Walnut Grille in Newton Highlands Is Being Replaced by Shiva's Kitchen

A vegetarian and vegan restaurant west of Boston is getting ready to closing down as the space will be going through a reconcepting.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Walnut Grille in Newton Highlands will soon be shutting its doors, with a Facebook post from the place saying the following:

As of April 1st, Walnut Grille will be closing. We want to thank everyone for all of their support over the past 10 years! Unfortunately, we never really recovered financially from the pandemic. However, our team will still be around! We will be rebranding to our new concept Shiva's Kitchen. Our new restaurant will be offering Indian cuisine. We will be open for lunch and dinner and available for catering. Please don't hesitate to ask for some of your Walnut Grille favorites if you need us to cater an event!

Walnut Grille first opened in 2013, focusing on vegetarian and vegan dishes while also offering many gluten-free options along with organic wines and cocktails.

The address for Walnut Grille (and the upcoming Shiva's Kitchen) is 1203 Walnut Street, Newton, MA, 02461.

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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!

Dave's Hot Chicken Is Opening in Newton

Last year, it was reported that a California-based group of dining spots that focuses on Nashville hot chicken would be expanding to the Greater Boston area, with one of the outlets coming to the northern suburbs. Now we have learned that one will be opening west of the city as well.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Dave's Hot Chicken is planning to open in Newton Highlands, moving into a space on Needham Street within the Newton Nexus development. The new location appears to be one of a number of outlets coming to the local area, including a location coming to Woburn Village, with all of the restaurants offering tenders and sliders with heat levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper" along with such items as macaroni and cheese, kale slaw, and cheese fries.

The address for the new Dave's Hot Chicken in Newton will be 141 Needham Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461.

[April 8 update: According to a press release, the Newton location of Dave's Hot Chicken opened today.]

[Earlier Article]
Dave's Hot Chicken to Expand to the Greater Boston Area

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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.)

The Dining Car Cafe and Market Is Opening in the Former Bread and Chocolate Space in Newton Highlands

The people behind a popular Boston food truck are opening a brick-and-mortar spot in the western suburbs.

According to a source, The Dining Car Cafe and Market is opening in the old Bread and Chocolate space in Newton Highlands, with owners Naomi Klein and David Harnik planning to offer baked goods, sandwiches, coffee, and prepared foods from its catering menu at the upcoming Hartford Street place, based on a Facebook post from the business. No opening date for The Dining Car has been given as of yet; as soon as we find out when it might debut, we will post an update here.

The Dining Car food truck first started out approximately ten years ago, offering a variety of sandwiches with influences from cuisines around the world.

The address for The Dining Car Cafe and Market is 4 Hartford Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461. The website for the business can be found at https://diningcar.net/

[March 17, 2022 update: Eater Boston states that The Dining Car Cafe and Market is now open.]

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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.)

57 Lincoln Eatery Is Opening in the Former Newton Pizza House Space in Newton Highlands

A new restaurant is coming to the western suburbs of Boston, and the people behind a local group of burger spots will also be behind this place.

According to a tweet from @deedubya, Nick Kesaris and Spiro Kouvlis of UBurger are planning to open a new "neighborhood family dining spot" in the old Newton Pizza House space in Newton Highlands, with a check on the city's website showing that the name of the place will be 57 Lincoln Eatery. We have been told that the upcoming restaurant could be opening in April after minor renovations are complete, while the hearing notice indicates that the 30-seat spot will be open for lunch and dinner daily.

Locations of UBurger can be found in Boston's Kenmore Square, by Northeastern University, and in Andover.

The address for 57 Lincoln Eatery is 57 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461.

[November 26 update: A new tweet from @deedubya indicates that 57 Lincoln Eatery has soft-opened.]

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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

Lakon Paris Patisserie Opens in Newton Highlands

A brand new bakery and pastry shop has come to the western suburbs of Boston, moving into the space where an espresso place had been.

According to an article from Wicked Local and the Newton Tab, Lakon Paris Patisserie is now open in Newton Highlands, taking over the former Stacks Espresso Bar space on Walnut Street. The post mentions that the new shop offers such items as croissants, eclairs, macarons, tiramisu, and coconut cakes, and that co-owner Jenny Kiangkaew is an alum of Barbara Lynch's high-end restaurant Menton in Boston's Fort Point.

Stacks appears to have closed sometime over the summer, with a "For Lease" sign showing up toward the end of July.

