Playa Bowls is opening on W Broadway on Saturday, March 29, though its address will be 471 W Broadway rather than 359 W Broadway. The new outlet will offer smoothies and bowls, and it will join other locations locally in Brighton by Boston College, near Northeastern University in Boston, Cambridge's Harvard Square, Winchester, East Milton Square, Canton, Westwood, Brockton, and Wellesley.

The website for the Playa Bowls chain can be found at https://www.playabowls.com/

[Earlier Article]
Playa Bowls to Open in South Boston, Replacing The Juice Box

(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.)