Oakberry Opens in Arlington Center

A chain with roots in South America has expanded to the Greater Boston area, with a location opening in the northwest suburbs of Boston.

Based on information from posters within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Oakberry is now open in Arlington, moving into a space on Massachusetts Avenue in the center of town. The new spot, which got its start in Brazil, offers such options as build-your-own and signature acai bowls along with smoothies and snacks.

The address for Oakberry in Arlington Center is 476 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02474. The website for the business is at https://www.oakberry.com/

(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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Chicha San Chen Opens at Lyrik Back Bay in Boston

Last summer it was reported that a Taiwanese boba chain would be opening a location within a new mixed-use project in Boston, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to a source, Chicha San Chen is now open at Lyrik Back Bay (which is located by Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue), with a note from the business within Google saying the following:

Step into our cozy tea house and enjoy our award-winning teas, brewed with precision for the perfect balance of flavor. Led by our skilled Tea Masters, we offer everything from relaxed tastings to curated tea experiences. With a focus on quality and tradition, CHICHA San Chen brings an authentic taste of Taiwanese tea culture to Boston.

The address for the new location of Chicha San Chen in the Back Bay is 400 Newbury Street (Suite 300), Boston, MA, 02115. The Instagram page for the Boston location is at https://www.instagram.com/chichasanchen.ma/

[Earlier Article]
Chicha San Chen to Open in Boston's Back Bay

(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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Chicha San Chen to Open in Boston's Back Bay

It looks like a Taiwanese boba chain is expanding to Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Chicha San Chen is planning to open in the city's Back Bay neighborhood, apparently moving into a space on Newbury Street just west of the Massachusetts Avenue intersection. Based on an Instagram page for the upcoming shop, it could be opening sometime this fall and it will be Boston's "flagship" location.

Chicha San Chen was first established in Taiwan in 1998.

The address for the upcoming location of Chicha San Chen in the Back Bay is 400 Newbury Street (Suite 300), Boston, MA, 02115. The website for the chain is at https://www.chichasanchen.com/

(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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Moge Tee Is Opening in Cambridge's Central Square

A chain of tea places with two locations in the Boston area is getting ready to open a third.

According to a source (Geoff Wong), Moge Tee is planning to open in the Central Square section of Cambridge, with a check on the website for the company indicating that it will be opening on Mass. Ave. in the heart of the square. Once it opens, the new shop will join other locations in Allston and North Quincy, along with outlets in Amherst, the New York City area and a handful of others in various states around the country.

Moge Tee offers cheese foam tea, fruit tea, milk tea, tofu pudding, yogurt fruit tea, uji matcha, and more.

The address for the upcoming location of Moge Tee in Central Square is 605 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139 The website for the chain is at https://mogeteeusa.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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Could Krispy Kreme Be Returning to the Boston Area?

A national chain of donut shops that expanded into the local region more than 15 years ago and left about as quickly as it arrived is planning to give it another shot.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Krispy Kreme is eyeing an IPO that could help bring the chain back into the Greater Boston area along with other places (Minneapolis is mentioned as well), with the plan being to build "factory" outlets for donut production and sell them at the outlets while also distributing them to such businesses as gas stations and grocery stores. The North Carolina-based chain launched a rapid expansion in the late 1990s entering the local market in the early to mid 2000s with shops opening in such places as Boston's Prudential Center, Dedham, Medford, and Saugus, but by 2007, all of the outlets in the Greater Boston area had shut down. (Currently, the closest locations of Krispy Kreme can be found at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and in New York City.)

The website for Krispy Kreme is at https://www.krispykreme.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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Le Pain Quotidien Files for Bankruptcy, May Permanently Close a Number of Locations

A chain of bakery-cafes that got its start in Belgium--and which once appeared to have aspirations to expand to the Boston area--appears to be in serious trouble.

According to an article from USA Today, Le Pain Quotidien has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is now looking at a sale that would help stave off liquidation. The post states that the proposed sale would be to Aurify Brands, a New York-based company that oversees such brands as Five Guys and Melt Shop--and the sale could lead to the permanent closures of a number of Le Pain Quotidien outlets in the United States, as it is mentioned that at least 35 of its 98 locations in this country would be able to reopen, indicating that at least some of the others might shut down.

