Shkodra Byrek Is Opening in Dedham

A new restaurant that features a cuisine not commonly found in the region will soon be opening just southwest of Boston.

According to its website, Shkodra Byrek is planning to open in Dedham, moving into a space on Washington Street on the northern edge of Dedham Square. The website and social media for the place indicate that the dining spot will be offering Albanian dishes (along with other Mediterranean fare), including such options as tripe soup, stuffed cabbage, cheese and yogurt pie, beef and onion pie, baked meat dumplings, skillet corn bread, layered pancakes, sausage, grilled octopus, smoked trout, baked lamb, grilled kebabs, pasta, and more.

The address for Shkodra Byrek is 338 Washington Street, Dedham, MA, 02026. Its website can be found at https://shkodrabyrek.com/

[May 28 update: According to a press release, Shkodra Byrek 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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Oregano in Newburyport Has Closed

A North Shore restaurant known for its Italian and Mediterranean fare has shut down.

According to multiple sources, Oregano in Newburyport is no longer in business, with an Instagram post from the Pleasant Street dining spot saying the following:

To our wonderful community - There are no words that feel big enough for this. Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, Oregano [has closed] its doors. Your support, your loyalty, and your presence over the years turned Oregano into something so much more than a restaurant. It became a home away from home. A place where memories were made, milestones were celebrated, and people came not just to eat, but to feel like they belonged....Thank you to our friends, family, staff, and most importantly our patrons for being part of something we will never forget.

Oregano first opened 18 years ago, offering such options as pizza, pasta dishes, risotto, kebabs, lamb chops, stuffed grape leaves, salmon patties, and more.

The address for the now-closed Oregano was 16 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950.

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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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Alice & Monarch Open in Cambridge's Kendall Square

Earlier this year, it was reported that a dual-concept spot was planning to open in Cambridge, and now we have learned that both are up and running.

According to a press release, Alice & Monarch are now open in the city's Kendall Square area, moving into a space on Main Street next to the new Eastern Edge food hall. The release mentions that Alice is a Mediterranean and Italian taverna that is located upstairs, while Monarch is downstairs and is a lounge that offers cocktails and desserts, with Daniel Roughan of Source in Harvard Square being behind both places.

The address for Alice & Monarch in Kendall Square is 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142. The website for both can be found at https://aliceandmonarch.com/

[Earlier Article]
Alice & Monarch Plans to Open in Cambridge's Kendall Square

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Cava Opens in Braintree

A bit more than a year ago, it was reported that a Washington, D.C.-based group of fast-casual Mediterranean spots was planning to expand to a new location south of Boston, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to its website, Cava is now open in Braintree, moving into a space on Union Street that had once been the site of a Motel 6. The new location joins others locally in Beverly, Boston, Burlington, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Chestnut Hill, Dedham, Framingham, Hanover, Hingham, Lynnfield, Mansfield, North Andover, and Woburn, and like the others, it offers a variety of bowls, salads, and pitas. 

The address for the new location of Cava in Braintree is 125 Union Street, Braintree, MA, 02184. The website for all locations can be found at https://cava.com/

[Earlier Article]
Cava May Be Opening a Location in Braintree

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Avra Estiatorio Opens at Lyrik Back Bay in Boston

An upscale Greek and Mediterranean restaurant that got its start in New York City and now has a handful of locations around the country has come to a new development in Boston.

According to multiple sources, Avra Estiatorio is now open at Lyrik Back Bay, a mixed-use space above the Mass. Pike where Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue meet. The new dining spot focuses in part on Greek seafood dishes, with a few options including fish soup, littleneck clams, calamari, salmon tartare, grilled octopus, sardines, sea bass souvlaki, lobster pasta, and pan-seared scallops, while also offering a variety of cocktails.

The first location of Avra Estiatorio debuted in Midtown East back in 2000.

