Vicki Lee's in Belmont Is Becoming Ovenbird Café

A beloved cafe, bakeshop, and catering business in the western suburbs is transitioning to another cafe with a new name, though much of what customers love about the old spot will remain in place.

According to an article in the Belmont Citizen-Herald and Wicked Local, Vicki Lee's in Belmont is going to become Ovenbird Café by the end of February, as Vicki Lee Boyajian has sold the Trapelo Road place to her chef/business partner Jason Reed. The post mentions that Boyajian--whose business dates back 39 years--will stay on for the rest of 2022 in order to help with the changeover while also overseeing catering events that are booked until the end of the year.

While Boyajian's recipes are being passed on to Reed and the staff will remain in place, Reed does plan to tweak the concept, saying that "I'm still going to be a place you can come to for prepared food, lunch, breakfast, advance orders and all that kinds of stuff, the bakery and the café. It's going to be my own personal twist on that concept while maintaining some of the classics that have brought people back over the years."

The address for Vicki Lee's (and the Ovenbird Café) is 105 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA, 02478. The website for Vickie Lee's can be found at https://www.vickilees.com/

The Boston Globe first announced the changes coming to the Vicki Lee's space earlier this month.

[March 14 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Ovenbird Café is now open, and that indoor dining is coming March 22.]

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 Cookie Monstah Opens in Swampscott

A local business that sells ice cream sandwiches from a pair of bake shops as well as from a food truck has expanded to a third brick-and-mortar location.

According to a source, The Cookie Monstah is now open in Swampscott, joining other stores in Burlington and Danvers along with a food truck that has been off the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is returning later this week. A Patch article mentions that founder Melissa Gale opened the new shop over the weekend, and that it will be open Tuesday through Sunday starting at noon each day (closing time is 9:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and 10:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays).

The Cookie Monstah, which started out as a food truck in 2014, offers cookies, ice cream, and ice cream sandwiches.

The address for The Cookie Monstah in Swampscott is 505 Paradise Road, Swampscott, MA, 01907. Its website can be found at https://thecookiemonstah.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 Vintage Tea and Cake Company in Belmont Reopens Retail Shop

The person behind a wholesale and catering business that focuses on teas and baked goods has reopened her retail shop four years after it shut down.

The Tables section of The Boston Globe reports that The Vintage Tea and Cake Company in Belmont is open once again on Belmont Street, selling a variety of teas along with such items as scones, Irish brown bread, lemon squares, macarons, and coffee. The article mentions that owner Adel Donegan had shut down the retail shop in 2015 in order to put more focus into her catering and wholesale operations and spend more time with her growing family.

The Vintage Tea and Cake Company first started out in 2012.

The address for this reopened shop in Belmont is: The Vintage Tea and Cake Company, 129 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA, 02478. Its website can be found at http://www.vintageteaandcake.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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Butternut Bakehouse Opens in Arlington

A new bakery has come to Arlington, and as mentioned earlier, it takes over part of the space where a shop known for its bagels had been.

According to a poster on The Arlington List Facebook page, Butternut Bakehouse is now open on Mass. Ave. in a section of the former Bagels by Us space near the Jason Street/Mill Street intersection. The new shop includes some seating inside and offers a variety of baked goods and pastries along with coffee, tea, juice, and more, and it sits next to another food spot that took over the other part of the Bagels by Us space--Jose's Torta Mexicana, a restaurant from the people behind Jose's in Cambridge that opened a couple of weeks ago.

Bagels by Us closed in March after being in business for more than 20 years.

The address for Butternut Bakehouse is 787 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02476. Its website can be found at https://www.butternutbakehouse.com/

[Earlier Articles]
Butternut Bakehouse Plans to Open in Former Bagels by Us Space in Arlington
Jose's Torta Mexicana Is Opening in Part of the Former Bagels by Us Space in Arlington

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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Butternut Bakehouse Plans to Open in Former Bagels by Us Space in Arlington

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like a new bakery is on its way to the northwest suburbs, and it will be moving into the space where a shop known for its bagels had been.

According to a post from YourArlington, Butternut Bakehouse is planning to open in the former Bagels by Us space on Mass. Ave., with the Select Board giving unanimous approval of its license last week. The article mentions that the shop will have seating for 14 and will offer such items as cakes, pastries, cookies, salads, coffee, tea, and juice. If all goes well, Butternut Bakehouse could be opening sometime in January.

Bagels by Us closed in March after being in business for more than 20 years; the place offered bagels as well as breakfast and lunch sandwiches, French toast, waffles, pancakes, and more.

The address for this upcoming bakery in Arlington is: Butternut Bakehouse, 789 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02476.

[May 31, 2019 update: According to a poster within The Arlington List Facebook group page, Butternut Bakehouse is now open.]

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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Update: Elmendorf Baking Supplies Opening in East Cambridge

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated on September 14 to reflect an address given for the place.]

It looks like a specialty baking supply shop is on its way to the local area, and the people involved come from a few well-known local spots.

According to an article in Wicked Local Cambridge, Teddy and Alyssa Applebaum and Kim Beaty are planning to open Elmendorf Baking Supplies somewhere in Cambridge or Somerville, and are currently using Kickstarter to try to raise $20,000 for the proposed spot. The post says that the store would sell ingredients and supplies for baking recipes from around the world while also offering baking classes, with the shop aiming to be both a retail space and a community center of sorts. As of now, the Applebaums and Beaty have not yet found a space for the shop but are hoping that they can find one to rent in one of the two cities, potentially opening later this fall if all goes well.

All three of the people involved have worked at Formaggio in Cambridge, while Teddy also worked at New Deal Fish Market and is currently at Oleana, and Alyssa worked at Clear Flour in Brookline and is currently at Baldor Specialty Foods' produce department within Eataly at the Pru.

[September 14 update: Eater Boston states that Elmendorf Baking Supplies will open in East Cambridge this fall, moving into the space on Cambridge Street where a location of Petsi Pies had been until closing recently.]

[November 8 update: According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Elmendorf Baking Supplies is now open in East Cambridge.]

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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 Cookie Monstah Opens Brick-and-Mortar Bake Shop in Danvers

A local food truck that was once featured on the Travel Channel now has a brick-and-mortar shop.

According to a Facebook post from the business, The Cookie Monstah bake shop is now open on Route 1 in Danvers, with the place offering cookies, ice cream, and ice cream sandwiches. The store joins its food truck which can be found in several Boston locations, including the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the Back Bay, Boston Common, and the Financial District.

The Cookie Monstah was once featured on Andrew Zimmern's series "Bizarre Food: Delicious Destinations."

The address for this new bake shop in Danvers is: The Cookie Monstah, 75 Newbury Street, Danvers, MA, 01923. Its website can be found at http://www.thecookiemonstah.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Items from Bakeries and Pastry Shops in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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