The Chester Tavern Is Opening in Dorchester's Savin Hill Area

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect a proposed name change for the upcoming place.]

It looks like people behind a pair of dining and drinking spots known for their comfort food and beer options will be opening a new restaurant, and this one will reside in a Boston neighborhood a bit south of downtown.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, a new restaurant tentatively being seen as a third location of the Five Horses Tavern team is looking to open in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, moving into a space on Dorchester Avenue just south of the Savin Hill Avenue intersection. This jibes with an earlier article from the Boston Business Journal which first mentioned the plans, while the hearing notice states that the space would include a main dining area and a bar area, and it looks like an outdoor patio may be part of the plans as well. If approved, the new restaurant would join locations of Five Horses Tavern in Somerville's Davis Square and Boston's South End.

The address for the new restaurant in Savin Hill is 1121 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

[May 12 update: The Dorchester Reporter confirms what we had heard a couple of weeks ago, that the new place coming to Savin Hill will be called The Chester Tavern instead of Five Horses Tavern, and it appears to be on the verge of opening. Its website can be found at https://www.thechestertavern.com/]

[June 16 update: An article from boston.com mentions that The Chester Tavern 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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The Nightly Opens in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

A new restaurant that resides above a grocery store in a Boston neighborhood has opened after being in the works for quite awhile.

According to a source, The Nightly is now open in Dorchester, moving into a space above The Daily Market in Savin Hill that includes an outdoor patio. The website for the new dining spot mentions that Chef Jeff Fournier is involved with the place, with Fournier previously being behind the now-closed Thompson House Eatery in Jackson, NH, and before that, Waban Kitchen and 51 Lincoln, both of which were in Newton. The menu for The Nightly shows such options as a maki roll, Cuban sandwich, pesto, lasagna, pulled pork, and more.

Plans for The Nightly were first announced more than four years ago, about a year after The Daily Market first opened.

The address for The Nightly is 110 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://thenightlyboston.com/

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Lisboa Cafe to Open in Dorchester's Savin Hill Area

It looks like a Portuguese restaurant is on its way to a Boston neighborhood.

According to a licensing committee hearing page within the city's website, Lisboa Cafe is planning to open in Dorchester, moving into a space on Dorchester Avenue in the Savin Hill area. The notice mentions that the upcoming spot is slated to have a dining area with 49 seats along with a full bar, and it will also have a pastry and coffee counter as well, and an earlier Dorchester Reporter article says that Raquel Semedo--who was born in Portugal--is behind the place (Keven Landim is listed as the manager in the hearing notice). The article says that the restaurant plans to be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner offering Portuguese and Cape Verdean options such as Portuguese breads, coffee, and wines as well as meals such as Carne de Porco a Alentjana (pork shoulder and clams) and Cozida a Portuguesa (a Portuguese stew).

If all goes as planned, Lisboa Cafe could be opening sometime in August or September.

The address for the upcoming Lisboa Cafe is 1078 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

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The Dot Block Diner and More Is Opening in Dorchester

A new diner is on its way to a Boston neighborhood, and the person behind it may be familiar to some.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, The Dot Block Diner and More is planning to open in Dorchester, moving into a space on Dorchester Avenue on the southern edge of Savin Hill. The listing mentions that Bernard Goodman is the manager, and this is the same Bernard Goodman who opened McKenna's Cafe on Savin Hill Avenue with his wife back in 1999, selling the business to new owners several years later (McKenna's remains in operation today).  It looks like The Dot Block Diner will be open for breakfast and lunch, though specific details have not been given as of yet.

The address for The Dot Block Diner and More is 1203 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

[July 22 update: According to an article from Caught in Dot, The Dot Block Diner is now open, having soft-opened a few days ago.]

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Yeanie's Burgers and Social Is Opening in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

A new burger place is coming to a Boston neighborhood.

According to a post from Caught in Dot, Yeanie's Burgers and Social is getting ready to open in Dorchester, moving into the space in Savin Hill that had been home to Venice Pizza. The post mentions that the new eatery will offer smash burgers, fries, and milkshakes, while the menu for the place also shows wings and vegan patties as well. [Ed note: Yeanie's is not yet open as was originally posted in this article; we are hearing from a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page that it could debut in early November.]

Venice Pizza first opened more than 40 years ago, closing in 2019 before reopening two years later; the place shut down permanently last year.

