Luna Mare Is Opening in Ipswich; Will Reside in Space Where Ithaki Was Before Moving to Peabody

The person behind a Greek restaurant on the North Shore that moved to another space is bringing a new restaurant to its former home.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Luna Mare is planning to open in Ipswich this summer, taking over the former Ithaki space on Hammatt Street. A Wicked Local article mentions that Petros Markopoulos, who owns Ithaki (which is now on Route 1 in Peabody) will be running the new dining spot, which will focus on Mediterranean tapas-style options including dishes with Spanish, Italian, Greek, French, and Middle Eastern influences such as gyro tacos and marinated sardines.

The space that Luna Mare is moving into had most recently been home to Brown Square Bistro which opened in March of 2023, closing its doors a year later.

The address for Luna Mare is 25 Hammatt Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938.

[August 11 update: According to a source, Luna Mare has soft-opened.]

(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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Update: Ed Sheeran Is Bringing a Pop-up Pub to Ipswich on Friday, March 28

[Ed note: This article was updated on March 28 to reflect new information given.]

One of the biggest names in music has a temporary pub in the works for the North Shore.

According to a message sent from @IrishEyesPhoto1, Ed Sheeran is behind The Old Phone, a pub in Ipswich, with an article from Northshore Magazine mentioning that "Ed Sheeran is rumored to be building a pub in Ipswich, Massachusetts, this spring." The Local News says that the town select board has approved of a one-day wine and malt application for the place on Friday, March 28 at the Old Mill building on the southern edge of Ipswich's downtown area, which indicates that this is just a popup event on Friday, which NBC Boston has since confirmed. (A check on the website for the pub also mentions the March 28 date.)

Sheeran, who has ties to Ipswich, England, was recently in Boston, including making a trip to The Dubliner where he played an acoustic set.

(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.)

Majestic Dragon in Ipswich Has Closed

A decades-old North Shore restaurant known in part for its old-school Chinese-American food and Polynesian drinks has shut down.

A Twitter/X post from @HarmyG states via an article from The Local News that Majestic Dragon in Ipswich is no longer in business, with the article quoting the Woo family, who ran the Turnpike Road restaurant, as saying the following on Tuesday, August 13: 

After 35 years of business serving the Ipswich and the North Shore community, the Woo family will be closing the doors to the Majestic Dragon for the last time tonight....Annie would like to thank all of our loyal staff, Majestic Dragon friends, and faithful customers over the years for their unwavering support, welcoming us into your community, and letting us be a part of your families' birthdays, celebrations, and milestones....She will miss the families and the community but looks forward to her retirement and spending more well-deserved time with her grandchildren that eagerly await her."

The address for the now-closed Majestic Dragon was 81 Turnpike Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938.

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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.)

    

Ithaki Is Moving from Ipswich to Peabody

A popular North Shore restaurant that features Greek and Mediterranean fare is moving to a new location that will be closer to Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Ithaki in Ipswich is heading to a new location in Peabody, with a Facebook post from the place saying the following:

Ipswich has been our home, but we are so excited for Ithaki's next chapter. Same fantastic food & owner! Different zip code! Stay tuned for renovation magic! Last day in Ipswich: August 14th 2022 New location coming soon! September 2022

Ithaki, which first opened in Ipswich back in 1997, is a casual upscale restaurant that offers such dishes as grilled octupus, shrimp saganaki, pork souvlaki, spanakopita, baked feta, falafel, blackened salmon, pastitsio, pasta with clams, moussaka, lamb skewers, and roasted chicken.

The original address for Ithaki is 25 Hammatt Street in Ipswich while the new address is 1A Newbury Street (Route 1) in Peabody. Its website can be found at https://www.ithakicuisine.com/

[October 16 update: According to its social media, Ithaki is now open in its new home in Peabody.]

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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Team Behind CK Pearl in Essex Is Opening Decklyn's in Gloucester

[Ed note: This article was updated on March 13 to reflect confirmation of its exact location.]

