The Breakaway in Danvers Has Closed

A live music venue on the North Shore has shut down.

According to a source, The Breakaway in Danvers is no longer in business, with a Facebook post from the Route 1 spot saying the following on New Year's Eve:

Happy New Year!!! Months ago I announced that tonight would be the last night at Breakaway. I wasn’t sure how the news would be taking but I hoped for the best. From our crew, musicians, regular guests (family), and all of you, I can’t say thank you enough. The support, encouragement, and outpouring of love has been overwhelming. Our management team and crew decided to announce it and try to go out on top. A farewell tour that anyone who wanted to be a part of was invited to. On behalf of the Breakaway team I can say we are humbled and grateful.

In addition to live music, The Breakaway also offered dining and drinking along with events, functions, and classes.

The address for The Breakaway was 221 Newbury Street (Route 1), Danvers, MA, 01923.

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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

New Restaurant and Function Hall Plans to Open in Former Braza Grill Union House Space in Framingham

It looks like a brand new dining spot and events space is on its way to the western suburbs, taking over the space where another dining spot had been until closing a bit more than a year ago.

According to an article from the Framingham Source, a new family-friendly restaurant and function venue has been given approval to open in Framingham, moving into the former Braza Grill Union House space on Route 135. The post mentions that the dining spot will have 10,000 square feet of space and a 250-person function hall, and its menu includes such items as salt cod fritters, fried tilapia, lamb chops, grilled octopus, steak tips, seafood linguini, stewed black beans, garlic rice, and more.

Braza Grill Union House had its operating license cancelled early last year, effectively shutting down the place, which first opened in 2018.

The address for the upcoming restaurant and function hall in Framingham is 672 Waverly Street (Route 135), Framingham, MA, 01702.

Thanks to Adam of Universal Hub for initially bringing this to our attention.

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 Tree Top Restaurant Opens at Lake Pearl in Wrentham

An historic lakeside venue known in part for events such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries has now become a restaurant of sorts as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused it to reconcept for the time being.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Lake Pearl in Wrentham has opened the Tree Top Restaurant for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, using the Tree Top Room--which is often used for wedding receptions--along with its two-tiered outdoor dock, both of which have views of the lake below. The post mentions that the dining spot offers food with "classic European and contemporary" influences, with options including fried calamari, bruschetta, oysters Rockefeller, ravioli, shrimp scampi, chicken parmesan, pan-seared sea scallops, New York sirloin, chicken and waffles, burgers, grilled salmon, and more.

Juliana Lorusso, who is director of marketing and events at Lake Pearl, gives the reasoning behind opening the Tree Top Restaurant, saying that "Unfortunately, the pandemic really hit our industry harder than most. We knew we had to continue coming up with fresh ideas because we are unable to host our typical weddings and events....It's definitely been challenging, but luckily our ownership and management team has much experience with restaurant-style dining, so we are well prepared for this new venture." (In addition to being a function space, Lake Pearl has also been known for its Sunday brunches as well, which are open to the general public.)

The address for Lake Pearl and the Tree Top Restaurant is 299 Creek Street, Wrentham, MA, 02093. The website for the space can be found at https://www.lakepearl.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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Payment Options

Option 1 : $1.00 USD - monthly Option 2 : $5.00 USD - monthly Option 3 : $10.00 USD - monthly

The Oceanview of Nahant Is Now Open to the Public for Dinner on Weekends

A wedding venue on the North Shore that is known in part for its spectacular water views is now a restaurant of sorts, serving dinner to the public on weekends.

A poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page states (via the Facebook page for the place) that the Oceanview of Nahant has introduced a "Supper Club" where diners can sit in a tent overlooking the ocean and order from a prix fixe menu that includes an appetizer, salad, main entree, and dessert while also being able to choose from a list of beer, wine, and cocktail options. (We have been told that their outdoor deck is open to the public as well.) The Supper Club is generally set up on Saturdays and Sundays, though it is best to check ahead in advance in case special events are taking place at the venue on a given day.

The address for the Oceanview of Nahant is 0 Willow Road, Nahant, MA, 01908. Its website can be found at https://oceanviewofnahant.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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Lombardo's in Randolph Morphs into a Marketplace (and Soon, a Drive-In Theater)

While local nightclubs and event spaces are in a particularly tough situation in Massachusetts as the state works its way toward reopening the economy (and clubs and event spaces will be among the last  places to reopen), one wedding/event venue in the southern suburbs of Boston has reconcepted in order to remain open for business--and they are returning to their roots in a way.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Lombardo's in Randolph is now set up as an online marketplace offering a variety of food products including produce, meat and dairy items, prepared foods, and alcohol as well as dry goods and paper goods, all of which can be ordered for contactless pickup each Friday. In addition, the business is turning its sprawling parking lot into a drive-in movie theater, with space for 100 to 140 cars and concessions such as hot dogs, popcorn, candy, and soda that will be brought over to people's vehicles. The drive-in, which plans to offer family-friendly double features shown on Lombardo's wall at least once a week, could be ready to debut by June 25, assuming that the town gives its approval.

