King Street Cafe in Franklin Is Now The Red Wing at King Street Cafe

A restaurant southwest of Boston has made some changes, as it is now serving dishes offered at an iconic diner that closed last year.

According to a source, King Street Cafe in Franklin is now known as The Red Wing at King Street Cafe, with various social media posts indicating that the place is now offering dishes from the former Red Wing Diner in Walpole (including fried seafood platters) and that it is open for dinner. The Red Wing Diner, which first opened in the early 1930s, shuttered in the summer of 2023, saying at the time that it was "temporary closed for repairs" but it never reopened and its building went up for sale (the plan is for Blondie's Barbeque to replace it).

The address for King Street Cafe is 390 King Street, Franklin, MA, 02038. Its website can be found at https://www.kingstreetcafe.com/ while its Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559844967271

[Earlier Articles]
Red Wing Diner in Walpole Is Temporarily Closed
Blondie's Barbeque Plans to Replace the Red Wing Diner in Walpole

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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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Teddy Gallagher's in Franklin to Reopen March 15

At the end of last year, it was reported that a popular Irish pub southwest of Boston had closed, and whether it would reopen again was the big question. Now we have learned that it will indeed be opening back up.

According to its website, Teddy Gallagher's in Franklin is planning to open its doors on March 15, saying that "We are all very excited to get back in action. We assure you all that we will be following all Covid Guidelines and will have protective shields in place for your safety....St. Patrick's Day 2021. We will be offering family Corned Beef Dinners and Shepard's Pie Dinners for take out....Please stay tuned to the Web Site for menu updates and the latest developments. Thanks to all for your continued support!!"

Teddy Gallagher's made the decision to shut down after New Year's Eve, with the decision being based on the ongoing pandemic and the restrictions placed on the Main Street spot. The pub has been in business since 2016.

The address for Teddy Gallagher's is 30 Main Street, Franklin, MA, 02038. Its website can be found at http://www.teddygallagherspub.com/

[Earlier Article]
Teddy Gallagher's in Franklin Has Closed; Future of Place in Question

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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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.)

 

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Teddy Gallagher's in Franklin Has Closed; Future of Place in Question

A popular Irish pub southwest of Boston has shut down, and it is not known if it might be able to open back up again.

According to a source, Teddy Gallagher's in Franklin has closed its doors, with an article from Wicked Local saying that the decision to close was based on the ongoing pandemic and the restrictions placed on the Main Street spot, including the recent change from the Baker administration to institute a maximum capacity of 25% for dining and drinking spots. In the article, Joe Gallagher, who is one of the owners, says in an email that "The pandemic has basically taken our business....We can not serve 30 people and make any type of profit....We have minimums we need to order from our providers; it simply will not come close to working. We are down to 15 employees. We have single moms, and young people that rely on working here." The door remains open for Teddy Gallagher's to possibly return, though a Facebook post from the pub indicates that this is by no means a given, saying that "We do not know what the future holds, or if we will be able to come back from this but we will indeed try."

Teddy Gallagher's first opened in 2016 and quickly became a local favorite, featuring Irish step dancers on St. Patrick's Day, Christmas parties with Santa, and a New Year's toast including a midnight feed from Dublin that would be shown on the big screen. 

The address for Teddy Gallagher's is 30 Main Street, Franklin, MA, 02038. Its website is at http://www.teddygallagherspub.com/

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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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.)

Payment Options

Option 1 : $1.00 USD - monthly Option 2 : $5.00 USD - monthly Option 3 : $10.00 USD - monthly

British Beer Company in Franklin Has Apparently Closed

It looks like yet another location of a small local chain of British pubs has closed down, with the only locations now being found in Southeastern Massachusetts.

According to a source, British Beer Company in Franklin has shut its doors, with a check on the company's website showing that it has indeed been removed from the locations page. The Franklin outlet of the pub joins several others that have closed over the past several years, including Framingham, Danvers, Walpole, Westford, and Worcester, and it appears that both New Hampshire locations in Manchester and Portsmouth have shuttered as well. Outlets in Cedarville, Falmouth, Hyannis, Pembroke, Plymouth, and Sandwich remain in operation, with the closest one to Boston--the Pembroke restaurant--being approximately 30 miles from the city.

