Lavender Cafe and NaisLee Catering in West Newton Are Closing

A cafe in the western suburbs of Boston and its corresponding catering operation are both shutting down.

According to a source, Lavender Cafe and NaisLee Catering in West Newton are closing, with an Instagram post indicating that their original closing date of September 14 has been moved up and now the last day in operation is August 31. The earlier post mentions the following:

After exhausting all resources and possibilities, and understanding that the risk of staying open was higher than the potential benefits, we had to make the hardest decision ever for us. The obstacles we faced were extraordinary. 

Lavender Cafe first opened in May of this year, offering food items with Venezuelan influences.

The address for Lavender Cafe and NaisLee Catering is 15 Spencer Street, West Newton, MA, 02465. 

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Los Chamos Venezuelan Cuisine in Lynn Has Closed

A South American restaurant north of Boston has shut down.

According to a source (Geoff Wong), Los Chamos Venezuelan Cuisine has closed its doors, with an Instagram post from the Union Street eatery saying the following:

Dear valued customers, After almost 9 wonderful years, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and patronage at our restaurant. It's with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of our establishment. Thank you for being a part of our journey, savoring meals, and creating cherished memories with us. Your loyalty has been the heartbeat of our restaurant, and we're truly grateful. While this chapter is coming to a close, the memories and connections made will forever be a part of our story. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you. Wishing you all the best, and thank you for making these years truly special. Warm regards, Los chamos team.

Los Chamos was known for such items as arepas, empanadas, tostadas, plantain sandwiches, tequeños, and more.

The address for Los Chamos Venezuelan Cuisine was 227 Union Street, Lynn, MA, 01902.

(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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Don Tequeño y Doña Arepa Opening in Jamaica Plain

A Grove Hall dining spot that features South American fare is coming to Jamaica Plain.

According to an article from the Jamaica Plain News, Don Tequeño y Doña Arepa has a sign up in the former Caffe Aromi on Centre Street in the Hyde Square section of JP, and based on its existing location on Blue Hill Avenue, the new spot will offer arepas and presumably, such items as empanadas, cachapas, tequenos, patacones, Venezuelan hot dogs, yucca croquettes, and more. It is not known if this will be a move or a second location of the eatery, so keep checking back for updates as they come in.

The address for the new location of Don Tequeño y Doña Arepa is 403A Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130. The menu for the business is at https://dontequenoydonaarepa.com/

[July 8, 2024 update: According to a source, Don Tequeño y Doña Arepa is now open in Jamaica Plain.]

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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 Shawmut Inn May Be Replacing Orinoco in Boston's South End

It looks like a trio of Venezuelan dining spots may see its Boston location going away and being replaced by a new neighborhood restaurant.

Based on information from multiple sources along with a voting agenda page within the city's website, Orinoco in the South End is seeking to transfer its license to The Shawmut Inn, and we have been told that Matt Sullivan of Sullivan's Public House in Charlestown and The Tap Room on Nantucket is behind the proposed spot. It appears that the new restaurant plans to offer American fare, while Orinoco would remain in operation in Brookline Village and Cambridge's Harvard Square.

Orinoco first opened in the South End in 2006.

The address for Orinoco (and the proposed Shawmut Inn) is 477 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118.

[February 23, 2024 update: According to a source, Orinoco in the South End 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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Ellana's Kitchen & More in Newton Centre Is Closing

A Newton dining spot that features a mix of cuisines is shutting down.

According to a couple of sources, Ellana's Kitchen & More in Newton Centre is closing its doors, with a Facebook post from the Pelham Street eatery saying the following:

With great sadness, we would like to announce that we have decided to permanently close Ellana's Kitchen. Unfortunately, the owner of the building has a new project for it, so we must hand over the premises. After analyzing our options, we think it is our time to complete this period of our lives. The last day that we will be open to the public is Sunday, June 5th of 2022.

Ellana's first opened in 2017, taking over the space that had been home to Inna's Kitchen before it moved to a nearby location. The eatery has been known for its Venezuelan and Mediterranean fare, including such items as arepas, empanadas, falafel, chicken shawarma, and baklava.

The address for Ellana's Kitchen & More is 19 Pelham Street, Newton, MA, 02459. Its website can be found at https://www.ellanaskitchen.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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Carolicious Opens within Aeronaut Brewing Company Space in Somerville

A new dining option has come to a brewery in Somerville, and its focus will be on Venezuelan fare.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Carolicious is now open within Aeronaut Brewing Company on Tyler Street, with the eatery joining Tasting Counter and Somerville Chocolate in the Foods Hub area of the facility. Eater mentions that the people behind Carolicious are Carolina Garcia and Carolina Salinas, who have been involved with pop-ups including ones at the brewery as well as various events and farmers markets. The new dining spot will offer such items as arepas, bowls, and pastelitos andinos (empanadas filled with meat or veggies).