A new restaurant is on its way to the North Shore, and it has an ownership connection to a popular waterside dining spot.

According to a job post within the Craigslist site, Decklyn's is planning to open soon, with the listing saying that it will be a "sister restaurant" to CK Pearl in Essex. The post mentions that the upcoming place will focus at least in part on New England fare while also having influences from Southern California along with "island cuisine." The job post gives the town as Ipswich, though a source tells us that it will actually be opening in the former Captain Carlo's space in Gloucester (as soon as we get confirmation, we will post an update here).

No opening date has been given as of yet, but the post does say that they are gearing up for their first summer season.

CK Pearl is a casual upscale restaurant that offers such items as clam chowder, mussels, lobster carbonara, short ribs, fish tacos, ramen, ribs, and lobster rolls.

[March 17 update: A new Craigslist job post says that Decklyn's will indeed be opening in the former Captain Carlo's space at 27 Harbor Loop in Gloucester, which indicates the restaurant will likely have an extensive outdoor dining area.]

[June 2 update: According to its Facebook page, Decklyn's is now open in the former Captain Carlo's space in Gloucester. (Its website is at https://www.decklyns.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.)

Ipswich Ale Brewery to Open Ipswich Ale Brewer's Table Restaurant

A North Shore brewery is making plans to add a restaurant to its facility.

Eater Boston is reporting (via a Craigslist job post) that Ipswich Ale Brewery is opening a dining spot called Ipswich Ale Brewer's Table that will have seating for 120 and will be located within the Brewery Place building. Little other information has been given on the restaurant, so keep checking back for updates.

[January 7, 2016 update: A new article from Eater Boston states that Ipswich Ale Brewer's Table is now open, and that it includes 15 tap lines, a view of the beermaking process, and a mix of brewpub, gastropub, and New American fare. For now, the restaurant is open for dinner only, but it will start lunch service over the coming days.]

Ipswich Ale Brewery, which first started out in 1991, includes the Ipswich Ale, 5 Mile Ale, and Stone Cat lines, along with limited edition beers and cask ales (it also produces mustard and soda).

The address for Ipswich Ale Brewery and the new Ipswich Ale Brewer's Table restaurant is 2 Brewery Place, Ipswich, MA, 01938. The website for the brewery can be found at http://www.ipswichalebrewery.com/

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Good Places to Get Beer in the Boston Area]

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Owner of Majestic Dragon in Ipswich Found Murdered in Restaurant

The owner of a Chinese eatery in Ipswich was found dead in his restaurant this morning, having apparently been shot twice.

According to The Boston Globe and the Ipswich Chronicle/Wicked Local, employees found Shui Keung "Tony" Woo slain in the Majestic Dragon on Route 1 this morning. The Globe article mentions that Woo's friends were told that he was shot, though the Ipswich Chronicle article states that while the official cause of death is homicide, the District Attorney for Essex County is waiting for autopsy results before confirming the cause and manner of death.

The Ipswich Chronicle says that Woo was the owner of Majestic Dragon for about two decades.

The address for Majestic Dragon is: Majestic Dragon, 81 Turnpike Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938.

For more on this story, please go to the links below.

[Boston Globe]
Owner of Chinese restaurant is found slain in Ipswich

[Ipswich Chronicle/Wicked Local]
Updated: Ipswich restaurant owner murdered

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Stone Soup Cafe Moves to New Location in Ipswich

The Stone Soup Cafe, a popular dining spot in Ipswich, has moved out of its Central Street location and into a new spot on High Street (Routes 1A and 133). The new space for the Stone Soup Cafe is less than a mile north of the old spot, heading out of the center of Ipswich on the road to Rowley. A restaurant called Marco Polo used to be in the space now occupied by the Stone Soup Cafe.

The address for Stone Soup's new location is: Stone Soup Cafe, 141 High Street, Ipswich, MA, 01938.

Thanks to one of our emailers (Matthew) for pointing this change out to us. If you know of any changes to the Boston-area restaurant scene, please contact us via the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site.