Boston Restaurant Talk: hot pot

Showing posts with label hot pot. Show all posts

Friday, April 03, 2026

Soup Zen Hot Pot to Open at the Burlington Mall

An Asian restaurant located north of the border will be expanding to the Greater Boston area, bringing a new location to the northern suburbs.

According to an article from the Daily Times Chronicle, Soup Zen Hot Pot is planning to open at the Burlington Mall, with What Now Boston saying that it will be joining its sole location which resides in Montreal. The website for the business mentions that the restaurant "fuses authentic recipes from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond with contemporary influences," while if all goes as planned, the new location will open sometime this fall.

The website for the Montreal location of Soup Zen Hot Pot is at https://www.soupzenhotpot.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[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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Tuesday, September 30, 2025

GrowlGrowl to Open in Boston's Downtown Crossing

A brand new Asian restaurant is making plans to open in the heart of Boston.

According to an article from What Now Boston, GrowlGrowl is going to be opening in Downtown Crossing, moving into a space on Winter Street near where it meets Tremont Street. The article mentions that the upcoming eatery could feature hot pot options with pan-Asian street food influences, with several soup bases possibly being offered.

If all goes well, GrowlGrowl may be opening in late October.

The address for the upcoming GrowlGrowl Hot Pot is 48 Winter Street, Boston, MA, 02108. Its website can be found at https://growlgrowl.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Haidilao Hot Pot to Open in Downtown Boston

A chain of hot pot places is expanding to Boston, opening a location in the heart of the city.

According to a licensing board hearing page, Haidilao Hot Pot is planning to open in downtown Boston, moving into a space by the corner of Washington Street and Avery Street. An earlier Boston Globe article mentioned that the eatery is indeed on its way, saying that it would have seating for at least 200, and the hearing notice does say that it plans to have seating for 248 in one large room on the ground floor of the building with "various seating areas and dining tables."

Haidilao got its start in China in the mid-1990s and has a handful of locations in the United States today, with its closest to Boston being in the Flushing section of Queens, NY.

The address for the upcoming Haidilao Hot Pot is 601 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02111. The website for the business can be found at https://www.haidilao-inc.com/us

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

Little Q Hot Pot in East Arlington Has Closed

A Chinese restaurant in the northwest suburbs of Boston has closed after being in the space for nearly 15 years.

A source has confirmed to us that Little Q Hot Pot in East Arlington is no longer in operation, with a note out front indicating that it officially closed on October 28 while also hinting that there may be future plans to return elsewhere, saying to "follow up with our website if you...need information about any openings in different locations." Little Q first opened on Mass. Ave. in 2010, being an offshoot of a restaurant with the same name that once resided in the long-closed Quincy Fair Mall on Hancock Street in Quincy Center; another restaurant in Boston's Chinatown called The Q had a connection to the Quincy eatery as well, with that place remaining in operation.

The address for the now-closed Little Q Hot Pot in East Arlington was 196 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02474.

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Hungry Pot Opens in Natick

A small regional group of all-you-can-eat Korean hot pot and BBQ places has opened its first location in the Greater Boston area.

According to a Facebook post from Kiat Cormier of the ChewOnThis group page, Hungry Pot is now open in Natick, moving into a space on Route 9 just east of the Framingham line. The new outlet joins several others in Connecticut along with one in Dartmouth, MA and another in Nashua, NH, and it is open for lunch and dinner.

The address for the new location of Hungry Pot is 1400 Worcester Street (Route 9), Natick, MA, 01760. The website for all locations is at https://hungrypotusa.com/

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Thursday, August 08, 2024

Mala Town Is Apparently Replacing Tasty Pot in Allston

It looks like a group of hot pot places may be expanding to Boston, taking over the space where a location of another chain of hot pot places had been.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Mala Town appears to be opening in Allston, moving into the Tasty Pot space on Harvard Avenue. A Google search seems to confirm this, showing the following below the listing for the Harvard Street address:

Mala Town redefines dining with its innovative build-your-own hot pot bowls, where customers can mix and match ingredients, paying by the pound. Rooted in rich tradition yet embracing modern tastes, our secret recipes have fueled over 6000 global locations. We emphasize the convenience and personalization of our bowls, making each dining experience unique. Every bowl is an exploration of flavors and a celebration of choice, reflecting our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

Currently, the closest locations of Mala Town can be found in New York City and Edison, NJ.

The address for the upcoming location of Mala Town is 194 Harvard Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134. The website for the company is at https://www.malatown.us/

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Top Pot Opens in Braintree

A brand new Asian restaurant has come to the South Shore.

