Red Sox Star David Ortiz May Open a Restaurant in Downtown Boston

Four years after closing a MetroWest restaurant that he was involved with, one of Boston's best-known professional athletes may be opening a new dining spot in the heart of the city.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Red Sox DH David Ortiz is considering opening a restaurant and sports lounge somewhere in downtown Boston,where he would feature his revamped line of Big Papi's Kitchen products that include tortilla chips, salsa, hummus, and more. If Ortiz does open a new spot, it would be his second shot at bringing an eatery to the area, as he had opened Big Papi's Grille on Route 9 in Framingham in the summer of 2009, only to close it two years later. (At the time of its closure, there had been talk of Big Papi's Grille reopening in Boston.)

According to the Herald, Ortiz is also a business partner of the upcoming Yvonne's, a supper club that is moving into the old Locke-Ober space in Boston.

The website for Big Papi's Kitchen--which helps raise money for the David Ortiz Children's Fund--can be found at http://www.bigpapiskitchen.com/

[Earlier Article]
Big Papi's Grille in Framingham Is Closing, Apparently Reopening in Boston

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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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Fenway Farms Rooftop Garden Opens on Top of Boston's Fenway Park

A rooftop garden has come to one of the most iconic structures in all of Boston.

BostInno is reporting that Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox) now has a rooftop garden, with the nursery being used for "home-grown concessions" along with educating young people on environmental preservation and eating healthy. The article says that the garden will include such items as arugula, basil, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, mint, rosemary, sweet peppers, thyme, and more, depending on the season.

This is not the first time that a garden has been set up at Fenway, according to BostInno, as back in 2008, tomatoes were grown behind the bullpen's pitchers mound.

The Chowdaheadz blog says that Fenway Farms is located behind the Green Monster.

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Fenway Franks Hot Dog Stand Coming to Lansdowne Street in Boston

It looks like a new hot dog stand is on its way to Boston, and its name is a very familiar one.

Universal Hub is reporting that a stand called Fenway Franks will be coming to Lansdowne Street by Fenway Park, with the Boston Red Sox being the operators of it. The article mentions that the stand will be running whenever the Sox are not playing, with hot dogs, burgers, and soda being served (beer will not be available). It is not yet known what hours the Fenway Franks stand will have, though Red Sox attorney Dennis Quilty indicates that the food-serving license for the organization technically allows food to be served as late as 2:00 AM.

The Red Sox are also apparently looking to set up a food truck on Yawkey Way, according to UH, though plans appear to be in the early stages, with the organization getting a formal request ready for the proposed truck.

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[New article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve More Starters and Sides from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Tasty Burger Has Opened Inside Fenway Park

The people behind three burger places in the Boston area (with another on the way) have opened a new spot, and this one is geared specifically toward Red Sox fans.

The Boston Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog is reporting (via a Facebook post) that Tasty Burger is now serving food at a stand along the Yawkey Way concourse within Fenway Park The original location of the burger restaurant is close by on Boylston Street, with others being found on JFK Street in Cambridge's Harvard Square and at the corner of L Street and East 4th Street in South Boston--and a new one will also be coming to the Central Square neighborhood of Cambridge, though an exact location has not yet been confirmed.

The website for Tasty Burger can be found at http://www.tastyburger.com/

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[New article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve More Classic American Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

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Blaze Pizza Plans to Come to the Boston Area

A small group of California-based pizza restaurants known for cooking pizzas quickly at high temperatures is planning to come to Boston--and one of its investors is a well-known figure in the local area.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Blaze Pizza is looking to expand nationally, with the Boston area being a part of their expansion plans. One of its investors is Tom Werner, who is Chairman of the Boston Red Sox and is also involved with such local restaurants as Empire, Gem, the Red Lantern, and Towne.

[April 18, 2014 update: The Boston Business Journal mentions that Blaze Pizza could be opening at least 15 locations in the Boston area, now that restaurateurs Mitch Roberts and David Peterman have signed a franchise agreement with the chain (they also operate 34 locations of Panera). Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.]

[May 22, 2014 update: The Banker & Tradesman site says that ASAPizza LLC--the company run by franchisees Mitch Roberts and David Peterman--is looking at urban storefronts for its Boston-area locations of Blaze Pizza, with the shops being around 2,500 square feet and "near colleges, entertainment venues and medical centers."]

