Boston Restaurant Talk

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Mission on Fire to Open in the Former Sofia Italian Steakhouse Space in West Roxbury

A local restaurant group is bringing a new dining spot to West Roxbury, taking over the space where a steakhouse had been until shutting down last month.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Mission on Fire is planning to open in the former Sofia Italian Steakhouse space on VFW Parkway, with the sign for the place showing a similar logo to that of Mission on the Bay in Swampscott, Mission Oak Grill in Newburyport, and Mission Boathouse in Beverly, all of which are operated by the Mission Restaurant Group. Very little information is out as of yet on the upcoming spot, including what might be on its menu and when it could open, so keep checking back for updates.

Sofia Italian Steakhouse shut down in early March after being in business for 16 years.

The address for the upcoming Mission on Fire is 1430 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA, 02132.

[Earlier Article]
Sofia Italian Steakhouse in West Roxbury Is Closing

[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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Clover Food Lab Is Emerging from Bankruptcy, Announces Expansion Plans

A local restaurant chain that features vegetarian fare is exiting bankruptcy and is now looking to expand.

According to a press release, Clover Food Lab is emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, using the time from last November to now to restructure while closing its outlets in Boston's Copley Square and Somerville's Assembly Row along with a Dedham warehouse. They are now looking to add to their current group of 13 restaurants, with the 5-year plan including 47 new outlets (initially opening locations in the Greater Boston area and then elsewhere in New England), focusing on smaller outlets in urban locations and around universities.

The website for Clover (which started out as a food truck by MIT in 2008) is at https://www.cloverfoodlab.com/

[Earlier Article]
Clover Food Lab Has Filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

[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.)

Grasshopper Vegan Restaurant in Allston Is Closing

An Asian dining spot that features vegan food is shutting down, though it could be reborn in a new space.

According to multiple sources, including a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Grasshopper Vegan Restaurant in Allston is getting ready to close, with a note on the N Beacon Street eatery saying, "Due to leasing disagreements Grasshopper Vegan will be ceasing operations on May 29, 2024." Another note mentions something about following their Facebook page for a reopening location and date, but no details have been given on that as of yet.

Grasshopper first opened 27 years ago, offering meatless takes on Asian fare, including a variety of Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes.

The address for Grasshopper Vegan Restaurant 1 N Beacon Street, Allston, MA, 02134.

[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, April 23, 2024

Scutari Plans to Open in the Former Flanders Field Space in Hanover

A local restaurateur is looking to open not one, but two locations of a new concept.

According to a source (via a Patriot Ledger article), Leo Keka, who runs Alba in Quincy and Hanover, is planning to open Scutari in Hanover, taking over the space on Route 53 where Flanders Field had been. It appears that this will be the first of two locations of the Northern Italian restaurant to open, as another in Braintree (which was mentioned here last summer) may not be opening in the former Dunkin' Donuts University space on Granite Street until late August or early September while the Hanover location could be opening May 15.

Flanders Field first opened in the latter part of 2020, offering dishes with Northern European influences along with an extensive beer list; it apparently closed sometime late last summer or early in the fall, though an official announcement was never made.

The address for the upcoming location of Scutari in Hanover is 2055 Washington Street (Merchants Row Shopping Center), Hanover, MA, 02339.

[Earlier Articles]
Leo Keka Plans to Open Scutari in Braintree
Flanders Field in Hanover Is Closed; Exact Status of Place Unknown

[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.)

Black & Blue Steak and Crab to Open in Wellesley

A small group of upscale restaurants based in Upstate New York is going to be opening a second location in the Greater Boston area.

According to its website, Black & Blue Steak and Crab is opening soon in Wellesley, with an earlier Swellesley Report article indicating that it will move into a space on Central Street in Wellesley Square. Once it debuts, the new outlet will join another in Burlington that opened in 2018, along with others in Rochester (where it first started out), Buffalo, and Albany.

Based on its other locations, the new outlet could be offering such items as oysters, crab cakes, filet mignon, ribeye, Alaskan king crab legs, grilled shrimp, and more.

The address for the upcoming location of Black & Blue Steak and Crab is 65 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02482. The website for all locations is at https://blackandbluesteakandcrab.com/

[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.)

Amber Road to Open in Boston's Financial District

A local restaurant group is planning to open a new dining spot in the heart of downtown Boston.

According to a job post within the bostonchefs.com site, Amber Road is opening in the city's Financial District, with the listing indicating that it will be a fine dining establishment from the group behind Tradesman, Fin Point Oyster Bar & Grille, and Urban Wild (Third Door Hospitality). An address of 100 Federal Street is shown within the listing, but it isn't known for sure whether this is where Amber Road will be (one of the Tradesman locations is at 100 Federal Street).

[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.)