IronBound Marketplace Being Planned for Downtown Lynn

by Marc Hurwitz

A new indoor/outdoor market is in the works for a North Shore city that is seeing some big redevelopment plans, and it appears that this development may be getting its inspiration from an historic marketplace in downtown Boston.

According to an article in itemlive.com, IronBound Marketplace is being planned for the Cultural District in the downtown area of Lynn, with a food truck emporium debuting at the Mount Vernon Street site on April 21, while a more permanent marketplace would come sometime next year with indoor vendors. (A Facebook events page indicates that the grand opening block party on April 21 will include food trucks as well as food carts, tents, and trailers, along with live music, and art.) The post says that one possibility for IronBound Marketplace is to work with local nonprofits and also getting involved with physical and mental health organizations.

Lynn native Justin Morlee, who is the administrative coordinator of IronBound Marketplace's food truck emporium, says that "Ideally we could see this being like another Faneuil Hall over time."

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

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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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South End Open Market Shuts Down

It looks like the plug has been pulled on a weekly outdoor gathering of food trucks, farm stands and more.

The Boston Globe is reporting that the South End Open Market is now "dead," as New England Open Markets president Chris Masci has decided to cease operations of the Sunday event--and he cites competition from other events--especially the SoWa Open Market--as being a reason for the closure. The South End Open Market actually used to be known as the SoWa Open Market and had been set up on Harrison Avenue until Masci and Mario Nicosia of GTI Properties got into a dispute, which led Masci to move the market to a temporary space last year by the nearby Ink Block, while Nicosia launched a market at the Harrison Avenue site, using the SoWa Open Market name.

Masci had been planning to move the South End Open Market to a new park under the Route 93 deck but ultimately decided to shut it down; he will continue to run a weekend market set up on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston, and several events will also take place at the new park under the highway as well.

The SoWa Open Market on Harrison Avenue will be running on both Saturdays and Sundays for the 2017 season, according to the Globe.

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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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Clover to Say Goodbye to Its Original Site at MIT in Cambridge

A local group of vegetarian food trucks and brick-and-mortar dining spots is losing its very first location.

Eater Boston is reporting (via the Clover blog) that Clover's food truck at MIT (20 Carleton Street) is saying goodbye tomorrow, as the university is about to start construction at the site. The blog notes that one of its brick-and-mortar restaurants is only about 100 feet away at 5 Cambridge Center, and that Clover is working with MIT to try to find a new space on campus for the truck.

Clover currently has other brick-and-mortar locations in Boston's Financial District, Downtown Crossing, and Longwood, Cambridge's Central Square, Inman Square, and Harvard Square, Brookline, and Burlington--along with a number of other food trucks set up in the region as well. The website for all of its restaurants and food trucks is at http://www.cloverfoodlab.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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FTW! Food Trucks Watertown to Be Held September 13, 2014

A food truck event is on its way to a western suburb of Boston, and it will include a beer garden and entertainment from a well-known DJ.

On Saturday, September 13, FTW! Food Trucks Watertown will take place at The Arsenal (behind 311 Arsenal Street), with the festivities going from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Confirmed trucks at the event include Bone Daddy, Chicken n Rice Guys, Cupcake City, Dining Car, Latin Spoon, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Munch Mobile Kitchen, Renula's Greek Kitchen, Rhythm Wraps, Roxy's Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Sheherazad, Stoked Pizza, Tenoch Mexican, and WOW BBQ, with drinks coming from Backlash, Bantam Cider, Baxter, Boulevard, Coronado, Foolproof, Grey Sail, Newburyport, Notch, Slumbrew, and Two Roads. Red Sox DJ TJ Connelly will be supplying the entertainment at FTW! Food Trucks Watertown, which is a "pay what you want" event (between $2 and $10, with a suggested price of $5).

According to the event page, a shuttle will be operating continuously from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM between Harvard Square in Cambridge and The Arsenal.

For more information on FTW! Food Trucks Watertown, please go to the link below:

http://www.wheretoeat.in/2014-food-trucks-watertown/

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A List of New Food Trucks Debuting in Boston in 2014

The food truck season is now upon us, with April 1 marking the start of the spring 2014 season, and a number of new trucks are up and running this year. As of now, a total of 11 new trucks can be found in the city (including on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Belvidere Street by the Prudential Center, and at other locations), with the following trucks debuting:

The Bacon Truck
Cameo Macaron
Evan's NY Deli
Lillian's BBQ
Makin' Jamaican
Mediterranean Home Cooking
Moyzilla
Stoked Pizza
Tea Station
Tenoch Mexican
Zo on the Go

More new trucks should be hitting the streets soon, so keep checking back for updates.