Blaze Pizza, which is based in Pasadena and has locations in Pasadena and Irvine (with two more Los Angeles-area shops in the works), makes their scratch-made artisanal pizzas on an "assembly line," with the pies then put into a white-hot oven, taking less than two minutes to cook. Their website can be found at http://www.blaze-pizza.com/


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Tim Wakefield, Shawn Thornton Among Owners of Turner's Yard in Pembroke

A new restaurant has just opened south of Boston, and the owners include a former Red Sox pitcher and a current Bruins forward.

The Hingham Patch is reporting that Turner's Yard is now open on Route 53 in Pembroke, having had its grand opening this past Saturday night. Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield of the Sox and Shawn Thornton of the B's are two of the people behind the 6,000-square-foot restaurant, along with Ken Casey of the Irish punk band the Dropkick Murphys and HGTV host Taniya Nayak. The article says that former Bruins player Bobby Orr and local boxer Mickey Ward were at the grand opening of the eatery.

Turner's Yard is a gastropub that features mostly American fare using locally sourced ingredients as well as an array of craft beers and craft cocktails.

The address for this new restaurant in Pembroke is: Turner's Yard, 615 Washington Street, Pembroke, MA, 02359. Their website can be found at http://www.turnersyard.com/


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Steve "Nookie" Postal Is Opening Commonwealth in Cambridge's Kendall Square

[Ed note: This article was updated on October 15 and October 19, and then again on July 31, 2013, to reflect new information that came in, including a location given to the upcoming restaurant.]

The executive chef for the Boston Red Sox who was also a finalist on a food-based reality competition show is planning to open a restaurant in Cambridge.

An article on the Skinny Beet site reiterates what an earlier interview on the Eater Boston site indicated, namely that  Steve "Nookie" Postal of Fenway Park and Bravo's Around the World in 80 Plates is bringing a restaurant to the Kendall Square section of the city, as well as another dining spot to New York. No name has been given for the Cambridge eatery as of yet, but Postal says in the Eater article that "it's going to be pretty big and pretty awesome."

[October 15 update: The Boston Business Journal reports that the new restaurant from Steve Postal will be called Commonwealth, and it will be located in the upcoming Watermark II apartment building at 350 Third Street. The article mentions that Commonwealth will be a farm-to-table eatery where diners can create their own menus, and the place will have a feel "like a Vermont barn," according to Postal. In addition, part of the space will also be dedicated to a food market with a setup that may be much like City Feed and Supply in Jamaica Plain. Expect the new restaurant to be open sometime next fall.]

[October 19 update: According to a post in the Chowder blog of Boston Magazine, "Commonwealth" is just a working title, and the restaurant may end up having a different name. The article also mentions that the space is very large (6,500 square feet), with a private dining room and a private courtyard being part of the plans, along with the aforementioned main restaurant area and market.]

[July 31, 2013 update: A new Boston Magazine article mentions that the restaurant will indeed be called Commonwealth, and that it should be opening in late September or early October. Also, the address given is 11 Broad Canal Way.]

[October 31, 2013 update: The Restaurant Hub blog of The Boston Globe states that Commonwealth plans to open next week, with such items as Island Creek oysters, roasted Niman Ranch pork chop, Pineland Farm beef shortrib, Georges Bank swordfish, and duck fat fries being on the menu. Also, the article gives mention to Eater Boston's series on Steve "Nookie" Postal, which can be found here.]

[November 1, 2013 update: A new Eater Boston article indicates that Commonwealth will open to the public on Tuesday (November 5).]

Postal has worked at such restaurants as Casablanca, Chez Henri, Icarus (now closed), and Oleana, according to Eater Boston.


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Former Big Papi's Grille to Be Taken Down; David Ortiz Parts Ways with Classic Restaurant Concepts

The building formerly occupied by a now-closed restaurant that had one of Boston's most well-known sports figures behind it is going to be torn down, and it has also been learned that the athlete and the restaurant group behind the place have gone their separate ways.

According to The Framingham Tab and Wicked Local, the former Big Papi's Grille on Route 9 in Framingham is slated to be demolished in the spring of 2012, with a new building facing a different angle going up at the site. Big Papi's (which is named after Red Sox slugger David Ortiz) first opened in the summer of 2009, but only lasted two years before closing this past July. There had been talk of a new Big Papi's Grille coming to Boston, but the article mentions that Ortiz has parted ways with Classic Restaurant Concepts, the group behind the now-closed Framingham spot (Classic Restaurant Concepts also owns the Asgard in the Central Square neighborhood of Cambridge and the Kinsale in the Government Center section of Boston). The Tab does say that other restaurateurs are looking to partner with Ortiz, but it is not known at this time whether a new Big Papi's Grille--or another restaurant from the ballplayer--will open in the Boston area.

