Boston Restaurant Talk

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Dugout Cafe in Boston Has Closed

It looks like a Boston bar that has been around for nearly 100 years has shut down.

According to an Instagram post from mendoza_comedy, the Dugout Cafe on Commonwealth Avenue by Boston University is no longer in business, with the post saying the following:

Hey all, we've received word that the Dugout Cafe is officially, permanently closed. WE HAVE A NEW VENUE for this Saturday, ticket holders will be updated, but The Mendoza Line at the Dugout Cafe is officially done. Thank you to everyone that has performed, attended, or produced our cozy little show in the back room of a bar over the last 12 years.

This follows on the heels of an article from Universal Hub saying that the liquor license for the Dugout Cafe is being sold to the upcoming Seaport District location of Earl's Kitchen and Bar, which will join other locations of the chain at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay and Assembly Row in Somerville.

The Dugout Cafe, which dates back to 1934, has been a popular spot with BU students over the years.

The address for the now-closed Dugout Cafe was 722 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215.

(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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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Time Out Market Boston in the Fenway Is Closing

It looks like a Boston food hall will soon be saying farewell.

Based on information from a source, and confirmed by an article in the Boston Business Journal, Time Out Market Boston in the city's Fenway neighborhood is closing down, with the BBJ saying that vendors have been told about the food hall shuttering. Time Out, which debuted in 2019, is home to a variety of food and drink vendors including Ms. Clucks Deluxe Chicken & Dumplings, Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood, Blue Ribbon BBQ, A&B Burgers, Union Square Donuts, Lala's Neapolitan-ish Pizza, and Squeeze Juice Company.

We have been told a date that Time Out may be closing, though that date (which is in late January) has not been confirmed as of yet.

The website for Time Out Market Boston is at https://www.timeout.com/time-out-market-boston/

(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.)

Sweet & Comfy in Brighton's Oak Square Is Closing

A dessert shop in a Boston neighborhood is getting ready to shut down.

According to a source, Sweet & Comfy in the Oak Square section of Brighton is closing its doors, with an Instagram post from the Tremont Street shop saying the following:

Shops close. Memories don't. Sweet & Comfy's last day is 1/18/26. Thank you for every smile, visit, and core memory. Oak Square will always be home. No sadness…just love, gratitude, and momentum. This chapter ends, but the journey doesn't. Maybe we'll see you again, Boston

The space in which Sweet & Comfy resides had previously been home to Day & Night Cereal Bar, with the two businesses being under the same ownership; Sweet & Comfy has been known for such items as ice cream, cereal dessert bowls, and shakes.

The address for Sweet & Comfy is 6 Tremont Street, Brighton, MA, 02135.

(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.)

Fupo Cafe in Cambridge's Huron Village Has Closed; Exact Status Unknown

A Cambridge restaurant known in part for its Asian Fusion fare and its Chinese-American dishes appears to have shut down.

According to a couple of source, including Leah Klein of City Living Boston, Fupo Cafe in Huron Village is apparently no longer in business, with photos of the Huron Avenue space showing it mostly cleared out. There is no indication of its closure on its social media, nor does its website mention anything about its shuttering.

Fupo Cafe first opened about a year ago, taking over the space where Village Kitchen had been.

The address for the now-closed Fupo Cafe was 359 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138.

(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.)

Monday, January 12, 2026

Limani at The Street Chestnut Hill Has Closed

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant with roots in New York has shut down.

According to a source, Limani at The Street Chestnut Hill is no longer in business, with the website for the development removing the dining spot from its website while a Yelp post shows a sign out front indicating that it shuttered sometime this month. It appears that other locations in New York City, Roslyn, NY, Charlotte, NC, and Washington, D.C. remain in operation, while there is also a Limani Grill location in Boston's Seaport District along with another in Commack, NY.

Limani first opened at The Street Chestnut Hill in the spring of 2022; the website for the other locations can be found at https://limani.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.)

Smashburger in Medford Has Closed

A Boston-area location of a Colorado-based chain of quick-casual burger restaurants has shut down.

Based on an X post from @PackardGoose, Smashburger in Medford is no longer in business, with a check on the Fellsway Plaza dining spot indicating that it appears to have closed a bit more than a month ago. It does look like locations of the chain in Boston, Westwood, Natick, and Attleboro remain in operation.

The Medford location of Smashburger debuted in 2015, being the third location to open locally following the Natick and Westwood restaurants.

The address for the now-closed Smashburger in Medford was 495 Riverside Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155. The website for the chain is at https://smashburger.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.)