The address for Yeanie's Burgers and Social is 39 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://www.yeanies.com/

[February 5, 2025 update: According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Yeanie's Burgers and Social has soft-opened.]

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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New Plans in Place to Open The Nightly in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

A few years ago, it was reported that a restaurant may be on its way to a Dorchester space that includes a grocery store, and now we have learned that this will still be happening, though with a different setup than originally thought.

According to an article in the Dorchester Reporter, the owners of The Daily Market in Savin Hill have proposed new plans to open The Nightly within the Savin Hill Avenue space, and while the original plans were to have the dining spot set up in the basement, it now looks like the restaurant will take up the second floor while the third floor will also be used for dining as well as functions, and the basement will be used for storage/prep while also possibly including a takeout area. (The second and third floors will also have bars as well as terraces with outdoor dining.)

The article mentions that The Nightly--which will feature dishes with Italian influences--will open the third floor first, followed by the second floor, and The Daily Market will remain in place on the ground floor.

The address for The Daily Market (and the upcoming Nightly) is 110 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the market is at https://thedaily-market.com/

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Lêgacy Càphê Plans to Open in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

The person behind a Dorchester coffee shop that moved to South Boston over the winter is planning to open a new coffee spot in Dorchester.

According to an article from the Dorchester Reporter, Tam Le and his business partners are looking to open Lêgacy Càphê in the Savin Hill neighborhood, moving into the former Dorchester Tire building on Dorchester Avenue. Le, whose family runs Pho Hoa on Dorchester Avenue just north of Fields Corner, opened Reign Drink Lab next to Pho Hoa in 2016, moving it to Old Colony Avenue in Southie around the beginning of the year; his new concept will offer two things that the Dorchester location of Reign didn't focus on--a food program and seating--while the space will also have an onsite roastery.

If all goes well, Lêgacy Càphê will open sometime in 2025.

The address for the upcoming Lêgacy Càphê is 1160 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02122.

Thanks to Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub for initially bringing this to our attention.

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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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The Dorchester Plans to Open in the Savin Hill Neighborhood of Dorchester

It looks like a restaurant may be on its way to a new development in Dorchester.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, a dining spot that will apparently be called The Dorchester (unless this is its working name) is planning to open in the Savin Hill area, moving into a residential building that is currently under construction based on a page within the bostonplans.org site. The notice mentions that the proposed ground-floor spot would have seating for 255 and would include a dining area, a bar, and an outdoor patio, and the manager listed is Giuseppe Arcari, a developer who is also behind the Tavern in the Square restaurants.

The address for The Dorchester is 1121 Dorchester Avenue. Boston, MA, 02125.

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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So Sabe Opens in Dorchester

A new spot for Cape Verdean and Portuguese takeout food and catering has come to Dorchester, 

According to a tweet from @DorchesterEsq, So Sabe Catering & Treats is now open on Dorchester Avenue, moving into a space on the corner of Sudan Street in the Savin Hill neighborhood. The website for the business shows such items as chorizo and cheese bread rolls, a Cuban sandwich, vegetable soup, coxinha, patties filled with creamed cod, meat croquettes, chicken empanadas, mango mousse, nutella churros, macadamia cookies, and more.

The address for So Sabe is 996 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://sosabecatering.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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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!

Ghost Pepper Taco + Tequila Bar in Dorchester's Savin Hill Reopens After Being Closed for More Than a Year

A Mexican restaurant overlooking the Southeast Expressway that debuted in the fall of 2019 only to close when the pandemic hit has reopened.

According to a press release, Ghost Pepper Taco + Tequila Bar in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester is open once again, more than a year after shutting down due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Savin Hill Avenue dining spot now has an updated menu that includes an array of tacos along with enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, and more, along with beer, wine, tequila, and cocktails.

The address for Ghost Pepper Taco + Tequila Bar is 120 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://www.ghostpepperboston.com/

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

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The Nightly Plans to Open Underneath The Daily Market in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

It looks like a brand new restaurant may be coming to Dorchester, and it appears to be opening under a grocery store that debuted last year.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, The Nightly is looking to open in the basement of 102-110 Savin Hill Avenue, which is the same address as that of The Daily Market. The notice mentions that the proposed restaurant would including a dining room and bar, while the second floor of the building would include function space and an outdoor patio (the basement and second floor areas would be connected by a rear staircase). Earlier, a source had told us that The Daily Market may have been planning to open a dining spot that features pizza, though it is not known if pizza will indeed be offered at The Nightly.