Big Papi's was located at 30 Worcester Road (Route 9) in Framingham.

For more information on this story, please go to the Framingham Tab/Wicked Local link below.

Former Big Papi's Grille to be torn down

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Updated List of Restaurants Near Fenway Park

It is hard to believe that the 2009 baseball season is upon us. The Boston Red Sox start the season at home on Monday, April 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays, which means that fans will soon be pouring into the Fenway neighborhood, many of them looking for places to eat before or after the game.

So the burning question is, what restaurants are worth checking out near Fenway Park, and which ones might be a little less crowded than some of the others? Well, we can't guarantee easily getting into all of the places we mention (Uburger, for instance, could be especially tough), but our restaurants near Fenway Park feature within the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site might be a good place to start. And many of the restaurants listed are lesser-known spots that might not have the crowds.

This feature has two sections; one mentions restaurants within walking distance of Fenway, while the other mentions dining spots that are a bit further away, but still mostly within walking distance (or a short T ride). The feature has been updated this year, with a few spots added to the page including a couple of new restaurants.

Best of luck to the 2009 Boston Red Sox, and let's hope that they make it once again to the World Series!

Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill Opens at Logan Airport, East Boston

A new restaurant has come to Logan Airport in East Boston, and the owner of this restaurant certainly has a familiar name. Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill is now open and is located in the pre-security section of Terminal C at Logan. The restaurant has room for 115 diners, and its menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, and comfort food, with the macaroni and cheese bring the signature dish here. Jerry Remy's also has an extensive beer and wine list, as well as cocktails, single malt scotches and bourbons, and cordials and liqueurs.

The phone number for Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill is (617) 567-5379. Please note that validated parking for the restaurant is not offered.

On a side note, another Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill will open next to Fenway Park in the spring of 2009 in the former WBCN building on Boylston Street.

Jerry Remy is a former Red Sox second baseman who is now a broadcaster for NESN Red Sox games. He also runs the Remy Report Web site.

Where To Eat Near Fenway Park (Home of the Boston Red Sox)

The 2008 baseball season begins tomorrow, with the Boston Red Sox playing the Oakland A's at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. But the Sox will be back soon, playing once again at Fenway Park in Boston.

Fans who will be going to Sox games may be looking for restaurants to go to either before or after the game. And unfortunately, many of the more popular restaurants will have long lines. So where is a Sox fan to go? The Boston's Hidden Restaurants site has a page that features restaurants near Fenway Park, many of which are little-known. The page is broken into two sections, with one section telling about restaurants within walking distance of Fenway, and the other mentioning dining spots that are a bit further away, but still close enough to get to by foot if you don't mind walking a bit.

Once again, congratulations to the Boston Red Sox for their championship season in 2007; let's make it two in a row this year!

Ed Note: For information on the Red Sox schedule for this week in Japan, this blog link might be of help:

Peter's Red Sox Forever: BONZAI! The Japan Schedule...

Restaurants Near Fenway (Site of World Series Game 1 Between Red Sox and Rockies)

Congratulations to Manny Ramirez, Julio Lugo, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew, Kevin Youkilis, Jason Varitek, Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp, Jon Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and all the Red Sox last night for winning Game Seven of the ALCS last night. It was a truly amazing finish to an incredible comeback against the Indians, who had been up in the series 3-1 at one point.

The World Series against the Colorado Rockies begins at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. It should be an interesting matchup between these two teams, and it could end up being another seven-game series. Best of luck to the Sox once again!

Being that this is a restaurant blog, I'd like to mention, especially to folks coming to the games from out of town who are unfamiliar to Boston, that the area around Fenway Park has a number of excellent restaurants to go to before the games. If you would like to learn about some of these restaurants (many of which are within a short walk of Fenway Park), check out the Restaurants Near Fenway Park page that is a special feature within our Boston's Hidden Restaurants site. As mentioned, this page lists a number restaurants within walking distance of Fenway, and it also lists a handful that are slightly farther away from the park, but still nearby. And most of the restaurants on our list are little-known restaurants that are favorites of Boston locals.

For those coming to Boston for the first time, welcome to our city, and enjoy the cozy confines of Fenway. And, of course, go, Red Sox!