The address for British Beer Company in Franklin was 280 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin, MA, 02038. The website for the chain can be found at https://www.britishbeer.com/

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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Update: GlenPharmer Distillery to Replace Incontro Restaurant and Lounge in Franklin

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect the fact that a distillery is moving into the space.]

It looks like an upscale Italian restaurant that was located in an historic mill building has abruptly closed.

According to a source, Incontro Restaurant and Lounge in Franklin has shuttered with little or no warning, with a Facebook post from Franklin Panthers Hockey and other social media posts seeming to confirm this. Our source tells us that the owners of the West Central Street spot also run Rock N' Coal Pizza in Bellingham but the latter won't be honoring gift cards from the former, and Facebook posts seem to confirm this as well, though we are still trying to get 100% confirmation of this (if this changes, we will post an update here).

Incontro was located in Brookdale Mill, which dates back to the 1800s.

The address for Incontro Restaurant and Lounge was 860 West Central Street, Franklin, MA, 02038.

[February 8 update: According to an article from Wicked Local, Incontro owner Jim Clark says that the restaurant closed for "legal reasons" and that he has been advised by his lawyer that he should not comment any further on the issue. The post also mentions that the restaurant will not be returning to the space, though it is not known whether it could open in a new location.]

[February 12 update: Wicked Local says that a restaurant and distillery called GlenPharmer could be moving into the former Incontro space, with the distillery possibly offering whiskey, vodka, and gin. (A hearing on the proposed new spot is slated for February 25.)]

[February 22 update: A new article from Wicked Local mentions that a public online-only auction will take place on Tuesday, February 26 for items from Incontro, with an inspection for buyers taking place the previous day.]

[March 21 update: It looks like plans for a distillery and restaurant to open in the Incontro space are one step closer to reality, as a new Wicked Local article states that the Planning Board has given it a positive vote.]

[October 18 update: A post within the jobs section of bostonchefs.com indicates that GlenPharmer Distillery is now hiring, while its website says that it plans to open sometime this fall. (The jobs post mentions that the place will include a tasting room and a dining spot called PROOF.)]

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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Wendy's New Upscale Concept Has Come to Franklin and Marlborough

A fast-food joint that is known for its burgers has brought a new "upscale" concept to two communities along the Route 495 belt west of Boston.

The Boston Globe is reporting that a new version of Wendy's is now open in Franklin and an existing Wendy's in Marlborough has been changed over to the new format, with each restaurant including a fireplace, flat-screen TVs, WiFi, and a menu that goes well beyond the standard burgers and fries for which the chain is known. The article mentions that the new concept is part of Wendy's "A Cut Above" brand position that aims to differentiate the chain from other fast-food burger spots.

A couple of the items included on the menu at the Wendy's locations in Franklin and Marlborough include a berry almond chicken salad and a spicy guacamole chicken club sandwich, according to the Globe.

The article mentions that a press release shows there only being 10 such Wendy’s restaurants in the entire country that currently have this new concept.

Thanks to the Boston Business Journal for bringing this to our attention.


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Update: Alumni Restaurant Opens in Franklin

Franklin will soon be home to a new dining spot. According to various job postings--including on Craigslist--The Alumni Restaurant will be opening on East Central Street (Route 140), just east of the center of town. A note from the owner of The Alumni on a Franklin Cub Scout blog indicates that The Alumni will be a family-friendly restaurant that will also have a function room for meetings, fundraising activities, and other events.

[November 12 update: The Alumni Restaurant is now open. The place is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and has a capacity of 140. The restaurant also has a bar area with room for 30. According to the restaurant's website, one of the specialties is the warm slow roasted sliced roast beef sandwich.]

The address for this restaurant southwest of Boston is: The Alumni Restaurant, 391 East Central Street, Franklin, MA. The phone number is (508) 528-8804. And the website is at: http://www.alumnirestaurant.com/

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