The Lombardo family first opened a butcher shop in East Boston nearly 100 years ago, subsequently opening a supermarket in Eastie in the 1950s before eventually opening event venues in East Boston and, later, Randolph, where its sole function hall remains.

The address for Lombardo's is 6 Billings Street, Randolph, MA, 02368. Its website can be found at https://www.lombardos.com/ while the website for the marketplace is at https://togo.lombardos.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 Rising Eagle Is Opening in the Former Stearns & Hill's Bistro Space in Melrose

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like a new restaurant with a colonial theme may be on its way to the northern suburbs of Boston.

Based on a tweet from @kenjimallon, The Rising Eagle is planning to open in the old Stearns & Hill's Bistro space in Melrose, with the picture within the Twitter post showing that it will be "an American Revolutionary Publick House." The Twitter thread also hints that the downstairs area could be a restaurant that is open to the public while the upstairs area may be a function room, though specific details have not been given as of yet--nor is there a specific menu for the place at this point in time. An earlier Patch article mentions that The Rising Eagle is connected to Turner's Seafood across the street, while also stating that the place is expected to offer a rotating list of seasonal items.

Stearns & Hill's Bistro, which was known in part for its steak and seafood dishes, closed last summer after nearly 20 years in business; the upstairs section was briefly home to a Japanese restaurant called Tsukiji Bistro, which opened in late 2017 but shut down last spring.

The address for the upcoming Rising Eagle is 505 Main Street, Melrose, MA, 02176. Its website will be at https://www.risingeaglepublickhouse.com/

[April 11 update: A Facebook post indicates that the function room for The Rising Eagle is now open, but the restaurant itself is not open as of yet.]

[November 27 update: A Facebook post from the place mentions that The Rising Eagle 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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Phillips Old Colony House, Freeport Tavern in Dorchester Closing; Space May Be Redeveloped

A Boston institution that has been the site of countless functions and events over the past few decades is shutting down for good.

According to a Facebook post, the Phillips Old Colony House in Dorchester is closing down on January 15, with a post from the Freeport Tavern (which is located in the same building) saying that it is shuttering that day as well. A note from the hostess at the Freeport Tavern indicates that the Phillips Candy House and the bowling alley will apparently remain open.

The Phillips Old Colony House has been known in part for its function space, which has been used for birthday parties, corporate events, weddings, bereavements, and more, while the Freeport Tavern is a restaurant and bar featuring classic American and New England fare, including a number of seafood dishes.

The address for the Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern is 780 Morrissey Boulevard, Dorchester, MA, 02122. The websites for the two places can be found at http://www.phillipsboston.com/ and http://www.freeporttavern.com/

[January 4 update: The Dorchester Reporter mentions that the family behind the Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern is exploring "alternative uses for the property" and plans to hire a commercial real estate broker to help them market the place for possible redevelopment or a sale.]

Thanks to @chipsy231 for bringing this to our attention.

[May 18 update: A new article in The Dorchester Report states that the Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern property is now on the market, with a mixed-use redevelopment being the likely plan.]

[August 2 update: A notice from E.F. Smith & Son indicates that an auction will be held at the Phillips Old Colony House and Freeport Tavern property tomorrow (Thursday, August 3).]

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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Christina's Fireside Grille in Foxboro Is Closing

A popular function hall southwest of Boston that changed its concept (and name) a couple of years ago is being shut down, though it could reopen once again in the future.

My Fox Boston is reporting that Christina's Fireside Grille in Foxboro is closing on Saturday, June 30, as the owners--radio talk show host Marjorie Clapprood and her husband--are apparently being evicted. The article mentions that the place could reopen under new management, though it is not known if the name would remain the same.

Christina's Fireside Grille first opened in July of 2010, replacing Stoneforge, a restaurant that was under the same ownership. Known in part as a wedding venue, Christina's is reportedly leaving more than a dozen couples without a place to get married due to its abrupt closure.

[August 13 update: The Boston Globe mentions that town selectmen voted in favor of having the all-alcohol restaurant license transferred from the company behind the now-closed Christina's Fireside Grille to the landlord of the building (Nicholas Panagopoulos), who will "pay all outstanding bills for police details plus attorneys fees, and honor deposits for functions and events." The Globe also mentions that Panagopoulos is going to renovate the structure and reopen the place as a steakhouse and function hall.]

The address for this function hall in Foxboro was: Christina's Fireside Grille, 2 Washington Street (Route 1), Foxboro, MA, 02035.


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