USA Today says that Le Pain Quotidien had actually been planning the bankruptcy filing before the COVID-19 pandemic, though chief restructuring officer Steven Fleming says that the coronavirus crisis brought the business to the brink of liquidation and all shops ended up closing for the time being.

Le Pain Quotidien was founded in Brussels back in 1990, with the chain building a big presence in New York City, and at one time, a page for Boston locations existed on its website, though no shops ever did open in or around the city. (Three locations can be found in Connecticut.)

The website for Le Pain Quotidien is at https://www.lepainquotidien.com/us/en/

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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Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe Is Opening in the Former Il Mondo Space in Boston's Back Bay/Fenway

A bubble tea chain with roots overseas is planning to open a third Boston-area location, with this one taking over a location of a now-closed pizzeria.

According to a source (Geoff Wong), Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe is planning to open on Mass. Ave. near where the Back Bay and the Fenway meet, with the address indicating that it will move into the former Il Mondo Pizzeria space. (Il Mondo's shop in the Brigham Circle area of Boston remains in operation.) Once it opens, the new location of Vivi will join others in North Quincy and Brighton, and based on those outlets, expect to see such options as Korean chicken wings, Taiwanese BBQ sausages, and popcorn chicken in addition to a variety of bubble teas.

Vivi, which started out in Taiwan, opened its first shop in New York in 2007.

The address for the new location of Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe in the Back Bay/Fenway area 182 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115. The website for the chain can be found at https://vivibubbletea.com/

[January 24 update: Eater Boston reports that Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe is now open in the Back Bay/Fenway.]

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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Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe Is Opening in Brighton

by Marc Hurwitz

A bubble tea chain with roots overseas is planning to open a second Boston-area location.

According to an article in Eater Boston, Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe is looking to open a shop in Brighton, moving into a space on Washington Street in the heart of Brighton Center. The proposed new outlet would join another location in North Quincy along with a number of stores in the New York City area and some others elsewhere in the country. Based on the offerings at the North Quincy location, expect to see an array of bubble teas at the new place and some snacks such as Korean chicken wings, Taiwanese BBQ sausages, and popcorn chicken.

Vivi, which started out in Taiwan, opened its first shop in New York in 2007, according to its website.

The address for the new location of Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe in Brighton is 364 Washington Street, Brighton, MA, 02135. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.vivibubbletea.com/

[October 17 update: A tweet from @GospelOfIHM indicates that Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe is now open in Brighton, with a check on the spot's social media pages confirming that it has indeed soft-opened.]

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

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Paul Bakery in Natick Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

A chain of French bakery-cafes continues to disappear from the local landscape, with one of its two remaining shops closing its doors.

According to a source, Paul Bakery at the Natick Mall in Natick is no longer in business, with a message sent from the company confirming this, referring customers to its sole Boston-area location at Assembly Row in Somerville. Two other outlets of the bakery have closed over the past couple of years as well, including one in downtown Boston (which shut down this spring) and another in Burlington.

Paul first opened in France in 1889 and now has approximately 500 locations in a number of countries, including a handful of outlets in the United States. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.paul-usa.com/en/

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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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Paul Bakery in Downtown Boston Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

A chain of French bakery-cafes that once had four locations in the Greater Boston area is now back down to two, as its outlet in the heart of the city has shut down.

According to a source, Paul Bakery at One Boston Place on Washington Street is no longer in operation, with a message from the company confirming that it has indeed closed for good. The message does mention that locations of the bakery at Assembly Row in Somerville and the Natick Mall in Natick remain open for business; another outlet of Paul Bakery had been at Burlington's 3rd Ave development as well, but that shop closed a couple of years ago.

Paul first opened in France in 1889 and now has approximately 500 locations in a number of countries, including a handful of outlets in the United States.

The address for this now-closed bakery in downtown Boston was: Paul Bakery, 201 Washington Street (One Boston Place), Boston, MA, 02108. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.paul-usa.com/en/

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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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Pinkberry in Harvard Square Has Closed; Will Be Replaced by Pressed Juicery

A frozen yogurt chain has shut down its shop in Cambridge, and it will be replaced by a location of a chain of cold-pressed juice bars.