The address for Avra Estiatorio in the Back Bay is 400 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02115. Its web page is at https://theavragroup.com/avra-boston

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Ray Adea's Mediterranean & Jamaican Cuisine in Salem Has Closed

 A dining spot on the North Shore that offered fusion fare has shut down.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page (via a Salem Food Digest post), Ray Adea's Mediterranean & Jamaican Cuisine in Salem is no longer in business, with a "for lease" sign in the window of the Lafayette Street space. The eatery was known in part for its vegetarian and vegan Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare including falafel, hummus, and babaganoush, while also offering meat-based Jamaican dishes such as jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtail, and steamed fish.

The address for the now-closed Adea's Mediterranean & Jamaican Cuisine was 90 Lafayette Street (Unit 1B), Salem, MA, 01970.

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Fenway Grill & Bar Opens in the Former Thornton's Fenway Grille Space in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

A new restaurant has come to the Fenway section of Boston, moving into the space where a longtime dining and drinking spot had been.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Fenway Grill & Bar is now open on Peterborough Street, taking over the former Thornton's Fenway Grille space. The website for the place indicates that it is a comfort food spot that offers dishes with Mediterranean and Turkish influences, with its menu including such options as eggs with spicy sausage, lentil soup, shepherd's salad, baba ganoush, hummus, chicken kebab, lamb chops, Turkish flatbreads, roasted eggplant with grilled lamb, rice pilaf, and baklava.

Thornton's closed in the fall of 2024 after being in business for more than 30 years.

The address for Fenway Grill & Bar is 100 Peterborough Street, Boston, MA, 02215. Its website can be found at https://www.fenwaygrillbar.com/

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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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Kush by Saba Is Opening in Somerville's Union Square in April

A new restaurant is getting ready to open in Somerville, and a Food Network winner is behind the place.

According to an article in the Boston Business Journal, Kush by Saba will soon be opening in Union Square, moving into the space on Sanborn Court that had been home to Wade BBQ, and before that, Littleburg. The upcoming dining spot will focus on modern Mediterranean fare with global influences and will be run by Saba Wahid Duffy, who has been operating the business as a food truck with the same name and which first got up and running on the heels of her winning Chopped: Martha's Rules in 2021. If all goes as planned, Kush by Saba will open on April 28.

Back in 2024, Boston Magazine mentioned Saba Wahid Duffy's plans to turn her food truck into a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

The address for Kush by Saba in Union Square is 5 Sanborn Court, Somerville, MA, 02143. The website for the business is at https://kushbysaba.com/

[April 23 update: According to its website, Kush by Saba is slated to have its grand opening on Tuesday, April 28.]

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Limani at The Street Chestnut Hill Has Closed

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant with roots in New York has shut down.

According to a source, Limani at The Street Chestnut Hill is no longer in business, with the website for the development removing the dining spot from its website while a Yelp post shows a sign out front indicating that it shuttered sometime this month. It appears that other locations in New York City, Roslyn, NY, Charlotte, NC, and Washington, D.C. remain in operation, while there is also a Limani Grill location in Boston's Seaport District along with another in Commack, NY.

Limani first opened at The Street Chestnut Hill in the spring of 2022; the website for the other locations can be found at https://limani.com/

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MEZŌ Is Opening in the Former Pancho's Taqueria Space in Dedham

A new Mediterranean restaurant is on its way to the southwest suburbs of Boston.

According to a press release, MEZŌ is planning to open in Dedham on March 2, with the address indicating that it will be moving into the space on High Street that had been home to Pancho's Taqueria. The upcoming 25-seat dining spot will be a modern Mediterranean restaurant that has a "fast-fine" concept where it will be an upscale version of a fast-casual place (including a grab-and-go section), with such options as avgolemono, moussaka, grilled lamb chops, chicken gyros, pork souvlaki, stuffed peppers, roasted lemon potatoes, baklava, and more.

The owner/operator of MEZŌ is George Panagopoulos, who runs the Dedham House of Pizza.