For more information on the new food trucks coming to Boston (including locations) for 2014, please go to this post from Hub Food Trucks:

2014 Boston Food Truck Schedule Preview

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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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Clover Food Lab to Debut a Truck at Alewife in Cambridge

The folks behind a number of vegetarian food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants are getting ready to expand once again, this time bringing a truck to Cambridge that should be popular with commuters and office workers.

Eater Boston is reporting (via the Clover site) that Clover Alewife will be set up at the VECNA Parking lot on Cambridge Park Drive starting Monday (March 17), with the truck being open on weekdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The new truck will be joining existing ones in various sections of the Boston area as well as permanent restaurants in Inman Square, Harvard Square, and Kendall Square in Cambridge, and in Brookline and Burlington.

Cambridge Park Drive is located off Alewife Brook Parkway by the Alewife T station.

The website for Clover can be found at http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/

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Late-Night Food Truck Pilot Program Slated for Boston

Starting next month, diners will be able to do some late-night dining at a number of food trucks in Boston.

BostInno is reporting that a pilot program allowing select food truck to stay open until midnight has been approved by the city, with participating trucks at Copley Square, Boston University and Northeastern University taking part. The article mentions that Mayor Walsh may eventually consider expanding late-night hours to other sites depending on how the pilot program goes.

Trucks that will be able to stay open late include BBQ Lamb Brothers, Bon Me, Chicken & Rice Guys, Cookie Monstah, Frozen Hoagies, Mediterranean Home Cooking, Meng's Kitchen, Stoked Pizza, Tea Station, and The Bacon Truck.

Late-night hours will begin on April 1, according to BostInno.

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[New article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve More Starters and Sides from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Gregg Gale of Boston Super Dog Has Passed Away

Sad news to report this morning--the owner of Boston Super Dog has passed away.

A post on the food truck's Facebook page this morning says that "The owner and chef of Boston Super Dog, [Gregg] Gale, has passed away unexpectedly this morning." No other details were given.

Boston Super Dog had formerly been known as Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon, with its home being in the Newmarket Square section of Boston, though it can also be found on Stuart Street and at various festivals and food truck sites. Its website is at http://www.bostonsuperdog.com/

Thanks to Hub Food Trucks for bringing this to our attention.

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Food Trucks Are On Their Way to Somerville

Last year we reported that Somerville was considering bringing food trucks to the city, and now it looks like this will indeed be happening.

Eater Boston is reporting that starting on Saturday, May 18 and running weekly until Saturday, September 21, food trucks will be set up at a new craft market at Assembly Row. Trucks that will be at the site on a rotating basis include Away Cafe, Bon Me (it will apparently be there each week), Boston Super Dog, Compliments, Frozen Hoagies, Grilled Cheese Nation, The Happy Taco, and La Tour Eiffel.

Expect to see the trucks on Grand Union Boulevard from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM except for certain holiday weekends, according to EB.

[Earlier Article]
Somerville Looks at Bringing Food Trucks to the City


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Food Truck Throwdown Returns to Boston, May 4, 2013

A food truck competition is returning to downtown Boston this spring.

Grub Street Boston is reporting that a second Food Truck Throwdown will be held on the Rose Kennedy Greenway on Saturday, May 4 beginning at 11:00 AM, with a number of competitors participating. As was the case last fall, the event will pit Boston trucks against New York trucks, with Grub Street saying that Bon Me, Captain Marden's Cod Squad, Chubby Chickpea, Cookie Monstah, Kickass Cupcakes, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Paris Creperie, Pennypackers, and Roxy's Grilled Cheese will face off against Big D's Grub, Chinese Mirch, Mike & Willie's, Munchie Mobile, Nuchas, and Uncle Gussy's, with others being announced soon.

Admission to the 2013 Food Truck Throwdown is free, though cash will be needed for food items. For more information, please go to the following link:

http://www.foodtruckthrowdown.com/

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2013 Lineup for Mobile Food Options on the Rose Kennedy Greenway to Include Eight New Vendors

Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway is once again going to be the site of a variety of mobile food spots, and this year eight new food trucks and bike vendors will be participating.

An email sent to us this week indicates that for the 2013 season, a total of 22 food truck and bike vendors will be on the Greenway, with new options including the A4 Truck (from the Area Four folks in Cambridge) as well as the Baja Taco Truck, Chubby Chickpea, The Coffee Trike, Momogoose, Paris Creperie, Seta's, and Shuckin' Truck. The lineup will also see the return of Beantown Franks & Spuds, Chicken and Rice Guys, Clover, Momogoose, Roxy's Grilled Cheese, and others.