The address for Lakon Paris Patisserie in Newton Highlands is 1169 Walnut Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461. The website for the business can be found at https://lakonparispatisserie.com/

[Earlier Article]
Status of Stacks Espresso Bar in Newton Highlands Appears to Be in Question

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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

Status of Stacks Espresso Bar in Newton Highlands Appears to Be in Question

The future of the sole Boston-area location of a small group of espresso spots seems to be unknown right now.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Stacks Espresso Bar in Newton Highlands appears to be closed for good, though a check on the website for the business seems to give conflicting information, with one page showing only the Lark Street outlet in Albany while another page shows both Lark Street and Broadway locations in Albany and another in Troy along with the Newton Highlands shop. Phone calls to the Walnut Street store are not able to go through, and a message sent to the company last week has not yet been answered, so stay tuned for any updates as they come in.

A Facebook page from the business does mention that the Troy and Newton Highlands outlets of Stacks Espresso Bar were closed for the foreseeable future as of March 19, while the two Albany shops were said to remain open at the time.

The address for the Newton Highlands location of Stacks Espresso Bar is 1169 Walnut Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461.

[July 31 update: A poster within Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants seems to indicate that Stacks in Newton Highlands has closed for good, as there are now "For Lease" signs in the windows.]

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

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

Building Housing L'Aroma Cafe & Bakery in West Newton Is Up for Sale

The future of a bakery-cafe in the western suburbs is in question, as its building is on the market.

According to a source, the property in West Newton in which L'Aroma Cafe & Bakery resides is up for sale, with a listing within the Boston Commercial Properties site showing that the Spencer Street structure includes an "established restaurant/cafe business" that has "upside potential with new zoning." It is not yet known if/when L'Aroma Cafe & Bakery might close, and based on the listing, it is not known what--if any--business might take over the space, so stay tuned for updates.

Another location of L'Aroma Cafe was once open on Newbury Street in Boston's Back Bay, but it closed down in the fall of 2013.

The address for L'Aroma Cafe & Bakery in West Newton is 15 Spencer Street, West Newton, MA, 02465.

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

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille Opens in Newton Highlands

by Marc Hurwitz

A new Greek restaurant has come to the western suburbs of Boston.

According to a post from Eater Boston, Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille is now open in Newton Highlands, moving into a space on Lincoln Street near the Walnut Street intersection. Eater mentions that the dining spot offers such items as gyros, falafel, souvlaki, pastitsio, falafel, roasted chicken, and moussaka, and prepared meals are available as well for takeout, while catering is also offered.

Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, with hours being 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

The address for this new Greek restaurant in Newton Highlands is: Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille, 6 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA, 02461. Its website can be found at https://www.grapeleafnewton.com

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Team Behind Sycamore and Little Big Diner Opening Buttonwood in Former 51 Lincoln Space in Newton Highlands

A new restaurant is on its way to Newton, taking over the space where an award-winning dining spot used to be--and the people behind it own a couple of other places in the city.

A job post within the bostonchefs.com site confirms what a source had told us last month, that David Punch and Shane Smyth of Sycamore and Little Big Diner in Newton Centre will be opening Buttonwood in the former 51 Lincoln space in Newton Highlands. Very little is currently known about the new restaurant other than a note on its website saying it will open sometime this fall.

[September 15 update: The Tables section of The Boston Globe states that David Punch plans to have Buttonwood be a "more laid-back, family-friendly version of Sycamore," with the place being casual with a "simple and rustic" menu.]

51 Lincoln, which shut down in June of 2016 after approximately eight years in business, was known mostly for its upscale New American fare; the place received various "best ofs" from The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and Dig Boston, according to its site.

The address for Buttonwood is 51 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA, 02461. Its website is at https://www.buttonwoodnewton.com/

[January 10, 2018 update: A Twitter post from @kcbaskin indicates that Buttonwood is now open.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands to Close for Good This Weekend

A couple of months ago, we reported that an award-winning suburban restaurant had filed for bankruptcy, though it planned to remain in operation. Now we have learned that the dining spot will actually be shutting down after all.

Eater Boston mentions (via bostonchefs.com) that 51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands will close for good after business hours this Saturday (June 25), which follows the shuttering of its sister restaurant--Waban Kitchen--in late March and a subsequent bankruptcy filing for 51 Lincoln a week later. The Lincoln Street eatery first opened approximately eight years ago and was known mostly for its upscale New American fare, with the place receiving various "best ofs" from The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and Dig Boston, according to its site.

It is not yet known what restaurant--if any--might move into 51 Lincoln's space at this point in time.

The address for this soon-to-close restaurant in Newton Highlands is: 51 Lincoln, 51 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA, 02461. Its website is at http://www.51lincolnnewton.com/

[Earlier Articles]
51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
Waban Kitchen in Newton Has Closed

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

One week after its sister restaurant closed down for good, an upscale New American spot has filed for bankruptcy.

