Boston Restaurant Talk: South Bay restaurants

Showing posts with label South Bay restaurants. Show all posts

Thursday, May 07, 2026

Panda Express Is Opening at South Bay in Dorchester

[Ed note: This article was updated to reflect the fact that the restaurant will not actually be taking over the Wahlburgers space as was originally thought; thanks to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page for bringing this to our attention.]

A chain of fast-food restaurants that focuses on Chinese fare is opening just off the Expressway.

According to a message sent from Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub, Panda Express is planning to open at South Bay in Dorchester, while a licensing board voting agenda page mentions that the upcoming location is slated to have seating for more than 60, though it doesn't look like there will be any outdoor seating. Once it opens, the new location of Panda Express will join others locally in Boston, Medford, Dedham, Westwood, and Walpole.

The address for the new location of Panda Express at South Bay is 5 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the chain can be found at https://www.pandaexpress.com/

[May 19 update: According to a press release, Panda Express is now open at South Bay.]

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

[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.)

Thursday, January 22, 2026

The Pearl at South Bay in Dorchester Is Closing; the Boston Landing Location Will Remain Open

A pair of seafood restaurants will soon be down to one location.

According to a press release, The Pearl at South Bay in Dorchester is shutting down, with the note saying the following:

After nearly five years of operations, [owner] Mika Winder will officially close its doors on Sunday, January 25, to focus efforts on its sister location, The Pearl Boston Landing, located at 67 Guest Street in Brighton, made possible through the continued partnership and support of New Balance....The Pearl thanks the South Bay and Dorchester community for its support from day one and is filled with optimism for building on The Pearl's reputation as it continues its journey in Brighton.

The South Bay location of The Pearl debuted in the spring of 2021, while the Boston Landing location opened last winter; both locations have been known for their variety of seafood options (including a raw bar) along with beer, wine, and cocktails. The website for the business is at https://www.thepearl-boston.com/

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

[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.)

Tuesday, August 05, 2025

Sally's Apizza Is Opening at South Bay in Dorchester

Last spring, it was reported that an award-winning Connecticut pizzeria was looking to open two more locations in the Greater Boston area, and we have now learned that one of them is taking a potentially big step toward being closer to reality by later this week.

According to a licensing board hearing page, Sally's Apizza is meeting with the city on Wednesday, August 6 to discuss its plans to open at South Bay in Dorchester, with the notice saying that the proposed 4,965-square-foot spot looks to have indoor seating for 138 including a capacity of 15 at a bar and another 48 on an outdoor patio while also seeking a full liquor license. Back in May of 2024, it was announced that Sally's was planning to open locations at both South Bay and in Concord, the latter of which is currently under construction and will be located just east of the Concord Rotary; another outlet is in the works are in Boston's Fort Point as well. (Currently, the only location open in the Greater Boston area is in Woburn.)

Sally's Apizza first opened in New Haven in 1938.

The address for the upcoming Sally's Apizza at South Bay is 9 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02118. The website for all locations is at https://sallysapizza.com/

[September 25 update: According to a press release, Sally's Apizza opens at South Bay on Tuesday, September 30.]

[Earlier Article]
Sally's Apizza to Open in Dorchester and Concord

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

[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.)

Friday, April 19, 2024

Wahlburgers at South Bay in Dorchester Has Closed

A location of a chain of burger spots with local roots appears to have closed.

According to a source, Wahlburgers at South Bay in Dorchester is no longer in business, with the website for the chain seeming to confirm that it is gone as it has been removed from the locations section of the site. We reached out to the company several days ago to find out more information on the closure, and if/when they get back to us, we will post an update here.

The South Bay location of Wahlburgers first opened in late 2018; existing outlets of the chain--which was founded Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg--can be found locally in the Fenway, Logan Airport (2), Hingham, and Lynnfield.

The address for the now-closed location of Wahlburgers at South Bay was 9 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the chain can be found at https://www.wahlburgersrestaurant.com/

[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.)

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

The Halal Guys Opens at South Bay in Dorchester in September

Last summer it was reported that a chain of NYC-based halal restaurants would be expanding to a third location in the Boston area, and now we have learned that it is on the verge of opening.

According to a press release, The Halal Guys is planning to have its grand opening on Friday, September 22, with the new spot offering such items as gyros, chicken and rice, hummus, baklava, and more. Once it opens, the new outlet will join others locally in Boston's Theater District and Cambridge's Porter Square, with another Massachusetts location being found in Shrewsbury as well.

The address for the new location of The Halal Guys is 10 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for all locations can be found at https://thehalalguys.com/

[September 26 update: A check on the place confirms that the South Bay location of The Halal Guys is now open.]

[Earlier Article]
The Halal Guys Plans to Open at South Bay in Dorchester

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!