For more information (including a full listing of vendors and specific locations), please go to the following link:

http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/visit/food/park

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Medford Is Moving Ahead with Food Truck Plans

Last spring we reported that Medford was looking into the possibility of setting up a food truck program. Now it looks like plans may be moving ahead, with two areas within the city being mentioned as potential sites for trucks.

The Medford Transcript is reporting that a plan to create a new food truck regulation ordinance was approved by the city last week, with the Licensing Subcommittee mentioning the possibility of having trucks on College Avenue near Cousens Gym at Tufts University along with River's Edge Drive on the Malden River by the ballpark. These proposed locations would likely be in addition to the setting up of food trucks during the Farmers Market and the Circle the Square events, which both had trucks as part of a pilot program last year.

The proposed food truck program will be reviewed by the city at a future date which has not yet been announced, according to the Transcript.

[Earlier Article]
Medford Debates Joining the Food Truck Craze

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SoWa Food Truck Court Will Be Open All Year Round

It looks like people will now be able to visit food trucks in Boston's South End all year long.

According to a post on the SoWa Open Market Facebook page, food trucks will be set up at SoWa through the rest of the fall and winter, with the trucks being set up inside the restored power station at 540 Harrison Avenue starting Sunday, November 11. Hours for the food trucks will be 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM each Sunday through April 28, when they will presumably return to their usual "warm-weather" space.

Thanks to Adam's Hospitality & Tourism Industry Blog for bringing this to our attention.


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Malden Announces Pilot Mobile Food Truck Program

Another Boston-area community has decided to set up a pilot food truck program, and this time, it's a city a few miles north of Beantown.

An email sent to us indicates that the city of Malden now has a Pilot Mobile Food Truck Program in place and is currently asking chefs and food truck operators to apply for the required permits. The program allows trucks to be set up next to City Hall on Commercial Street, just across from the Malden Center Orange Line T stop, with hours being from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM each day of the week through October 31.


Currently, food truck programs are in place in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline, with Somerville and Medford showing interest in food truck programs as well.


As soon as we find out which trucks will be setting up in Malden Center, we will post an update here.

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New Food Truck Locations Announced for Boston

Food truck lovers in Boston will have several new locations to choose from this season, as the city has just announced an expansion of the food truck program.

The Boston Business Journal reports that new food truck locations will be coming to the Financial District, Chinatown, the Back Bay, and the South End for 2012, with trucks being at the following sites:

Financial District: Two trucks on the corner of Milk Street and Kilby Street
Chinatown: One truck across from the Registry of Motor Vehicles
Back Bay: Two trucks near Copley Square at Stuart Street and Trinity Place
South End: One truck at Tremont Street and Berkeley Street

The article also mentions that three food truck sites from last year are no longer in existence--two in Bay Village and one in the Financial District (at Milk Street on Post Office Square).

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Coolidge Corner No Longer Included in Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program

As we reported earlier, Brookline will soon see food trucks coming to its community, but there apparently won't be any in one of its busiest neighborhoods, at least for now.

The Brookline TAB is reporting that the John Street site in Coolidge Corner has been taken off the shelf, due at least in part to the concern of neighbors about the potential sounds and smells of the trucks being a disruption to the neighborhood. The article mentions that because of John Street no longer being one of Brookline's food truck sites, two vendors--BBQsmith and Bon Me--will apparently no longer be setting up shop in the community. If the program seems to be working out, however, the possibility does exist that Coolidge Corner could possibly have a food truck site later in the season, according to the TAB.

[Earlier Article]
Food Truck Pilot Program Planned for Brookline

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Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program Meets Resistance from Two Groups

The Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program is just about ready to launch, but a couple of different groups in town are voicing their opposition to the plans.

Based on information from the Brookline TAB and WHDH-TV, some residents of Brookline are concerned that the trucks could cause a negative impact on residential neighborhoods, as they will be too close to homes, while some businesses feel that the trucks could bring about unfair competition, with one restaurant owner bringing up the fact that the trucks don't have to pay property taxes. In response, Brookline selectmen stated that businesses had previously been contacted about the food truck program to find out how they felt about the trucks coming to town, and they also mentioned that a public hearing will be held on April 10 before any licenses are issued to the trucks.

For more information on this story, please go to the Brookline TAB and WHDH-TV links below.

[Brookline TAB]
Brookline resident trying to ban food trucks

[WHDH-TV]
Food truck revolution causes a stir in Brookline

[Earlier Article from Boston Restaurant Talk]
Food Truck Pilot Program Planned for Brookline

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The Cannoli Cart May Be Coming to SoWa Open Market This Year

A new mobile food spot may be on its way to the SoWa Open Market in Boston's South End this year, and it looks to feature a popular Italian treat.