According to a Twitter post from @DGoodison of The Boston Herald, 51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, confirming what a source told us last week. The tweet mentions that the restaurant has a debt of between $500,000 and $1,000,000, though no other details have been given at this point in time. 51 Lincoln's filing comes on the heels of the closing of Waban Kitchen, which shut its doors for good on March 26; Jeff Fournier, who has worked at such places as Pignoli, the Linwood Grill, Locke-Ober, Excelsior, Sophia's, and the Metropolitan Club, is behind both dining spots.

51 Lincoln, which first opened approximately eight years ago, has received much praise over the years, including various "best ofs" from The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and Dig Boston, according to the restaurant's website.

The address for 51 Lincoln is 51 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA, 02461. Its website can be found at http://www.51lincolnnewton.com/

[April 8 update: An article from boston.com mentions that Jeff Fournier has no plans to close or sell 51 Lincoln, and that the closing of Waban Kitchen was unrelated to the bankruptcy filing.]

[Earlier Article]
Waban Kitchen in Newton Has Closed

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve of the Best Food Dishes of 2015]

---

Tweet

Fleck Is Opening in Newton Highlands

A new coffee and espresso bar is on its way to the western suburbs of Boston, and its name comes from an interesting term.

Eater Boston is reporting that Fleck is opening in Newton Highlands, with the Walnut Street specialty coffee shop getting its name from the term "tiger flecking," which refers to the patterns of coffee particles at the top of a shot of espresso that "indicate a good extraction and proper grind." The article says that in addition to coffee, there will also be pastries offered.

It looks like Fleck could be opening in early February.

[February 9 update: A new article from Eater Boston states that Fleck is now open.]

The address for this new coffee bar in Newton is: Fleck, 1169 Walnut Street, Newton, MA, 02461. Its Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/fleckcoffee while its Twitter page is at https://twitter.com/fleckcoffee

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Anna's Taqueria Is Opening in Newton Highlands

A local group of restaurants that focuses on Mexican food is looking to open a new location, with this one being in a western suburb of Boston.

The Newton TAB is reporting that Anna's Taqueria is planning on opening in Newton, with the shop being somewhere in the Newton Highlands village of the city. The article says that the people behind Anna's are "actively involved" in securing a space for the Newton location, which would be their seventh in the Boston area (they currently have one in Boston, two in Brookline, two in Cambridge, and one in Somerville).

[February 2 update: According to a post in The Boston Globe, the new Anna's Taqueria will open at 27 Lincoln Street, which is where Rox Cafe had been until closing in October.]

[March 1, 2016 update: Eater Boston states that the new location of Anna's in Newton Highlands is now open.]

Anna's Taqueria, which first started out in 1995, is known for such items as burritos, quesadillas, and tacos, with the group of eateries being particularly popular with college students in part because of their affordable prices.

The website for Anna's can be found at http://www.annastaqueria.com/

Thanks to Boston Tweet for bringing this to our attention.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

Tweet

Rox Cafe in Newton Highlands Has Closed

It looks like a cafe in Newton has closed its doors after being in business for a bit more than a year.

According to a poster on the Chowhound site, Rox Cafe in the Newton Highlands section of the city is no longer in business, with a sign out front thanking customers for their past support. Phone calls placed to the eatery did not go through, and a check on the Village 14 site indicates that the Lincoln Street spot may actually have closed sometime last month.

Rox Cafe, which first opened in the summer of 2013, was run by the same people who are behind Rox Diner in West Roxbury and Newtonville (both of those restaurants remain in operation).

The address for this now-closed dining spot in Newton Highlands was: Rox Cafe, 27 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA, 02461.

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Jamjuli in Newton Highlands Has Apparently Closed

It looks like a Thai restaurant in Newton has closed its doors.

According to one of our readers, Jamjuli in the Newton Highlands section of the city has shuttered, with a "For Lease" sign now up on the building. Phone calls placed to the dining spot have failed to go through, and a poster on Yelp said several weeks back that the place would indeed be closing due to a "lease issue." (Yelp itself also says that Jamjuli is now closed.) Jamjuli had been in business for approximately 15 years.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in Newton Highlands was: Jamjuli, 1203 Walnut Street, Newton, MA, 02461.

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Walnut Grille to Move into Former Christina's Space in Newton Highlands

A new restaurant is coming to a neighborhood of Newton, and it will moving into the space where another eatery had been.

A Twitter post sent by the Brand New Watch blog of Wicked Local Waltham mentions that the Walnut Grille is coming to Newton Highlands, with a City of Newton public meeting page indicating that it will be opening in the former Christina's spot (Brand New Watch has confirmed this). The photo in the Twitter post shows that the new dining spot will feature "a vegetarian and vegan experience" while the City of Newton post implies that it is planning to be open for lunch and dinner daily.

[February 28 update: The Newton Patch is reporting that the Walnut Grille is opening tonight, with the restaurant starting lunch service next week (and brunch will soon be offered on weekends). The article also says that beer, wine, and liquor will be available starting next week.]

