Lovestruck Books Opens in Cambridge's Harvard Square, Will Soon Be Home to George Howell Cafe and Wine Bar As Well

A new bookstore has come to Cambridge, and it will soon include a cafe and wine bar within its space.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Lovestruck Books is now open in Harvard Square, moving into a space on Brattle Street that has 5,000 square feet of space and which focuses on romance books. The poster included a link to a boston.com article that says the shop will become home to a George Howell coffee spot and wine bar by late January, with a Cambridge license commission page indicating that "The concept is similar to Trident in Boston, but it will be unique in its own way."

The address for Lovestruck Books (and the upcoming cafe and wine bar) is 44 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The website for the bookstore is at https://lovestruckbooks.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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Not Your Average Joe's in Burlington Has Closed

It looks like another location of a local chain of family restaurants has closed.

According to multiple sources, Not Your Average Joe's in Burlington shut down at the end of business hours on December 23, with its website confirming this, as it has removed the location from its site. A few other locations of the chain have closed over the past three years, including ones in Arlington, Methuen, and Randolph, while locations remain open for business locally in Acton, Norwell, Peabody, Waltham, Watertown, and Westwood.

The address for now-closed Not Your Average Joe's in Burlington was 4C Wayside Road, Burlington, MA, 01803. The website for the chain is at https://www.notyouraveragejoes.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.)

 

Casa Verde to Open in Scituate

A new Latin American restaurant is on its way to the South Shore, and a local restaurateur is behind the place.

According to a press release, Casa Verde is planning to open in Scituate, moving into the former Dunkin' space on Front Street in Scituate Harbor. The new spot will offer lunch, dinner, and brunch with dishes having influences ranging from Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and the Caribbean, and cocktails and Spanish wines will also be available, while live Latin jazz music is being planned for the space.

The owner of Casa Verde is Kara Tondorf, who also runs Salt Society restaurant in Scituate Harbor and The Rivershed in Killington, VT, along with the now-closed locations of The Rivershed in Scituate and Weymouth Landing and Riva Restaurant, the last of which had also been in Scituate Harbor.

If all goes well, Casa Verde will open in mid-January.

The address for the upcoming Casa Verde is 99 Front Street, Scituate, MA, 02066.

(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.)

 

Masons Steakhouse Opens in Quincy

Earlier this year, it was reported that a new restaurant was planning to open within an historic space in Quincy, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to posts on its Facebook page, Masons Steakhouse is now open on Hancock Street in the downtown section of the city, with the place being an upscale dining spot that features New American fare and which is run by restaurateur Jimmy Liang of the JP Fuji Group (the new place is not part of that group). The two-story restaurant takes over the space that had been home to The Masonic Temple, which dated back to 1926 and was destroyed in a fire in 2013.

The address for Masons Steakhouse is 1170 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA, 02169. Its website can be found at https://www.masonssteakhouse.com/

[Earlier Article]
Masons Steakhouse House Is Planning to Open in Quincy Center

(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 Captain's Table and TakeAway in Wellesley Is Morphing into Marden's

A seafood restaurant in the western suburbs of Boston that includes a fish market is getting ready to shut down, as the owners are bringing a new concept to the space.

According to multiple sources, The Captain’s Table and Takeaway in Wellesley is planning to close down and be replaced by a new spot, with a post on its Facebook page and a note on its website indicating that it will shutter on December 29 for renovations and will be reborn as Marden's, a new restaurant that will include handmade pasta dishes and an expanded raw bar while also continuing to offer the "delicious and fresh seafood you have enjoyed for years." The notes do mention that the retail store (Captain Marden's Seafoods) and the food truck will remain open during renovations. 

The address for The Captain's Table and TakeAway (and the upcoming Marden's restaurant) is 279 Linden Street, Wellesley, MA, 02482. The website for Captain Marden's can be found at https://www.captainmardens.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.)

 

Raffael's & The Greenside Grille at the South Shore Country Club in Hingham Have Closed

Late last year, it was reported that a restaurant and function facility south of Boston would be closing at the end of this year, and now we have learned that they have said their final farewell.

According to a Facebook post from over the weekend, Raffael's & The Greenside Grille at the South Shore Country Club in Hingham are now closed for good, with the post saying the following:

Today is bittersweet as we welcome you to join us for our final day of service, Sunday, December 22nd. Swing by for a drink, share your favorite memories, and let's raise a glass to 15 incredible years together. Your support has meant the world to us, and we are forever grateful for the friendships, laughter, and moments we've shared. Come celebrate the end of an era with us. Cheers to the memories, the meals, and all of YOU who made it so special.

Raffael's Restaurant, Banquet & Conference Facilities was first established in 1989 in the old State Street Bank complex in North Quincy, MA, with another function venue opening in Walpole in 2000 and also being the exclusive food and beverage provider to the former Clarion Nantasket Beach Resort Hotel & Spa in Hull; Raffael's & The Greenside Grille have resided at the South Shore Country Club since 2009.

[Earlier Article]
Raffael's and The Greenside Grille to Say Goodbye to the South Shore Country Club in Hingham at the End of 2024

(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.)