The Salt Marsh Winery to Open in Scituate

The person behind an Italian restaurant in the southern suburbs of Boston will be bringing another dining spot to the South Shore.

According to a Facebook post, Doug Rodrigues of Osteria Vivo in Pembroke is planning to open The Salt Marsh Winery in Scituate, with multiple sources saying that it will apparently be taking over the former Rivershed space at 17 New Driftway. The post from Rodrigues says the following about the upcoming place (which is being labeled "a New England Bistro"):

Nestled in the heart of Scituate, MA, we celebrate the beauty of the coast with dishes inspired by the freshest, peak-season ingredients. From our fisherman, farmers and friends to your table, our menu highlights local flavors crafted to perfection. Join us for a true taste of New England, where coastal charm meets culinary creativity.

If all goes as planned, The Salt Marsh Winery will open sometime this spring.

(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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Casa Verde Is Opening in Scituate

A new Latin American restaurant is on its way to the South Shore, and a local restaurateur is behind the place.

According to a press release, Casa Verde is planning to open in Scituate, moving into the former Dunkin' space on Front Street in Scituate Harbor. The new spot will offer lunch, dinner, and brunch with dishes having influences ranging from Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and the Caribbean, and cocktails and Spanish wines will also be available, while live Latin jazz music is being planned for the space.

The owner of Casa Verde is Kara Tondorf, who also runs Salt Society restaurant in Scituate Harbor and The Rivershed in Killington, VT, along with the now-closed locations of The Rivershed in Scituate and Weymouth Landing and Riva Restaurant, the last of which had also been in Scituate Harbor.

The address for Casa Verde is 99 Front Street, Scituate, MA, 02066.

[March 26, 2025 update: According to its social media Casa Verde is now open in Scituate.]

(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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Knead Bakery and Bistro Opens in Scituate

A new dining spot has come to the South Shore, and the winner of a popular Food Network competition is behind the place.

According to a press release, Knead Bakery and Bistro is now open in Scituate, moving into a space on Front Street in the downtown area along Scituate Harbor. The new place offers such options as pastries, breads and toasts, salads, sandwiches, smoothie bowls, coffee, tea, and more, including grab-and-go items.

Knead Bakery and Bistro is run by Victoria Donnelly, who was the winner of "Cupcake Wars" in 2010 and had also been behind Cakeology, which started as  a mobile cupcake delivery service that year before becoming a brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Boston until closing a few years later.

The address for Knead Bakery and Bistro is 133 Front Street, Scituate, MA, 02066. Its website can be found at https://www.kneadkitchen.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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The Barker Tavern in Scituate Ends Restaurant Service; Hosting of Events to Continue

An iconic South Shore dining spot whose space dates back to the 17th Century is going through changes.

According to a source, The Barker Tavern in Scituate is no longer offering restaurant service, with a Facebook post from the place seeming to confirm this, saying the following:

As we say goodbye to another challenging year, we want to thank our customers, staff, and neighbors for all your support in our time of need. Barker Tavern will close a la carte dining beginning January 1, 2023. However, we will continue to host current and future private events. More information will be provided in the coming weeks.

According to its website, the Williams-Barker house was constructed as early as 1634 and was used as a garrison later in that century. The property was purchased in 1978 by Eli Jordan and The Barker Tavern was established, with the Jordan family running it to this day.

The address for The Barker Tavern is 21 Barker Road, Scituate, MA, 02066. Its website can be found at https://www.barkertavern.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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Riva Restaurant in Scituate Is Closing

An award-winning Italian restaurant on the South Shore is closing for good after being in business for a bit more than 20 years.

According to a source, Riva Restaurant in Scituate is shutting down permanently, with an article from Wicked Local indicating that the closure is due mostly to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Facebook post from the Front Street dining spot gives a bit more information on the closing, saying the following:

This past year surely hasn't gone the way we all thought it would. The pandemic has impacted many different industries and the restaurant business was not spared. Throughout Riva's twenty plus years in the harbor, the business has always relied on the summer months and the "busy season" to get us through the quieter seasons. With having to close our doors for service this Spring, less people traveling and dining out, Heritage Days getting cancelled, the building being sold, and the guidelines set forth by the Commonwealth with spacing between tables and no bar service … Riva simply cannot survive another winter.

The last day in business for Riva will be September 19, with gift cards being redeemable until the end of the year at their other restaurants, including Salt Society and Rivershed in Scituate, and their upcoming Rivershed that is going to be opening at Weymouth Landing in Braintree.

Riva, which first opened in 2000, has received much praise over the years for their seasonal Italian dishes, including Boston Magazine awarding it Best Italian Restaurant, South back in 2006.

