Tilde Cafe and Wine Bar Is Replacing Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant in North Cambridge

It looks like changes are coming to a North Cambridge space.

According to a source (Tom Meek), Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant on Mass. Ave. is being replaced by a new spot called Tilde Cafe and Wine Bar. The website for Tilde seems to confirm this, as its address is that of Sheger, and the website mentions that it plans to open sometime this fall.

Sheger first opened its doors in the summer of 2018.

The address for Tilde Cafe and Wine Bar is 2376 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA, 02140. The website for Tilde can be found at https://www.tildecambridge.com/

[According to its website and social media, Tilde Cafe and Wine Bar is now open, with its website mentioning that it currently offers pastries in the morning and snacks at night (along with a variety of wines), but it plans to expand its food offerings at some point in the future.]

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Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Has Closed

A South End restaurant that has been in business for more than 30 years has shut down.

Eater Boston confirms (via Yelp) what several sources have told us over the past few days, that Addis Red Sea on Tremont Street has closed its doors, with Eater also confirming that the place appears to be vacant while its signage is gone as well. The Ethiopian restaurant, which first opened in 1988, went on the selling block in 2015 but it has remained in operation until now; a second location of the eatery had been on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge for a brief amount of time before closing in 2013.

The address for the now-closed Addis Red Sea in the South End was 544 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

[Earlier Articles]
Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Is Up for Sale
Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Remains Open; Sale Talk Appears to Be Over

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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Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine in Malden Has Apparently Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like an Ethiopian restaurant north of Boston has shut down after a very brief time in business.

According to a post from Eater Boston, Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine in Malden appears to be out of business, with a tipster for Eater and a Yelp poster saying that the Highland Avenue eatery is indeed closed, while its phone is no longer in service. The dining spot, which had only been open since last September, offered such items as injera, lentil stew, chickpea dumplings, boiled lamb, chicken stew, steak tips, and prime beef.

As soon as we find out why Mogogo may have closed--and what could be going into the space, if anything--we will post an update here.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in Malden was: Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine, 1 Highland Avenue, Malden, MA, 02148.

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Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine Opens in Malden

A new Ethiopian restaurant has come to the Boston area.

Eater Boston is reporting that Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine is now open in Malden, with the Highland Avenue dining spot offering various meats such as steak tips, chicken stew, prime beef, and boiled lamb over injera (a spongy flatbread) along with vegan options such as lentil stew, chickpea dumplings, and ground flax. Mogogo joins another Ethiopian restaurant on the other side of Malden (Habesha) along with a handful of others in the Boston area, with Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End and Lucy Ethiopian Cafe near Symphony Hall being a couple of the more popular Ethiopian dining spots.

The address for this new restaurant in Malden is: Mogogo Ethiopian Cuisine, 1 Highland Avenue, Malden, MA, 02148. Its website can be found at http://mogogo.co/

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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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Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant Opening in North Cambridge

A new dining spot is coming to North Cambridge, and it will be featuring East African cuisine.

According to a license commission agenda page within the city's website, Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant has applied for a common victualler license to operate on Mass. Ave., with the address indicating that it would be opening on the same block where Joe Sent Me, Hana Sushi, Suvaai, and Qingdao Garden reside. The name of the manager--Misrak Gandi--also hints that the person behind the place may also be behind Misrak Beauty Salon which is also in that block, though this has not been confirmed as of yet. Little is known about the eatery other than the fact that it plans to have seating for 14 inside, a small outdoor area with a capacity of 8, and lunch and dinner (and possibly breakfast) being offered daily.

The address for this new restaurant in North Cambridge is: Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant, 2376 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA, 02140.

[December 6 update: A new license commission agenda page indicates that the upcoming Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant has applied for a beer and wine license and that its proposed capacity has increased to 44 inside while remaining at 8 outside.]

[July 13, 2018 update: According to a source (Rich O'Rourke), Sheger Cafe and Ethiopian Restaurant is now open.]

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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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Ethiopian Cafe Inc. to Open in Former Aurum Space in Jamaica Plain

It looks like a new dining spot is on its way to Jamaica Plain, and it will be taking over the space where a restaurant featuring hand pies recently closed.

According to a post within the Jamaica Plain Facebook group page, Ethiopian Cafe Inc. is planning to open on Centre Street where Aurum had been until shutting down several weeks ago, and there are hints that the people behind the nearby Blue Nile may also be behind this new place. It looks like the upcoming eatery will be open for breakfast and dinner and that it will focus at least in part on coffee, though specific details are not yet known.

Aurum remains in business as a caterer and a wholesaler, and it plans to be involved in pop-up events across New England as well.

The address for the upcoming Ethiopian Cafe Inc. is 377A Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130.

[April 7 update: The Jamaica Plain News confirms that Blue Nile owner Yosef Haile is indeed behind Ethiopian Cafe Inc., which could be opening in as soon as a few weeks if all goes well. The article says that the eatery will offer American-style breakfasts with some Ethiopian additions to the breakfast menu, while Ethiopian dishes will be offered for lunch and dinner--and the items served will be different from those of Blue Nile. (Ethiopian coffee will also be offered, as hinted at earlier.)]

[January 21, 2019 update: It appears that plans to open Ethiopian Cafe Inc. are still on, as a licensing board hearing page indicates that the restaurant has applied for a beer and wine license, with the hearing scheduled to take place on January 23.]