Christina's was a cafe-style bistro that first opened in July of 2011. A Dunkin' Donuts had been in the space previous to that.

The address for this upcoming restaurant in Newton Highlands is: Walnut Grille, 1203 Walnut Street, Newton, MA, 02461.


Tweet

Rox Cafe Is Opening in Newton Highlands

The people behind a couple of Boston-area diners are opening a cafe, with this spot taking over the space where another cafe had been.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Rox Cafe is coming to Newton Highlands, with the eatery moving into the former Bakers' Best spot on Lincoln street. (Bakers' Best closed their cafe in December of 2011, though their catering operation remains open.) The article says that the new cafe will serve breakfast lunch and dinner, and will have seating as well as a bar and a market/takeout area. No specific opening date has been given as of yet, as permit approvals and a long-term lease for the space still need to go through.

[July 1 update: The Newton TAB states that Rox Cafe is planning to open sometime this summer.]

[July 25 update: A job post on the Craigslist site indicates that Rox Cafe is going to be opening next week.]

[August 8 update: According to its website, Rox Cafe is now open. (Thanks to the Boston Globe for bringing this to our attention.) The website is at http://www.roxdiner.com/roxcafe]

The folks who will be running Rox Cafe also own Rox Diner in West Roxbury and Newtonville.

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.


Tweet

Owner of 51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands to Replace Kouzina with Waban Kitchen

The person behind an upscale restaurant in Newton Highlands has bought a Mediterranean dining spot in Waban and will be replacing it with a brand new eatery.

The Newton TAB is reporting that Jeffrey Fournier of 51 Lincoln on Lincoln Street has purchased Kouzina on Beacon Street, with the spot changing into a rustic farm-to-table restaurant called Waban Kitchen. There doesn't appear to be a specific closing date for the 11-year-old Kouzina, though it appears that Waban Kitchen could be open in late October, according to the article.

[September 14 update: The Boston Magazine Chowder blog gives more information on the upcoming Waban Kitchen, with the article mentioning that the 30-seat restaurant will feature New American fare with an emphasis on sustainable food. The dining spot will also have a 14-seat bar, with 30 different beers offered by the bottle.]

[October 31 update: According to the restaurant's website, Waban Kitchen opens tonight.]

Earlier this year we reported that Jeffrey Fournier, who first opened 51 Lincoln in 2006, is involved in the opening of another new restaurant called Liquid Art House, which will open on Arlington Street in Boston. The folks behind Kouzina will continue to operate their other restaurant--Cognac Bistro--on Harvard Street in Brookline.

The address for this new dining spot in Waban is: Waban Kitchen, 1649 Beacon Street, Waban, MA, 02465. Their website can be found at http://www.wabankitchen.com/

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

[Earlier Article]
Liquid Art House to Open in Boston


Tweet

Bakers' Best to Sell (or Close) Its Cafe in Newton Highlands, Concentrate on Catering

A Boston-area cafe and caterer that has been in existence for 27 years is going to be restructuring--including the selling or closing of the cafe part of its business--which will allow it to focus on catering.

An email sent to us by to Callanan & Klein Communications indicates that Bakers' Best is putting its Newton Highlands cafe on the market, with the Lincoln Street eatery remaining open until they find a buyer for it. If/when it is sold, the same day-to-day and holiday menu items can be ordered and delivered from the company's 10,000-square-foot commissary on Gould Street in Needham, which is where Bakers' Best will concentrate on full-service and corporate catering (which makes up the majority of its sales).

[December 13 update: Messages sent to us from Server Not Servant as well as Bakers' Best via the Hiddenboston Twitter page indicates that the cafe is now closed, though the catering business is still in operation.]

Bakers' Best, which first started out in 1984, is one of the region's leading caterers, with 2010 being its second highest grossing year to date.

For more information on Bakers' Best, please go to their website at http://www.bakersbestcatering.com/

Tweet

Christina's Is Opening in Newton Highlands

A new restaurant is coming to Newton Highlands, and it will be moving into the space where a location of a popular doughnut chain used to be.

According to Newton Villages, Christina's is planning to open on Walnut Street, taking over the former Dunkin' Donuts space (the Newton Highlands location of Dunkin' Donuts closed last December). The article mentions that Christina's will be a cafe-style bistro with Greek-influenced fare, and it will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The owners of the new spot had been hoping to open around Memorial Day, according to Newton Villages; as soon as we hear about a definite opening date, we will post an update here.

[July 28 update: Based on a post within this page as well as a note from a poster on the Hiddenboston Twitter page, it appears that Christina's is now open.]

The address for this new restaurant in Newton Highlands is: Christina's, 1203 Walnut Street, Newton Highlands, MA, 02461.

Tweet