Lady C&J Cafe Opens in Brockton

A new breakfast and lunch spot with southern influences has come to Brockton, and the person behind it used to run a restaurant with a similar name nearby.

According to a source, Lady C&J Cafe is now open at the downtown Brockton Area Transit terminal, with an article in The Enterprise mentioning that Alabama native Cynthia Hodges is the operator of the Court Street spot. The post states that Hodges used to run Lady C&J Soul Food on Perkins Avenue until 2014, when a fire forced her to shut down the place after 3 1/2 years in business.

Hodges says that Lady C&J Cafe offers a variety of soul food options, including such items as biscuits with sausage gravy, macaroni and cheese, BLTs, egg and cheese sandwiches, Jamaican-style beef patties, empanadas, and fish- and chicken-stuffed pastries.

The address for Lady C&J Cafe is 155 Court Street, Brockton, MA, 02302.

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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Sam's Spot Restaurant to Open in Dorchester's Fields Corner Neighborhood

The person behind a local catering company is getting ready to open a brand new restaurant.

Based on a Facebook post along with a licensing board hearing page, Sam's Spot Restaurant is planning to open in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester in November, with Samantha Anson of Sam's Catering being the manager listed for the Dorchester Avenue eatery. The new spot will feature Southern and Caribbean fare, and the catering menu may give a glimpse into possible offerings; some of the items on that menu include wings, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, jerk chicken, macaroni and cheese, pulled pork sliders, fried pork chops, oxtail, curried lobster, fried catfish, black eyed peas, collard greens, corn bread, sweet potato pie, and more. (As soon as we see a menu for the restaurant itself, we will post an update here.)

The address for the upcoming Sam's Spot Restaurant in Fields Corner is 1476 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02122. The website for the catering operation can be found at https://www.samsspotcatering.com/

[November 27 update: A boston.com article indicates that Sam's Spot Restaurant plans to open its doors later this month.]

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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Southern Proper in Boston's South End Is Closing

A Southern-style dining spot in Boston is shutting down after being in business for a bit less than two years.

According to several sources, Southern Proper in the city's South End neighborhood is getting ready to close, with a post on the Instagram page of Jason Cheek confirming this, saying that the Harrison Avenue spot will close at the end of business hours on New Year's Eve. Cheek first opened Southern Proper in the winter of 2018, offering such items as deviled eggs, smoked chicken wings, fried okra, shrimp and grits, fried catfish, pork ribs, ribeye steak, and collard greens along with beer, wine, and cocktails.

Based on one of our sources, it appears that a new restaurant may be moving into the Southern Proper space at some point, though no specifics have been given as of yet.

The address for Southern Proper is 600 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118. Its website can be found at https://www.southernproperboston.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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The Porch Southern Fare and Juke Joint in Medford Is Getting Ready to Open

A Southern restaurant that closed last year in anticipation of a move to a much larger space appears to be on the verge of opening.

According to a Facebook thread from the place, The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint may be opening at the River's Edge development in Medford as soon as this week, more than a year after the original location of The Porch in Wakefield closed. Based on information from an earlier post here, expect the new location to include Southern-style fare such as brisket, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, BBQ pork, collard greens, and more, along with beer, spirits, and cocktails--and the space will include a bar, pool tables, and a stage for live music.

The original location of The Porch first opened in Wakefield Center in January of 2016; the announcement of its move came out in March of 2018, with the closure of the restaurant taking place three months later. Owner Jonathan Post also runs a grocery store and cafe at River's Edge called Freerange Market, which opened earlier this year.

The address for The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint is 175 Rivers Edge Drive, Medford, MA, 02155. Its website will be at https://www.theporchsouthern.com/

[July 11 update: an update from Boston Magazine states that the new location of The Porch opens to the public on Monday, July 15.]

[Earlier Article]
The Porch in Wakefield to Move to Medford; Freerange Market to Open As Well

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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Fat Biscuit at MarketStreet Lynnfield Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

It appears that a Southern-style restaurant in the northern suburbs that joined a New Hampshire location two years ago has shuttered

According to a source, Fat Biscuit at MarketStreet Lynnfield is no longer in business, with the place being cleared out and a sign out front saying that it has indeed closed down. A check on the MarketStreet Lynnfield website indicates that the restaurant is no longer listed there, while the restaurant's website has apparently been taken down.

Fat Biscuit first opened in early 2017, joining another location in North Conway (which is also closed), with both locations offering such items as biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, burgers, sausage balls, brick chicken, and a fried green tomato BLT.

The address for the Lynnfield location of Fat Biscuit was 335 Market Street, Lynnfield, MA, 01940.

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Tupelo in Cambridge's Inman Square Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A popular Cambridge restaurant that features comfort food with Southern influences is shutting down.

A message sent to us this afternoon indicates that Tupelo in Inman Square is closing, with a Facebook post from the Cambridge Street spot stating that "With deep regret, Tupelo will be closing its doors after brunch October 7th for good." The Facebook thread indicates that its closure is due at least in part to difficulties in finding staff, an issue that has been echoed by a number of other Boston-area restaurants and bars over recent times.

Tupelo first opened in 2009, with owners Renee McLeod (who also runs Petsi Pies) and Mike Walker offering food items with Southern leanings as well as New England influences. The menu includes such items as gumbo, fried oysters, blackened catfish, fried chicken, brisket, red beans and rice, grits, and collard greens.

The address for Tupelo is 1193 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139. Its website can be found at http://tupelo02139.com/

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