The address for MEZŌ is 551 High Street, Dedham, MA, 02026. Its website will be at https://mezodedham.com/

[March 5, 2026 update: According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, MEZŌ is now open in Dedham.]

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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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Cava Opens in Burlington

A Washington, D.C.-based chain of fast-casual Mediterranean spots has opened another new location in the northern suburbs of Boston.

According to a source, Cava is now open in Burlington, moving into a space on Middlesex Turnpike in a strip mall just north of the Burlington Mall. The new location offers such options as bowls, pitas, salads, and more, and it joins a number of others in the Greater Boston area, including five outlets north of the city in Beverly, Chelmsford, Lynnfield, North Andover, and Woburn.

Cava had been looking to open in the old Sears Auto Center at the Burlington Mall back in 2018, but those plans apparently never came to fruition. 

The address for the new location of Cava at in Burlington is 101 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA, 01803. The website for all locations is at https://cava.com/

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Mona Opens in South Braintree Square

Earlier this year, it was reported that a new dining spot was on its way to a southern suburb of Boston, and it now we have learned that it is open.

According to several sources, Mona is now open in Braintree, and as mentioned in an earlier article, it has moved into the storefront on Washington Street in South Braintree Square where Loco's had once been. The new eatery focuses on Mediterranean fare, including such items as bowls, pitas, Greek fries and falafel bites

The address for Mona is 913 Washington Street, Braintree, MA, 02184. Its website is at https://monakitchen.com/

[Earlier Article]
Mona Plans to Open in the Former Loco's Space in South Braintree Square

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Cava Opens at MarketStreet Lynnfield

A Washington, D.C.-based chain of fast-casual Mediterranean spots has opened a new location in the northern suburbs of Boston.

According to a press release, Cava is now open at MarketStreet Lynnfield, and like its other locations, it offers such options as bowls, pitas, salads, and more. The new outlet joins a number of others in the Greater Boston area, including four outlets north of the city in Beverly, Chelmsford, North Andover, and Woburn.

The address for the new location of Cava at MarketStreet Lynnfield is 335 Market Street, Lynnfield, MA, 01940. The website for all locations can be found at https://cava.com/

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Moona Is Opening a Second Location in Cambridge

An Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in Cambridge is being joined by a second location not too far away.

According to an article from boston.com, Moona on Hampshire Street in Inman Square is going to expand to another space, with this one being on Main Street between Central Square and Kendall Square. The article mentions that owner Mohamad El Zein and executive chef Scott Ryan have plans to make the new place a cafe to start the day while at night it will be a restaurant serving "Levantine-inspired" dinner items, and the space will be larger than its original Inman Square location. If all goes well, the new location of Moona will open later this year.

The Inman Square location of Moona first opened in the fall of 2016.

The address for the second location of Moona is 750 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139. The website for Moona is at https://www.moonarestaurant.com/

[January 6, 2026 update: According to its website, the new location of Moona is now open, initially for dinner only, though breakfast and lunch service will be coming at some point.]

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Sembol Mediterranean Restaurant to Open in the Former Edamame Steakhouse Space in Watertown

A new restaurant that features Turkish fare is planning to open just west of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Sembol Mediterranean Restaurant is looking to open in Watertown, moving into the space on Watertown Street that had been home to Edamame Steakhouse. A What Now Boston article mentions that the upcoming dining spot will apparently feature such options as freshly made breads, house-made mezze, kebabs, döner, and more.

No opening date has been given as of yet for Sembol as it is early in the permitting process, but as soon as we hear more, we will post an update here.

The address for the upcoming Sembol Mediterranean Restaurant is 171 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA, 02472. Its Instagram page is at https://www.instagram.com/sembolmediterranean/

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Cava Opens in Beverly

A Washington, D.C.-based chain of fast-casual Mediterranean spots has opened yet another location in the Greater Boston area, with this one being its first on the North Shore.