This past weekend, the EveryBlock Boston site reported that The Cannoli Cart received a business license to operate at 460 Harrison Avenue, which is the site of the market which features a wide variety of vendors, including food trucks, artists, photographers, florists, and more. The Cannoli Cart would join a number of food vendors, with a few of last year's options including Clover Food Truck, Bon Me, Grillo's Pickles, Staff Meal, Silk Road BBQ, C-Cup Cupcakes, and South End Pita.

At this point in time, very little is known about the planned Cannoli Cart; as soon as we find out more information, we will post an update here.

The address for the SoWa Open Market is 460 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118. The website for the market can be found at http://www.sowaopenmarket.com/

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Food Truck Pilot Program Planned for Brookline

It appears that one of Boston's western neighbors could be home to a number of food trucks this year.

According to the Town of Brookline website, a Food Truck Pilot Program is currently in the planning stages, with several proposed sites for trucks shown within the community's website. The program is still in its early stages of planning, with the Board of Selectmen holding a public hearing tomorrow (Tuesday, January 10) at 8:00 PM at Town Hall on Washington Street to discuss vendor regulations and more concerning the program, which is slated to start this April.

[January 25 update: The Town of Brookline voted last night to officially launch the Brookline food truck pilot program in April, with locations for trucks to be announced. Applications for food trucks will be available starting today.]

A few of the proposed sites for food trucks include Beacon Street at Cleveland Circle, Skyline Park, Larz Anderson Park, Harvard Street at Auburn Street, and Commonwealth Avenue at St. Mary's Street by Boston University.

[February 10 update: Locations for the food trucks in Brookline have been finalized, with a map of the locations shown at the following Brookline Patch link: Selectmen Nail Down Food Truck Locations]

[March 6 update: The Brookline TAB reports that nine trucks have applied to be part of the Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program. The trucks are:
-- BBQsmith (barbecue)
-- Baja Taco Truck (Mexican)
-- Bon Me (Vietnamese)
-- Paris Creperie (crepes, smoothies)
-- Momogoose (Vietnamese)
-- Renula's Greek Kitchen (Greek)
-- The Cupcakory (cupcakes)
-- Pennypackers (eclectic)
-- Compliments (American)
For detailed information on these trucks, please go to the TAB link above.]

[April 11 update: The Board of Selectmen approved licenses for five food trucks last night--Baja Taco Truck, Compliments Food Truck, the Paris Creperie's Eiffel Tourer truck, Pennypackers, and the Renula's Greek Kitchen truck. It is possible that the first day for the trucks could be Tuesday, April 17.]

 [April 27 update: The Brookline Patch indicates that the Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program is now up and running, with the Paris Creperie's Eiffel Tourer truck being the first one to open for business (this has been confirmed via a Facebook photo).]

For more information on the Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program, please go to the Town of Brookline link below.

Brookline Mobile Food Vendor Pilot Program

Thanks to The Boston Globe for bringing this to our attention.

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Food Truck Sites (and Vendors) in Other Sections of Boston

Starting this summer, Boston is setting up 15 new permanent sites for food trucks in several neighborhoods, including the Fenway, Dorchester, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and the Marine Industrial Park. Below are the four aforementioned sites where vendors can be found, as well as which food trucks will be at which locations. (Thanks to the City of Boston for this information.)


Site 10 Fenway – Fenway-bound side of Museum Road between The Fenway and Huntington Avenue, across from School of Museum of Fine Arts and adjacent to MFA surface parking lot

Monday:
Lincoln Street Coffee (lunch)
Grilled Cheese Nation (dinner)

Tuesday:
Mobile Home (lunch)
Grilled Cheese Nation (dinner)

Wednesday:
Grilled Cheese Nation (lunch)
Grilled Cheese Nation (dinner)

Thursday:
Mobile Home (lunch)
Grilled Cheese Nation (dinner)

Friday:
Grilled Cheese Nation (lunch)
Grilled Cheese Nation (dinner)

Saturday:
Clover (lunch)

Sunday:
Clover (lunch)

Site 15 Dorchester– Dorchester Avenue by Ashmont Station, in front of the Carruth

Friday:
Staff Meal (lunch)

BRA Site Charlestown Navy Yard – on the plaza by 1st Avenue and 5th Street

Friday:
Go Fish (lunch)

Saturday:
Go Fish (lunch)

Sunday:
Go Fish (lunch)

BRA Site Marine Industrial Park – Dry Dock #3

Monday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Tuesday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Wednesday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Thursday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Friday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Saturday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

Sunday:
Pennypacker's (breakfast)
Pennypacker's (lunch)

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