The Harvard Crimson is reporting that Pinkberry in Harvard Square is now closed and that Pressed Juicery will be moving into the Mass. Ave. space. The article says that the California-based chain of juice bars hopes to open in the late spring, with the place offering an array of juice options along with a soft-serve item that is made using a mix of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

Pinkberry--which is also based in California--first opened in Harvard Square in 2011, taking over the space where Alpha Omega Jewelers had once been; a number of Pinkberry shops had been located in the Greater Boston area, but several of them have shut down over the past few years, with existing locations remaining in operation by BU in Boston, South Station, the Pru, Logan Airport, Chestnut Hill, Wellesley, and Braintree.

The address for the now-closed Pinkberry (and upcoming Pressed Juicery) is 1380 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138.

Thanks to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page for bringing this to our attention.

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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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Trader Joe's to Open in Somerville's Assembly Square

A California-based chain of specialty grocery stores that has a handful of locations in the Greater Boston area is opening a new one just north of the city.

According to an article in boston.com, Trader Joe's is planning to open a shop at Assembly Square in Somerville, apparently taking over part of the AC Moore space, though the post speculates (based on the address given) that it could also take over part or all of the adjacent Sports Authority store which is closing. One it opens in the third quarter of 2017, it will join others in Boston, Cambridge (2), Brookline, Acton, Arlington, Burlington, Foxborough, Framingham, Hanover, Hingham, Needham, Newton, and Peabody.

Trader Joe's, which first started out in Pasadena and is now based in Monrovia, is known in part for its variety of reasonably-priced private-label items.

The address for the upcoming Trader Joe's at Assembly Square is 133 Middlesex Avenue, Somerville, MA, 02145. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.traderjoes.com/

[July 31 update: According to a source, the new Trader Joe's at Assembly Square opens on Friday, August 4.]

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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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Kahala Brands Purchases Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt Chain

The parent company of such brands as Cold Stone Creamery and Blimpie has bought a frozen yogurt chain with a relatively large presence in the Boston area.

Nation's Restaurant News is reporting that Kahala Brands has purchased Pinkberry for an undisclosed amount of money, with the Santa Monica-based chain having its corporate operations moved to the Kahala headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ. The 260-unit frozen yogurt company--which is seen by many as helping start the recent froyo craze--has a number of shops in the local area, including in Beverly, Boston (6), Braintree, Cambridge, Chestnut Hill, Hingham, and Wellesley.

In addition to Cold Stone Creamery and Blimpie, Kahala also operates such brands as Planet Smoothie, Samurai Sam's, America's Taco Shop, Great Steak, and more.

Thanks to @FoodserviceEast for initially bringing this to our attention.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Great Desserts from Boston-Area Spots]

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Yogurtland in Brookline Closes, Chain Apparently Disappears from Boston-Area Landscape

A California-based frozen yogurt chain has closed yet another of its Boston-area locations, and it looks like the chain has completely disappeared from the local landscape.

According to a Twitter post from @Lokay, Yogurtland in Brookline's Coolidge Corner is no longer in business, with a sign out front saying "Thank you to all of our loyal fans and community." The shutting down of the Brookline location follows closures of shops in Boston's Back Bay and Newton Centre, and it appears that the store in Cambridge's Harvard Square is closed as well, as phone calls are not going through and it has been taking off the "locations" map on the website (along with Brookline, the Back Bay, and Newton).

Yogurtland is a self-service frozen yogurt chain that offers flavors such as candy clouds, maple donut, salted dark chocolate, banana nut bread, lemon cream cookie, and root beer float. The chain is headquartered in Irvine, CA.

The address for this now-closed frozen yogurt shop in Coolidge Corner was: Yogurtland, 273 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, 02446. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.yogurt-land.com/

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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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Smoothie King Plans Major Expansion in the Boston Area

A Louisiana-based chain of smoothie bars with one location in the Boston area is planning to expand greatly throughout the region.

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that Smoothie King is looking to open as many as 53 locations in and around the city over the next six years, with Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, Medford, Newton, Somerville, and Waltham all being considered by the chain. Currently, the sole location in the Boston area is on Newbury Street in the Back Bay, while only three other outlets can be found in New England (all in Connecticut).