The address for Carolicious (and Aeronaut) is 14 Tyler Street, Somerville, MA, 02143. The Instagram page for Carolicious can be found at https://www.instagram.com/carolicious424/

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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La Casa de Pedro in Watertown Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

What was once a pair of Venezuelan restaurants has now apparently disappeared from the landscape, at least for now.

According to several sources, including posters within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, La Casa de Pedro in Watertown is no longer in operation, with the Watertown News confirming this while a post on the restaurant's Facebook page states that "Today, the doors close to create a new adventure, for you! Stay tuned, watch closely, for we want you to be our first to share our table once again, friends of La Casa de Pedro." It is not known what could be coming into the Arsenal Street space, nor is it known if the owners of the dining spot will be opening something in that space or are looking to open a restaurant elsewhere; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.

La Casa de Pedro first opened in Watertown Square approximately 25 years ago, eventually moving to what was its current location in East Watertown; another location in Boston's Seaport District closed last summer and a company affiliated with the dining spot filed for bankruptcy.

The address for the now-closed La Casa de Pedro in Watertown was 343 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA, 02472.

[March 6 update: The Boston Globe states that La Casa de Pedro in Watertown shut down in the wake of bankruptcy proceedings, with the restaurant having to be sold off in order to pay off debt that was amassed from the now-closed Seaport District location.]

[Earlier Articles]
La Casa de Pedro in Boston's Seaport District Has Temporarily Closed
La Casa de Pedro Could be Selling Seaport District Location in the Wake of Bankruptcy Filing

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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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La Casa de Pedro in Boston's Seaport District Has Temporarily Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

A Venezuelan restaurant on the Boston waterfront that was involved in a bankruptcy filing earlier this year has shut down for now.

According to an article from Eater Boston, La Casa de Pedro in the city's Seaport District is temporarily closed, with a Facebook post saying that "We are working hard to reopen very soon....We will be back stronger than ever." The original location of the eatery in Watertown remains in operation.

In April, we had reported that the waterfront location of La Casa de Pedro could be sold off in the wake of a bankruptcy filing by 505 Congress Street, LLC, though it was later learned that the restaurant was hoping to stay opened rather than be sold.

The address for La Casa de Pedro in the Seaport District is 505 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210. Its website is at http://lacasadepedro.com/seaport/home

[November 14 update: A check on its web page indicates that La Casa de Pedro in the Seaport District only shows the Watertown location now, but it is still not known what the future holds for the space in Boston.]

[Earlier Article]
La Casa de Pedro Could be Selling Seaport District Location in the Wake of Bankruptcy Filing

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La Casa de Pedro Could be Selling Seaport District Location in the Wake of Bankruptcy Filing

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like a Venezuelan restaurant on the Boston waterfront may end up being sold, as a company affiliated with the dining spot is dealing with a bankruptcy filing.

According to an article in the Boston Business Journal, La Casa de Pedro in the city's Seaport District is planning to be sold off, as 505 Congress Street, LLC has declared bankruptcy, with the Inforuptcy site indicating that the company has assets between $0 and $50,000 and liabilities between $10,000,001 and $50 million. The restaurant, which is located on the ground floor of the Waterside Place apartment complex, first opened in the fall of 2016, joining a location in Watertown that resides on Arsenal Street (it had originally been located in Watertown Square). It appears that the Watertown location will not be affected by the bankruptcy filing of 505 Congress Street, but if this changes, we will post an update here.

The address for La Casa de Pedro in the Seaport District is 505 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210. Its website is at http://lacasadepedro.com/seaport/home

[May 9 update: The Boston Globe reports that La Casa de Pedro remains up and running in the Seaport District, and that it is trying to stay open rather than be sold even as it deals with increasing debts and complaints from neighbors, with the bankruptcy filing taking place in the hopes that it may stave off eviction.]

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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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La Casa de Pedro in Watertown to Open New Location in Boston's Seaport District

It looks like the people behind a Venezuelan restaurant just west of Boston will be opening a new location, and this one will be in one of the city's hottest neighborhoods for dining.

According to a Twitter post from @DGoodison of The Boston Herald, La Casa de Pedro is looking to acquire a liquor license to open within the Waterside Place luxury apartment building on Congress Street in the Seaport District, with the license coming from the Sweetwater Tavern, a Boylston Place bar that closed (and was subsequently demolished) earlier this year. A picture of the hearing notice that was sent this morning indicates that the new location of the restaurant may include a bar/lounge area, a second bar, a ceviche dining and bar section, a family dining area, a private dining section, an outdoor patio, and more seating areas.