[Earlier Article]
Aurum Closes in Jamaica Plain; Owner to Focus on Catering, Wholesale and Pop-Ups

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Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Remains Open; Sale Talk Appears to Be Over

A year and a half ago, we reported that a South End restaurant was on the selling block after being in business for more than a quarter century. Now it appears that the place may no longer be for sale, and the longtime owner is now apparently meeting with the city about its license.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, Addis Red Sea has applied for what appears to be a new common victualler license to continue to operate on Tremont Street. The listing shows the manager of record as being Misrak Assefa; a GoFundMe page from October of 2015 indicated that Assefa was asking for help in keeping the restaurant from closing, and a month later, we received word that the place was up for sale. No further news came out about the proposed sale, and while the monetary goal on the GoFundMe page was not met, the dining spot has remained open.

Addis Red Sea, which first opened in the late 1980s, also had a location on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge, that closed down in 2013 after being open for only a short time.

The address for Addis Red Sea is 544 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

[Earlier Article]
Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Is Up for Sale

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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Addis Red Sea in Boston's South End Is Up for Sale

An Ethiopian restaurant in Boston's South End that has been in business for more than a quarter century is on the market.

According to a source (Aaron Gong), Addis Red Sea on Tremont Street is up for sale, with a couple of listings (including a listing on the Castles Unlimited site) confirming this, saying that the business/space is indeed for sale at a price of $300,000. The listing indicates that the space is being sold "as is" and "as sold" and that existing fixtures and equipment are part of the deal, and the restaurant's existing beer and license is also mentioned as well. [Ed note: Listing no longer up as of April 26, 2016.]

Addis Red Sea, which first opened in the late 1980s, also had a location on Mass. Ave. in Cambridge, though that spot closed in 2013 after being open for only a brief amount of time. The original South End eatery has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants), with the review being at the link below:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/AddisRedSea.html

The address for Addis Red Sea is 544 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

[April 26, 2016 update: According to a poster on the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, the phone number for Addis Red Sea in the South End is not working, with a call placed this afternoon indicating that it is indeed temporarily out of service. As soon as we find out the exact status of the restaurant, we will post another update here.]

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Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant Returns to Jamaica Plain

An Ethiopian restaurant has come back to Jamaica Plain after closing several years back, reopening in the space where a coffee shop had been.

According to the Jamaica Plain Gazette and Eater Boston, Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant is now open on Centre Street in the Hyde Square section of JP, several blocks south of its former home on S Huntington Avenue, where it closed in 2006. (Fasika, another Ethiopian eatery, subsequently moved into that space before moving to Broadway in East Somerville; Wok n Talk now resides in the spot.) The Gazette mentions that Blue Nile, which took over the former Velouria Espresso space, is open for lunch and dinner, featuring more vegetarian items than before and possibly tej (honey wine) over the coming weeks.

The address for this new restaurant in Jamaica Plain is: Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant, 389 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130.

For more information on the reopening of Blue Nile, please go to the Jamaica Plain Gazette and Eater Boston links below.

[Jamaica Plain Gazette]
Ethiopian eatery opens

[Eater Boston]
Blue Nile Reopens in Jamaica Plain

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Lucy Ethiopian Cafe Opens Near Symphony Hall

Boston is now home to another Ethiopian restaurant, with this one being located near Symphony Hall along the western edge of the Back Bay and the South End.

Based on the restaurant's Facebook page, Lucy Ethiopian Cafe opened about two months ago on Mass. Avenue between between Huntington Avenue and St. Botolph Street. The eatery is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also features traditional coffee ceremonies in a back room.

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe joins a handful of other Ethiopian restaurants in the Boston area, including Addis Red Sea in the South End and Cambridge, Fasika in Somerville, Habesha in Malden, and Asmara in Cambridge (Asmara is actually an Eritrean restaurant, but Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisines are very similar).

Hours for Lucy Ethiopian Cafe are 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Sunday through Wednesday, and 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Thursday through Saturday. The traditional coffee ceremonies are held after 3:00 PM Thursday and Friday, after 12:00 noon on Saturdays, and after 10:00 AM on Sundays.

The address for this new Ethiopian restaurant in Boston is: Lucy Ethiopian Cafe, 334 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115. The phone number is (617) 536-0415. And the restaurant's Facebook page can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucy-Ethiopian-Cafe/375251434602

Thanks to the founder of the I'm Your Server Not Your Servant blog for bringing this restaurant to our attention.

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Latest Review: Habesha Restaurant, Malden

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for an Ethiopian dining spot in Malden, MA, called Habesha Restaurant. Located on Main Street in a strip of small shops just north of downtown, Habesha is a tiny restaurant with a handful of tables and a bar area inside the dining room. The menu includes a number of traditional Ethiopian dishes, including some that are highly spicy. Prices are reasonable and service is friendly and helpful. To read more about Habesha Restaurant in Malden, please click on the link above.

Latest Review: Fasika in Somerville

The latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for an Ethiopian dining spot on Broadway in East Somerville called Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant. Fasika is an offbeat place that includes a sedate, serene dining room on the left side (complete with traditional Ethiopian basket tables) and a raucous working-class bar full of Somerville townies on the right. The food at Fasika is cheap, fresh, and delicious, and compares favorably to Addis Red Sea, a critically acclaimed Ethiopian restaurant in the South End of Boston and Porter Square in Cambridge. To read more about Fasika in Somerville, please click on the link above.