The Daily Market opened in January of 2020, with the store offering prepared meals, produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, coffee, specialty items, everyday household supplies, and more.

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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Ghost Pepper Taqueria to Open in Dorchester's Savin Hill Neighborhood

It looks like a Mexican restaurant is on its way to a space just above the Southeast Expressway.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, Ghost Pepper Taqueria is planning to open in Dorchester, moving into a space within a condo complex on Savin Hill Avenue that is also home to Savin Bar & Kitchen. An earlier article mentioned that a new restaurant from the people behind Savin Bar & Kitchen would be going into a formerly empty space facing the Expressway that locals called the "Savin Hill Hole," and it appears that this is indeed the dining spot that will be moving in there.

The notice also says that Savin Bar & Kitchen is petitioning to change its name slightly, to Savin Hill Bar & Kitchen.

The address given for Ghost Pepper Taqueria and Savin Bar & Kitchen is 112-120 Savin Hill Avenue.

[May 24 update: Eater Boston states that Ghost Pepper Taqueria will have seating for 100 and a U-shaped bar within the space, with the plan being to open sometime over the summer. (Eater also says that the exact address is 116 Savin Hill Avenue.)]

[September 30 update: A Facebook post indicates that Ghost Pepper Taqueria soft-opens around the middle of this week.]

[October 2 update: A message sent from the restaurant indicates that Ghost Pepper Taqueria is now open.]

[Earlier Article]
New Restaurant Planned for "Savin Hill Hole" in Dorchester

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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Van Shabu & Bar in Dorchester Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

A restaurant featuring hot pot, sushi, ramen, and more has shut its doors.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Van Shabu & Bar in Dorchester's Savin Hill area is no longer in business, with the website for the Dorchester Avenue eatery saying "Our family has taken on a new business venture in the Simon Malls - we are now the Noodle Station in the South Shore Plaza in Braintree!" The note goes on to say that the owners will also be opening a location of Noodle Station at the Burlington Mall in November.

Van Shabu & Bar first opened approximately eight years ago, offering Asian fusion fare along with cocktails.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in Savin Hill was: Van Shabu & Bar, 1156 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Honeycomb Cafe Is Replacing Savin Scoop in Dorchester

A new farm-to-table cafe is on its way to Dorchester, moving into the space where an ice cream spot had been.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Honeycomb Cafe is getting ready to open in Savin Hill, taking over the space where Savin Scoop had been before it announced its closure in March. A menu has not been added to the restaurant's website as of yet, but a note on the site says that the eatery will have scratch-made food using locally-sourced ingredients, with the food being "clean, simple and prepared with love."

Savin Scoop first opened approximately seven years ago.

The address for the new Honeycomb Cafe is 107 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://www.honeycombcafe.biz/

[August 7 update: A check on the place over the weekend indicates that Honeycomb Cafe is now open, with its menu including breakfast and lunch sandwiches along with muffins, bagels, coffee, and tea.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Items from Bakeries and Pastry Shops in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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New Restaurant Planned for "Savin Hill Hole" in Dorchester

It looks like a restaurant in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester will be joined by a second dining spot next door, and it will be opening in a long-vacant space above the Southeast Expressway.

According to an article in The Dorchester Reporter, an as-of-yet unnamed eatery is planning to open next to Savin Bar and Kitchen on Savin Hill Avenue, with Savin co-owner Driscoll DoCanto stating that the new restaurant will have approximately 120 seats, a separate entrance in the front, and a separate kitchen and bar, though the two dining spots would share some space for food preparation. An earlier Dorchester Reporter article mentions that the new eatery is going where a space known locally as the "Savin Hill Hole" has been, and that a condo complex that will be above the two restaurants is in the process of being built. It is not yet known what the concept will be for the upcoming dining spot--nor is it known when it will open--though the condo project is slated to be finished by August of 2017 so it may be opening sometime next year.

Ken Osherow, who is another co-owner of Savin Bar and Kitchen, also runs McKenna's Cafe and Savin Scoop, both of which are on the other side of the street.

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Van Shabu and Bar Is Opening in Dorchester

It looks like a new restaurant is coming to the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, and it will apparently be catering to a couple of different audiences.