 La Casa de Pedro had also opened a restaurant in Billerica called Pedro's five years ago, but it shut down two years later. The original location of the eatery had been in Watertown Square but is now located on Arsenal Street east of the square.

The address for this upcoming location of La Casa de Pedro is 505 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210, The website for the original location in Watertown is at http://lacasadepedrolatincuisine.com/

[November 6 update: La Casa de Pedro is one step closer to opening in the Seaport District, as Universal Hub states that the city of Boston approved its plans yesterday to open on Congress Street.]

[August 25, 2016 update: A Zagat feature on upcoming restaurant openings mentions that La Casa de Pedro's new location in the Seaport District will open in September, and that it will be a lot bigger than the Watertown location, with seating for nearly 500.]

[November 13, 2016 update: The Tables section of The Boston Globe mentions that La Casa de Pedro hopes to open its new location in the Seaport District on Monday, November 14.]

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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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Max and Dylans Is Replacing Pedro's in Billerica

A Venezuelan dining spot in Billerica has closed, and a restaurant group with several eateries in Boston is going to be opening a third location of one of their restaurants in the space.

According to a poster on the Chowhound site, Pedro's Fine Latin Cuisine on the Middlesex Turnpike is now shuttered, and a sign in the window states that Max and Dylans is on its way to the spot. (The Max and Dylans website has confirmed this, with a note on their site stating that the new location will be opening soon.)

[August 10 update: It appears that the new Max and Dylans in Billerica is very close to opening, as its website states that it is planning to have a grand opening in the middle of August.]

[September 12 update: According to 451 Marketing, the new Max and Dylans in Billerica is now officially open.]

Max and Dylans is a trendy but casual restaurant that focuses mainly on comfort food. A few items on their menu include sliders, macaroni and cheese, burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, broiled scallops, fish and chips, and steak tips. Locations of the eatery can be found in downtown Boston and Charlestown, with The Legendary Restaurant Group also owning such spots as Andiamo and Tavern on the Water in Charlestown, Scollay Square in Beacon Hilll, Papagayo Mexican Kitchen and Bar in Fort Point, and Avery Provision Co. in downtown Boston.

The original La Casa de Pedro restaurant remains open in Watertown.

The address for this upcoming restaurant in Billerica is: Max and Dylans, 15 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA, 01821.


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Orinoco Is Opening in Cambridge's Harvard Square

A pair of Boston-area Venezuelan restaurants are about to be joined by a third location, with this one being in one of the busiest sections of Cambridge.

According to The Harvard Crimson, Orinoco is going to be moving into the space on JFK Street in Harvard Square where the Spanish restaurant Small Plates had been since the fall of 2007. The article mentions that the new dining spot, which is expected to open in early 2012, will feature a mix of Venezuelan and Caribbean cuisine as well as dishes from other South American countries, with all menu items being under $19 (the menu will likely be similar to the original Orinoco in Boston's South End and their second restaurant in Brookline Village). The new spot will have a capacity of 50, along with a private garden out back with seating for 20.

[January 9, 2012 update: According to Eater Boston, the new Orinoco in Harvard Square is planning to open this week.]

[January 12, 2012 update: According to the restaurant's Facebook page, the new Orinoco in Harvard Square is now open.]

The address for this new Venezuelan restaurant in Harvard Square is: Orinoco, 56 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The website for the restaurants can be found at http://orinocokitchen.com/

For more information on the opening of Orinoco in Cambridge, please go to the Harvard Crimson article below.

Venezuelan Restaurant to Replace Small Plates in Square

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La Casa de Pedro to Open Pedro's in Billerica

It looks like a Venezuelan restaurant in Watertown is going to be opening a new restaurant north of Boston.

According to a post on the Craigslist site, La Casa de Pedro, which is located on Arsenal Street east of Watertown Square, is planning to open a new eatery called Pedro's in the space of the recently-closed Naked Fish on the Middlesex Turnpike in Billerica. La Casa de Pedro first opened in Watertown Square about 15 years ago and has since moved to its current spot at the Arsenal complex. The restaurant features such dishes as empanadas, ceviche, arepas, chicken with chorizo, grilled flank steak, shredded beef with plantains and beans, and filet of trout with fried calamari.

A September opening for Pedro's is expected, according to the Craigslist post.

[October 18 update: Pedro's is now open in Billerica. their website can be found at: http://www.pedroslatincuisine.com/]

The address for this new Venezuelan restaurant coming to Billerica will be: Pedro's, 15 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA, 01821.

Thanks to one of our readers (Jeffrey) for bringing this to our attention.

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