According to its website, Cava is now open in Beverly, moving into a space in the North Beverly Plaza on Dodge Street and offering such options as bowls, pitas, salads, and more. The new outlet joins others in Boston, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Dedham, Framingham, Hanover, Hingham, Mansfield, and North Andover, and new locations are being planned for Braintree, Burlington, and Quincy as well.

The address for the new location of Cava in Beverly is 47 Dodge Street, Beverly, MA, 01915. The website for all locations is at https://cava.com/

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Flavor Boom Plans to Open in Cambridge's Kendall Square

It looks like a trio of dining spots that offer Asian and Mediterranean dishes will be joined by a fourth location.

According to a Bluesky post from @troysch1.bsky.social, Flavor Boom is planning to open in the Kendall Square section of Cambridge, taking over the space on Broadway that has been home to Kendall Kitchen. A licensing committee hearing page confirms this, saying that the upcoming restaurant would have seating for 36 and apparently being open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once it opens, the new spot will join others in downtown Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Watertown, and based on those locations, the new outlet could see such options as black pepper pork, tamarind chicken, eggplant zaalouk, and sofrito stew.

Kendall Kitchen has another location at Riverside Center on Grove Street in Newton.

The address for the upcoming location of Flavor Boom in Kendall Square is 201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA, 02139. The website for all locations is at https://www.flavorboom.com/

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Cava Plans to Open in the Former La Paloma Space in Quincy

Earlier this week, it was reported that a Washington, D.C.-based group of fast-casual Mediterranean spots was looking to expand to a space south of Boston, and now we have learned that another outlet is in the works as well south of the city.

According to multiple sources along with an article in the Patriot Ledger, Cava is planning to open in Quincy, moving into the old La Paloma space on Newport Avenue between Wollaston and North Quincy. Once it opens, the new dining spot will join others in Boston, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Dedham, Framingham, Hanover, Hingham, and Mansfield.

Another location of Cava may be coming to the site on Union Street in Braintree that had once been home to Motel 6, but those plans are in their very early stages. 

The address for the upcoming location of Cava in Quincy is 195 Newport Avenue, Quincy, MA, 02170. The website for all locations is at https://cava.com/

[Earlier Article]
Cava May Be Opening in Braintree

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Cava May Be Opening a Location in Braintree

A Washington, D.C.-based group of fast-casual Mediterranean spots is looking to expand even further into the Greater Boston area, with another one proposed for a location just off Route 3 south of the city.

According to multiple sources along with an article from the Patriot Ledger, Cava is hoping to open a new outlet in Braintree, moving into the site on Union Street that had once been home to a Motel 6. The plans are in their very early stages as the company has signed a letter of intent for the dining spot to be part of redevelopment plans for the site, so a number of steps need to be taken before it can become reality.

Cava has opened a number of locations locally over the past few years, including ones in Boston, Cambridge, Dedham, Framingham, Hanover, Hingham, and Mansfield, along with a brand new one in Chelmsford. (Its first Boston-area location debuted in the Fenway in early 2018.)

The address for the proposed location of Cava in Braintree is 125 Union Street, Braintree, MA, 02184. The website for all locations is at https://cava.com/

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Boston Halal to Open in the Former Blaze Pizza Space by Boston University

A local trio of restaurants that feature NYC-style street food will soon be opening a fourth outlet, and this one will be replacing a location of a pizza spot that closed a bit more than a year ago.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Boston Halal is going to be opening by Boston University, taking over the former Blaze Pizza space on Commonwealth Avenue. Once it opens, the new location of the Indian-Mediterranean spot will join others at Faneuil Hall, near Northeastern University, and in Somerville's Davis Square, and based on those dining spots, expect it to offer a variety of bowls and wraps.

The address for the upcoming location of Boston Halal by BU is 961 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215. The website for all locations is at https://bostonhalal.co/

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