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

Friday, September 01, 2023

Kura Sushi Opens at South Bay in Dorchester

Early last year, it was reported that a chain of conveyor belt sushi restaurants would be opening a new location just south of downtown Boston, and now we have learned that it has debuted.

According to a tweet from @FortPointer, Kura Sushi is now open at South Bay in Dorchester, joining two others locally at Arsenal Yards in Watertown and at Shoppers World in Framingham along with more than 500 others in the United States and Asia. Like the other outlets, the new location of the restaurant features conveyor belt sushi in which items move by each table, allowing diners to choose what they want as the food goes by.

Kura Sushi first started out in Japan in 1977.

The address for Kura Sushi at South Bay is 39A District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the chain is at https://kurasushi.com/

[Earlier Article]
Kura Sushi Plans to Open Another Boston-Area Location, With This One Being at South Bay in Dorchester

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

Friday, August 05, 2022

Dave's Hot Chicken to Open at South Bay in Dorchester

A California-based chain of eateries focusing on Nashville hot chicken is planning to open another Boston-area location, with this one being just off the Southeast Expressway.

According to a source, Dave's Hot Chicken is opening at South Bay in Dorchester, with a page at edens.propertycapsule.com indicating that the restaurant will move into a space at the corner of District Avenue and Lucy Street within the mixed-use development. Once it opens, the new location will join others in Newton and Woburn, and expect it to offer chicken tenders and sliders with seven heat levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper" along with other items such as macaroni and cheese, kale slaw, and fries.

The website for Dave's Hot Chicken can be found at https://www.daveshotchicken.com/

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!

Thursday, August 04, 2022

The Halal Guys Plans to Open at South Bay in Dorchester

A growing chain of NYC-based halal restaurants will be expanding to a third Boston-area location.

According to a source, The Halal Guys plans to open at South Bay in Dorchester, with a page on edens.propertycapsule.com confirming this, showing that the dining spot will open on District Avenue within the mixed-use development. Once it opens, the new location will join others in Boston's Theater District and Cambridge's Porter Square, along with approximately 100 other locations in the United States and elsewhere--and more than 400 new outlets in the works, according to its website.

Based on the menu at the other locations, expect to see such items as chicken and rice, gyros, falafel sandwiches, hummus, and more at The Halal Guys at South Bay.

The website for The Halal Guys can be found at https://thehalalguys.com/

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]

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Kura Sushi Plans to Open Another Boston-Area Location, With This One Being at South Bay in Dorchester

A chain of sushi restaurants that just opened its first New England location in the Boston area is going to be opening another location, with this one being just south of downtown.

According to a page within the website for the chain, Kura Sushi is planning to open at South Bay in Dorchester, joining a recently-opened outlet at Arsenal Yards in Watertown. Expect the upcoming restaurant to feature conveyor belt sushi in which food items move by each table, allowing diners to choose what they want as the food goes by.

Kura Sushi started out in Japan in 1977 and now has over 500 locations in the United States and Asia.

The address for the upcoming Kura Sushi at South Bay is 39A District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the chain is at https://kurasushi.com/

[Earlier Article]
Kura Sushi Opens at Arsenal Yards in Watertown

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.)

Thursday, May 13, 2021

The Pearl Opens at South Bay in Dorchester

A brand new seafood restaurant and raw bar that has been a long time in the making has come to a development just off the Southeast Expressway.

According to a source, The Pearl is now open at South Bay in Dorchester, with a Facebook post from the dining spot saying that it was indeed "open for business" as of yesterday. The restaurant, which includes an outdoor patio, serves such options as clam chowder, oysters, littlenecks, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, linguini in clam sauce, grilled Maine lobster, mussels, and clam rolls, while also offering beer, wine, and cocktails.

Plans for The Pearl were initially announced in the summer of 2019.

The address for The Pearl at South Bay is 20B District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. Its website can be found at https://www.thepearlsouthbay.com/

[Earlier Article]
The Pearl Seafood Grill and Raw Bar Plans to Open at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

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.)

Thursday, May 07, 2020

Update: Wahlburgers at South Bay Reopens After Closing "Indefinitely"

[Ed note: This article was updated on June 12 to reflect the fact that the restaurant is open once again.]

A growing chain of burger places that has a local connection has reopened one of its Boston locations after closing it down indefinitely during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an article from the Dorchester Reporter, Wahlburgers at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester shuttered in early May, with a note out front saying "We have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location." An email sent to the Dorchester Reporter by the company stated the following:

"We have been doing our best to keep all of our corporate Wahlburgers locations open and serving our communities as long as we possibly can while we navigate these challenging times. Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to indefinitely close our Dorchester location this past Sunday....Being our hometown, the decision did not come lightly. We are committed to continue supporting the frontline & hospital workers in the area and our Hingham, Lynnfield and Fenway locations will remain open to serve our guests and the broader Boston-area community."