Smoothie King first started out in 1973 and currently has nearly 750 locations in the United States, the Cayman Islands, Singapore, and South Korea. In addition to smoothies, the chain also sells energy bars, sports beverages, vitamin supplements, and more. Its website can be found at http://www.smoothieking.com/

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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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Rita's Italian Ice to Expand into Massachusetts

A Pennsylvania-based chain of Italian ice shops is making big plans to expand into the Boston area and elsewhere in Massachusetts.

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that Rita's Franchise Co. is working with a Boston entrepreneur to open franchises of Rita's Italian Ice in the local area, with 30 stores on their way to the state over the course of the next eight years. The chain, which calls itself the "largest Italian Ice concept in the world," is looking at communities such as Allston, Bedford, Brighton, Roxbury, Hingham, Jamaica Plain, and Roslindale, with the first one opening in the spring of 2016--though no specific locations have been finalized as of yet. (The company is also looking to open mobile outlets in downtown Boston.)

Currently, more than 600 locations of Rita's Italian Ice can be found in the United States, including one in Rhode Island and approximately 15 in Connecticut. The website for Rita's is at http://www.ritasice.com/

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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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Amorino Is Opening in Boston's Back Bay

A Paris-based chain of artisan gelato shops is on its way to Boston.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Amorino is going to be opening a "flagship" location on Newbury Street in the Back Bay section of the city. The post says that the store, which joins two others in New York, will feature a variety of gelato options in a cup, cone, scone, or on a waffle or crepe, along with such items as milkshakes, macarons, gelato cakes, coffee, and more.

An opening date for Amorino has apparently not been set as of yet; as soon as we get more information, we will post an update here.

[March 23, 2015 update: BostInno states that Amorino opens in the Back Bay on Thursday, with one of our sources also saying that it will have a pre-opening for friends and family on Wednesday.]

The address for this new gelato shop in the Back Bay is: Amorino, 249 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.amorino.com/us/

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Kung Fu Tea to Open in Brighton

A chain of Asian tea shops continues with its expansion plans into the Boston area, with a new location planned for Brighton.

According to a note (and picture) sent by GospelOfIHM, Kung Fu Tea is going to be opening on Beacon Street by Cleveland Circle, with the store moving into the space where Fruitee Yogurt has been. Once it opens, the new tea shop will join existing locations in Chinatown, by Symphony Hall, and in Allston and Malden. (Another shop is on its way to Somerville's Davis Square as well.)

Kung Fu Tea, which features such drinks as Kung Fu Bubble Milk Tea/Milk Green Tea, Red Wow Milk, Green Wow Milk, and Passionfruit Green Tea, has a number of locations across the country (with most being in New York City), along with business ventures in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and China.

The address for this upcoming Asian tea shop in Cleveland Circle is: Kung Fu Tea, 1916B Beacon Street, Brighton, MA, 02135. The website for the chain can be found at http://kfteausa.com/

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Emack & Bolio's to Open in Belmont

It looks like a local chain of ice cream stores is going to be opening a new shop, with this one being in the western suburbs of Boston.

According to one of our readers, Emack & Bolio's is planning to open in the Cushing Square neighborhood of Belmont, with a Craigslist post confirming this, saying that the Trapelo Road shop is now looking to hire servers. There is no word on when the new location of Emack & Bolio's might open, so stay tuned for updates.

Emack & Bolio's currently has 12 locations in Massachusetts, including eight in the Greater Boston area. Other locations can be found in New York, Illinois, and Florida.

The address for this upcoming ice cream shop in Belmont is: Emack & Bolio's, 111 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA, 02478. The website for the chain is at http://www.emackandbolios.com/

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Caffe Bene to Open in Boston

It looks like the second largest coffee franchise in the world is coming to New England, and its first location will be in one of the busiest sections of Boston.

Boston Magazine is reporting that South Korea-based Caffe Bene is planning to open at an undisclosed location near Symphony Hall, with a July opening possible. The article also says that two more locations of the coffeehouse will come to Boston by the end of the year, though it is not known where these will be. Once Caffe Bene opens in the city, expect to see such items as coffee, bubble tea, waffles, sandwiches, gelato, and more.

Caffe Bene first started out in Seoul in 2008 and now has 86 locations in the United States, as well as a huge number of spots in other countries. (Boston Magazine says that more than 4,000 locations of the franchise could be opening in America by 2020.) The website for the chain can be found at http://www.caffebeneusa.com/

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