Brick & Mortar in Cambridge's Central Square to Become Acqua & Bocca

The people behind a cocktail lounge in Cambridge are going to be replacing it with an Italian bar.

According to an article from Boston Magazine, Brick & Mortar in Central Square will become Acqua & Bocca in the early part of 2025, with owners Avery Appleton and Gary Strack planning to offer a simple food menu that will include such items as pizza and pasta dishes while the beverage program will "be more of an evolution" of Brick & Mortar with Italian influences.

Brick & Mortar first opened 13 years ago in its upstairs space, while a farm-to-table restaurant under the same ownership called Central Kitchen had been downstairs from 2000 to 2020. 

The address for the upcoming Acqua & Bocca (and Brick & Mortar) is 567 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139.

(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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The Kinsale and The Asgard Have Closed Permanently

A few months ago, it appeared that two of the most popular Irish pubs in the Boston area might open back up this fall after being closed due to the pandemic. Now we have learned that this won't be happening.

According to a press release, The Kinsale in downtown Boston and The Asgard in Cambridge's Central Square will not be reopening, as they have both shut down for good. The release explains the decision, saying the following:

With the pandemic ongoing, office buildings at low occupancy, chronic labor shortages, challenging governmental directives and an uncertain economy, the decision has been made to permanently close popular Irish pubs The Kinsale and The Asgard. Both establishments were shuttered in March 2020 as part of the COVID-19 lockdown. In September 2020 an attempt was made to reopen, but with office buildings largely empty it proved unfeasible and the pubs ceased operations after four weeks. While the intention was always to reopen, the timeframe proved to be too daunting. Weeks turned to months, and the months dragged on. Both establishments were lucky enough to have cooperative landlords, but in the end even that, and PPP assistance, were not enough. “A huge part of our customer base is office workers. They went home last March, and they haven’t come back -- at least to the extent that it’s feasible to run a business,” said Peter Sarmanian, President of Classic Restaurant Concepts, LLC.

The Kinsale first opened in 1998 while The Asgard debuted in 2001, with both pubs being designed in Ireland.

[Earlier Article]
The Kinsale and The Asgard Remain Closed Indefinitely; September Openings Appear to Be a Possibility

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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The Field in Cambridge's Central Square Is Closing

It looks like a longtime Irish pub in Cambridge is shutting down for good.

According to multiple sources, The Field in Central Square is closing permanently, though it has not yet been confirmed whether it has already shuttered or will soon be closing down. (We have reached out to the place and are waiting to hear back.) The bar, which first opened in the mid-1990s, has been known as a local hangout that is a place to go for a drink and pub grub along with pool and darts.

The Field had been open as of last week, though a Facebook post from the place indicated that it was changing its hours of operation at the time.

The address for The Field is 20 Prospect Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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La Fabrica Is Replacing Monroe in Cambridge's Central Square

It looks like a Cambridge restaurant and nightclub that was was hit by a suspension from the city will not be reopening, instead being replaced by a new place from a person behind three dining spots in Boston.

According to a License Commission Hearing Agenda page within the city's website, a transfer of the liquor license for Monroe in Central Square (which is listed under the old name "Moksa") to La Fabrica will be looked at next week, with the manager listed for the proposed spot being Nivia Pina, who is co-owner of Vejigantes on West Dedham Street in Boston's South End, Merengue on Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury, and Dona Habana in Newmarket Square. The listing states that La Fabrica hopes to include a front bar and lounge area, a dining room with a small bar, a function room with a stage and a large bar, and two patios.

Monroe, which replaced Moksa and Naga earlier this year, was hit by a suspension this summer after being the site of a series of violent incidents, and the place never reopened.

The address for La Fabrica will be 450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139.

[October 17 update: Wicked Local Cambridge states that La Fabrica will be a family-friendly restaurant that offers food with Spanish-Caribbean influences, with a ceviche bar being part of the plans along with Latin jazz. If all goes well, the new dining spot could be open in a couple of months.]

[February 24, 2017 update: Eater Boston says that La Fabrica is now open, with its exact name being La Fabrica Central.]

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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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T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge to Close for Good July 25

[Ed note: This article was updated on May 18 to reflect confirmation that the place is closing.]

It looks like the days are numbered for a legendary Cambridge music club that has been around for more than 25 years.

According to several credible sources, T.T. the Bear's Place on Brookline Street is apparently closing, with two of the sources indicating that this is definite. A note sent to the club this week was read but not answered, while a note sent to The Middle East club--which owns the building in which T.T. resides--was answered simply with a "No Comment." The chatter is that T.T. the Bear's could be closing in July, and a check on the events page for the club shows that the calendar of events does stop at the end of that month. An article from Vanyaland gives more information, saying that the club will reportedly close this summer and that some type of last-minute deal on the space between the owners of The Middle East and the owner of the former ManRay nightclub in Central Square didn't work out.

Earlier it had been reported here that The Middle East had purchased the building in which it and T.T. the Bear's are housed, with possible plans being to add several floors of residential space above the ground floor; it is not known whether this is still on the table, and if it is, whether this has something to do with the possibility of T.T.'s closing.

[May 16 update: The Boston Globe is reporting that the end appears near for T.T. the Bear's, as Joseph Sater, who is co-owner of the building, says of T.T.'s owner Bonney Bouley, "I don't want to put words in her mouth, but she just doesn't want to do it anymore....She's saying she'll be out by the end of July."]

[May 18 update: A new post from Vanyaland indicates that July 25 will be the last night for T.T. the Bear's.]

[June 9 update: A new article in The Boston Globe mentions (via a Facebook event page) that T.T. the Bear's is having what is basically an indoor "yard sale" on Saturday, June 20 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with the club selling off a variety of memorabilia/bric-a-brac such as old posters, beer taps, chairs, signs, dishes, and more.]

[July 12 update: Vanyaland mentions that the last week for T.T. the Bear's will be a "blowout" week, with such acts as Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, O Positive, the Neighborhoods, Scruffy The Cat, and others on the way.]

T.T. the Bear's Place first started out in the late 1980s, featuring countless local, national, and international acts over the years, featuring indie rock, punk, pop, jazz, electronica, funk, and much more.

The address for T.T. the Bear's is 10 Brookline Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139. Its website can be found at http://www.ttthebears.com/

[Earlier Article]
Owners of Middle East in Cambridge's Central Square Purchase Building

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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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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