According to a job post within the site, Van Shabu & Bar will be opening on Dorchester Avenue, with its location apparently being within walking distance of the Savin Hill T station on Savin Hill Avenue. Based on the post, the new dining spot will apparently be a combination shabu restaurant and sports bar, with diners cooking their own food, choosing from various ingredients and broths. At this point in time, Van Shabu & Bar is hoping for a November opening.

[November 2 update: According to a job post within the Craigslist site, Van Shabu is looking to open sometime in December.]

The Savin Hill section of Dorchester, which is a bit south of the Columbia Road exit off of the Southeast Expressway, has a number of other eateries in the neighborhood, including Shanti, McKenna's Cafe, The Harp and Bard, and Savin Bar and Kitchen.

Keep checking back for updates on Van Shabu & Bar over the coming weeks.

[December 22 update: According to a post within the EveryBlock Boston site, Van Shabu and Bar now has a business license, and there is now a given address for the place that indicates it is moving into the former Nash's Pub space: 1154-1156 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.]

]January 18, 2012 update: According to Eater Boston (via info from Thrillist and The Boston Globe), Van Shabu and Bar is now open for business.]

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Savin Bar and Kitchen Opening in Dorchester

In August, we had reported that the former C.F. Donovan's space in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester had been bought by the people behind McKenna's Cafe, which is across the street. At the time, the planned restaurant to be opened there had no name, but now a name has finally been given to the place.

According to a job post on Craigslist, Savin Bar and Kitchen is going to be opening on Savin Hill Avenue where C.F. Donovan's had been until closing about a year ago. Earlier we had mentioned that the upcoming eatery looks to be a modern and trendy place, and the people behind the restaurant are hoping that it will draw a mix of locals from the Savin Hill neighborhood as well as diners from other parts of the Boston area.

McKenna's Cafe, which is within sight of the spot where Savin Bar and Kitchen will be, is a neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot that our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) has reviewed. A review of that restaurant can be found here:

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

Based on the Craigslist post, expect an early 2011 opening for Savin Bar and Kitchen.

[March 14, 2011 update: According to the Thrillist site, Savin Bar and Kitchen is planning on opening today.]

The address for this new restaurant and bar in Dorchester is: Savin Bar and Kitchen, 112 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

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C.F. Donovan's Space in Dorchester Bought by McKenna's Cafe

The space where a Dorchester restaurant and bar used to be will soon have a dining spot once again, and the the owner happens to be the person behind an eatery across the street.

According to the Dorchester Reporter, the owner of McKenna's Cafe on Savin Hill Avenue has purchased the space formerly occupied by C.F. Donovan's, which closed in the fall of 2009. The article mentions that the new spot will be a modern and trendy restaurant that will look to be popular with both local folks in Savin Hill and people from outside of the neighborhood.

C.F. Donovan's had been a popular neighborhood spot that featured classic American dishes and a variety of beers. The restaurant closed last November and its other proposed location in Hyde Park never got off the ground (a new eatery may be moving into that space as well).

Both McKenna's Cafe and C.F. Donovan's have been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants). Links to the reviews are below:

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

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

The address for this new restaurant, which does not appear to have a name yet, will be 112 Savin Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02125.

For more information on the opening of a new restaurant where C.F. Donovan's had been, please go to the Dorchester Reporter link below:

Donovan's eatery purchased in sidewalk auction

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C.F. Donovan's in Dorchester Has Apparently Closed

A popular neighborhood eatery in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester looks like it may have closed its doors. According to the Dorchester Reporter and a couple of posters on the Chowhound site, C.F. Donovan's Pub on Savin Hill Avenue is now dark, with their windows covered with paper and their doors locked. The Reporter also mentions that calls put into the restaurant were not answered, and equipment from the place looked like it was being put into trucks.

Over the past few weeks, several reports came out about the ill-fated branch of C.F. Donovan's that was supposed to open in Hyde Park. The place had been in the works for a few years but never opened, and there has been mention in the media about the place defaulting on loans.

C.F. Donovan's was a personal favorite of the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site, with such dishes as thin-crust pizza, pumpkin ravioli, steak tips, and turkey dinner being a cut above that of your typical family-friendly restaurant and pub.

For more information on the apparent closing of C.F. Donovan's Pub in Dorchester, please go to the Dorchester Reporter link below:

C.F. Donovan's apparently shuts down

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