The address for Riva Restaurant in Scituate is 116 Front Street, Scituate, MA, 02066. Its website is at https://www.rivarestaurant.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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Jamie's Grille & Pub in North Scituate Destroyed in Fire

by Marc Hurwitz

A South Shore landmark known for its classic New England fare and comfort food has been destroyed in a weekend fire.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Jamie's Grille & Pub in North Scituate burned in a two-alarm blaze that began early Sunday morning, with the fire apparently starting above the kitchen in the back of the Gannett Road spot. The post says that firefighters continued to put out hot spots several hours after the fire first started, and that Cohasset and Marshfield firefighters helped in the effort to extinguish the blaze. (No injuries were reported in the fire.) It appears that the entire structure will now need to be torn down and it is not yet known if the owners will rebuild.

Jamie's Grille & Pub first opened in Scituate in 1967 and remained a family-run business over the years, with Sandi and Ralph Constantine taking over operations after the passing of their father (James Constantine) in 2007. Two other locations of Jamie's can be found in Braintree and Whitman.

The website for Jamie's is at http://www.jamiespub.com/

[November 8 update: A new post from Wicked Local states that the cause of the fire that destroyed Jamie's in Scituate has still not been determined. The article also says that the building is expected to be taken down by the end of the week and the owners have not yet made plans to rebuild.]

[November 10 update: Wicked Local mentions that the owners of Jamie's (which was torn down yesterday) are now apparently hoping to rebuild, according to Scituate Fire Captain William Sestito who said that they stopped by the site and told him of their plans.]

[November 17 update: A new article from Wicked Local says that the fire at Jamie's has been ruled accidental and that it started in the kitchen ceiling, though it is not known if it was caused by the electrical wiring or fluorescent lighting or from the oven hoods.]

[June 27, 2018 update: A new article from Wicked Local mentions that Jamie's in North Scituate is returning, as plans have been submitted to rebuild the place.]

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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 Paddy Wagon (Inflatable Irish Pub) Is Coming to Heritage Days Festival in Scituate August 6 and 7

An annual South Shore event is returning next month, and this year it will be home to a very unique drinking spot.

According to an article from 95.9 WATD FM, an inflatable Irish pub called The Paddy Wagon will be set up at the Heritage Days Festival in Scituate, with a Facebook post saying that it will be at the event on August 6 and 7, doing beer and whiskey tastings that feature O'Hara's, Crean's, Glendalough, and Teeling. (Admission for the tastings are $20.) Last summer, we reported that The Paddy Wagon debuted in the Boston area, with the pub featuring indoor and outdoor seating, a fake fireplace, windows, two doors, and a full bar.

The website for The Paddy Wagon is at http://www.thepaddywagonpub.com/ while more information on the Heritage Days Festival can be found at http://www.scituatechamber.org/events/heritage-days.html

[Earlier Article]
The Paddy Wagon (Inflatable Irish Pub) Debuts in Boston

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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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Update: Owners of The Tinker's Son, Bia Bistro to Open Galley Kitchen and Bar in Scituate

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 14 to reflect a name given to the place. Thanks to one of our readers for bringing this to our attention.]

The people behind two South Shore restaurants--including an Irish pub and a Mediterranean dining spot--are going to be opening a third eatery south of Boston, with this one apparently being a place for comfort food and higher-end beers.

According to a job post on the Craigslist site, the owners of The Tinker's Son in Norwell and Bia Bistro in Cohasset are planning to open a new restaurant in Scituate, with the place being set up as a gastropub. The new spot, which does not yet have a name, is expected to open sometime this summer.

As soon as we find out more about this upcoming restaurant and bar in Scituate (including a name for the place), we will post an update here.

[August 14 update: According to its Facebook page, the name of the new spot will be Galley Kitchen & Bar, and based on the pictures shown, it appears that the place may be getting close to opening. A bit more info on the restaurant itself is given on the page, with a note saying that it will feature "sustainability minded, creative, small plates; thought-provoking cocktails; interesting & perhaps sometimes curious craft drafts..."]

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Oro Restaurant Opening in Scituate

An upscale restaurant will soon be opening south of Boston in an historic waterfront building that has recently been restored. According to Wicked Local, the Scituate Mariner, and the Boston Globe, Oro is going to open in the Welch Building on Scituate Harbor, sharing the structure with another restaurant as well as a few retail shops. The Globe mentions that Oro, which has already received a liquor license, will feature local lobsters as well as Island Creek oysters from nearby Duxbury.

A sample menu for Oro on the Scituate Mariner/Wicked Local page shows such items as fried artichoke hearts, fried calamari, sauteed littleneck clams, poached cod, grilled pork chops, and a New York strip steak. Based on the sample menu, prices for entrees at Oro look like they will be mostly in the $20 to $30 range.

A job posting on the Craigslist site mentions that Oro may be open by early March. [April 30 update: Oro is now open.]

The Welch Building is located on Front Street in the center of Scituate.

For more information on the pending opening of Oro, please go to the Scituate Mariner/Wicked Local and Boston Globe links below:

Oro gets the OK

ORO Restaurant poised to open in Scituate Harbor

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