A source told us on June 11 that the restaurant is open once again, with its outdoor patio being set up for diners starting today (Friday, June 12) according to a Facebook post from the place (indoor sections of restaurants cannot reopen until Step 2 of Phase 2, possibly in the next couple of weeks).

The Wahlburger chain is headed up by former Dorchester residents Mark, Donnie, and Paul Wahlberg.

The address for Wahlburgers at South Bay is 9 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125. The website for the chain is at https://wahlburgers.com/

Thanks to Universal Hub for initially bringing this to our attention.

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]

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Gyu-Kaku Opens at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

Back in 2017, it was reported that a chain of Japanese barbecue spots with two locations in the Boston area was going to open a third in a new development just off the Southeast Expressway. Now we have learned that the place has debuted.

According to a job post within the Craigslist site, Gyu-Kaku is now open at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester, with the website for the chain saying that it is apparently going through a soft opening. The new eatery joins other locations in Cambridge's Harvard Square and Brookline along with more than 50 other outlets in the United States in Canada and many more overseas. Based on the other locations, expect to see a variety of charcoal-grilled meats at the new restaurant along with soup, rice, and noodle dishes.

South Bay Town Center, which is connected to the old South Bay mall/shopping center, is also home to such spots as Wahlburgers, J.P. Licks, and Chipotle.

The address for the new location of Gyu-Kaku at South Bay Town Center is 23 District Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125 The website for the chain can be found at https://www.gyu-kaku.com/

[Earlier Article]
Wahlburgers, J.P. Licks, MidiCi, Gyu-Kaku Coming to South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

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

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

Thursday, October 25, 2018

110 Grill Is Opening at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

by Marc Hurwitz

A growing local group of casual upscale restaurants is expanding once again, as it is now planning to open its first location within the Boston city limits.

According to a site plan page within the eden.com site, 110 Grill is looking to open within the South Bay Town Center in Dorchester, with the dining and drinking spot having 6,000 square feet of space and being two doors down from an upcoming location of Wahlburgers. Once it opens, the new outlet of 110 Grill--which focuses mostly on New American fare--will join a number of others in the region, including three inside/along Route 128--Braintree, Saugus, and Woburn.

South Bay Town Center can be found by the old South Bay mall/shopping center just off the Southeast Expressway.

The website for 110 Grill is at https://www.110grill.com/

[July 23, 2019 update: Eater Boston states that 110 Grill opens its South Bay outlet on Thursday, July 25.]

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]

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

J.P. Licks Opens at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

by Marc Hurwitz

A local group of ice cream cafes has opened a brand new location, and this one is located in a new mixed-use development just south of downtown Boston.

Caught in Dot states that J.P. Licks has its grand opening today at South Bay Town Center in Dorchester, which is located at the site of the old South Bay mall/shopping center between the Mass. Ave./Southampton Street and Columbia Road exits off the Southeast Expressway. The new shop joins a number of others in the local area, including outlets within the city in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, and West Roxbury.

As mentioned earlier, a few other dining options appear to be on their way to South Bay Town Center as well (which is still under development), including Wahlburgers, MidiCi, and Gyu-Kaku.

The website for J.P. Licks can be found at http://www.jplicks.com/

[Earlier Article]
Wahlburgers, J.P. Licks, MidiCi, Gyu-Kaku Coming to South Bay Town Center in Dorchester

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]

Friday, August 07, 2015

South Bay Town Center Planned for Dorchester

It looks like an open-air mixed-use development might be on its way to an existing shopping area off the Expressway just south of downtown Boston.

Universal Hub is reporting that the owners of the South Bay shopping center in Dorchester have submitted plans to open South Bay Town Center, which would be an urban-style complex of the type that is ironically found in the suburbs these days, with the development being on the lines of Legacy Place in Dedham or Patriot Place in Foxboro. The post says that the 10-acre spot would be next to the current shopping center and would include restaurants, a hotel, boutique shops, a movie theater, and condos/apartments, with the open-air development replacing the old Kam Man/Super 88 Market, an empty warehouse, and a now-closed office building. The proposed South Bay Town Center would have 1,066 parking spaces that would mostly be hidden from view, along with sidewalks coming from Andrew station Red Line) and Newmarket station (Fairmount Line).

Plans for South Bay Town Center are in the early stages, as plans for the complex were filed with the BRA just this week.

The South Bay shopping center is located on Allstate Road between the Mass. Ave./Southampton Street and Columbia Road exits off the Southeast Expressway.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Note: Please join the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Group Page to get more info on dining spots and also chat with others about Boston-area restaurants.]