Tawakal Halal Cafe in East Boston Is Saying Farewell to Its Home, Hopes to Find a New Location

A Somali restaurant in East Boston is saying farewell to its home, though it looks like it plans to find a new space.

According to a source, Tawakal Halal Cafe on Maverick Street is shutting down on January 5, with a Facebook post from the place saying the following:

It's hard to put into words the feelings swirling inside us as we share this message. Back in 2018, we started this journey with a simple wish: to share our mothers' cooking and the flavors of our Somali heritage with you, our cherished friends who became like family. We wanted to bring the tastes and scents from our upbringing to more people, not knowing the challenges that came with running a business. But through it all, our love for sharing our culture through food never wavered. What followed was beyond our wildest dreams. Each time you walked through our doors, shared a meal, or exchanged warm embraces, our small place became a sanctuary. It echoed with laughter, the clinking of utensils, and the growth of beautiful friendships over steaming plates of food. The awards and recognition we received weren't just about us. They were about the love you poured into every dish and the stories you shared at our tables. They were proof of the connections we built together here.

The note mentions that the people behind the place are currently searching for a new home while referring diners to their satellite location at the MIT Student Center in Cambridge which is open to the public.

Tawakal Halal Cafe debuted in 2010 on Bennington Street in Orient Heights, but closed a year later to focus more on catering; it reopened in its current home in 2018.

The address for Tawakal Halal Cafe is 389 Maverick Street, East Boston, MA, 02128. Its website can be found at https://www.tawakalhalal.com/

[January 16, 2024 update: A check on its social media has confirmed that Tawakal Halal Cafe is now closed.]

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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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Tawakal Halal Cafe Is Opening at The Launchpad at MIT in Cambridge

The people behind a Somali restaurant in East Boston will be expanding to a new space at MIT in Cambridge.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Tawakal Halal Cafe is getting ready to open at the Launchpad in the Stratton Student Center, with a Facebook post from the business saying the following in a Facebook post:

We're thrilled and grateful for the chance to open a Tawakal satellite location, welcoming both @mit students and the public. Join us for our grand opening on September 12th from 11 am to 3 pm. Special thanks to @commonwealthkitchenboston and MIT for making this possible.

Tawakal Halal Cuisine debuted in 2010 on Bennington Street in Orient Heights, but it closed a year later to become more of a caterer; it reopened in its current home on Maverick Street in 2018.

The website for Tawakal Halal Cuisine can be found at https://www.tawakalhalal.com/

NOTE: We need your help, as Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is dealing with health issues and some major related expenses. Please donate at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

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[More restaurant openings/closings from the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Tawakal Is Reopening in East Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A beloved Somali restaurant in East Boston that closed seven years ago is getting ready to return, albeit it in a new space and with a slightly different name.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Tawakal Halal Cafe is opening on Maverick Street in the Jeffries Point area, which is more or less on the other side of Eastie from its old home on Bennington Street in Orient Heights. The post says that the dining spot--which was formerly called Tawakal Halal Cuisine--will soft open on October 28, with an official opening taking place on October 29. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with the plan being to have a "small" menu at the outset.

Tawakal Halal Cuisine debuted in 2010 but closed approximately a year later, transitioning itself at the time into more of a caterer for various events; the eatery had been a favorite among locals and food writers alike, with restaurant critic MC Slim JB praising its "beguiling" cuisine in a Boston Phoenix review, saying it was "food-nerd nirvana."

The address for Tawakal Halal Cafe is 389 Maverick Street, East Boston, MA, 02128. Its Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TawakalHalalCafe/>

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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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Tawakal Halal Cuisine in East Boston Has Closed

Boston's only Somali restaurant has closed its doors, as the folks behind the place have decided to concentrate on their catering business.

According to their website, Tawakal Halal Cuisine on Bennington Street in the Orient Heights section of East Boston shut its restaurant down at the beginning of this month, transitioning into becoming a caterer for various events. The note on the front page of their site indicates that the site itself will remain active, as will their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Tawakal Halal Cuisine first opened in the fall of 2010, bringing to this section of East Boston a casual spot featuring East African cuisine, with the main focus on Somali fare. Some of the items served at the restaurant included vegetable sambusas, roti, beef kababs, potato fritters, goat soup, grilled chicken breast, chicken biryani, and tilapia chapati.

The address for this now-closed Somali restaurant in East Boston was: Tawakal Halal Cuisine, 1004 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA 02128. The website for the catering business can be found at http://www.tawakalcuisine.com/

Thanks to a poster on the Chowhound site for bringing this to our attention.

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