A check on the place over the weekend indicates that Top Pot has opened in Braintree, moving into a space on Quincy Avenue just south of the Quincy line. The menu for the dining spot shows such options as sushi, hot pot, noodle dishes, fried rice, pu pu platters, seafood platters, and more, and it has a bar within the space as well.

The address for Top Pot in Braintree is 462 Quincy Avenue, Braintree, MA, 02184. Its website can be found at https://www.toppotbraintree.com/

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

KPOT to Open Locations in Dedham, Malden, and Methuen

A Korean restaurant chain with roots in New York City will be expanding to the local area, bringing at least three outlets to Eastern Massachusetts.

According to its website, KPOT is planning to open locations in Dedham, Malden, and Methuen, with the Dedham outlet opening at the Dedham Mall on Providence Highway, the Malden outlet opening in the former John Brewer's Tavern space on Highland Avenue, and the Methuen outlet opening at The Loop on Pleasant Valley Street. Based on the other locations, expect to see all-you-can-eat Korean hot pot and Korean BBQ at the upcoming restaurants.

KPOT first started out in the Flushing section of Queens in 2018; the website for the chain can be found at https://thekpot.com/

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

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Friday, November 24, 2023

Zhang Liang Malatang to Open in the Former Dok Bua Space in Brookline

Last month it was reported that a chain of Chinese restaurant known for their spicy (and numbing) Sichuan hot pot options would be coming to Boston, and now we have learned that another chain of Sichuan hot pot spots will be coming to Brookline, with that one replacing a beloved Thai restaurant.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Zhang Liang Malatang is planning to open on Harvard Street, moving into the space where Dok Bua had been until closing in September. News of the hot spot restaurant comes on the heels of YGF Malatang planning to open on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay/Fenway Area, with both chains offering hot pot with numbing Sichuan peppercorns.

The address for the upcoming Zhang Liang Malatang is 411 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, 02446.

[Earlier Articles]
Dok Bua in Brookline Is Closing
YGF Malatang Is Opening in Boston's Back Bay/Fenway Area

NOTE: We need your help, as Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is dealing with health issues and some major related expenses. Please donate at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

[More restaurant openings/closings from the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Friday, October 27, 2023

YGF Malatang Is Opening in Boston's Back Bay/Fenway Area

It looks like a chain of Chinese restaurants known for some very spicy dishes is on its way to Boston.

According to a source, signs are now up for YGF Malatang which is planning to open at the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston Street where the Back Bay and the Fenway meet, Based on a voting hearing agenda page within the city's website, the new eatery will have a small dining room with seating for 18, and based on its other locations, expect to find spicy (and numbing) Sichuan hot pot options at the place. It looks like this will be the chain's first location in New England, as locations in the United States currently appear to only be found on the West Coast.

The address for the Boston location of YGF Malatang is 137 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115.

[January 26, 2024 update: Our source tells us that YGF Malatang is now open.]

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Friday, September 23, 2022

Shabu & Mein in Cambridge Is Closing

A Cambridge restaurant that is known in part for its ramen and hotpot is shutting down.

According to a Twitter post from the place, Shabu & Mein on First Street is closing on September 30, with the tweet saying that "our building is undergoing a complete renovation and we are the only tenant left. In order to facilitate this renovation we have decided to close." The note refers customers to its "sister restaurants" which includes a handful of Fuji restaurants throughout the Greater Boston area.

Shabu & Mein first opened its doors in 2014.

The address for Shabu & Mein is 148 First Street, Cambridge, MA, 02141. Its website can be found at https://www.shabumein.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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!

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Update: Qiao Lin Hotpot to Open in Allston, Plans to Acquire Liquor License of Now-Closed Italian Express Pizzeria in East Boston

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 24 to reflect the correct address for the proposed restaurant.]

A new hot pot restaurant may be on its way to Allston, and it could be getting its liquor license from an Italian eatery in East Boston that once gained national recognition via a TV show.

According to a licensing board hearing page, Qiao Lin Hotpot is planning to acquire the license of the former Italian Express Pizzeria in the Jeffries Point section of Eastie, with the manager listed for the restaurant being Xun Yang. We have been told by Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub that the hearing notice gave incorrect information, saying that Qiao Lin Hotpot would be opening in the Italian Express Pizzeria space; an article from Adam indicates that the place will instead open on the ground floor of a soon-to-be-completed condo building at 392-396 Cambridge Street in Allston.

Italian Express Pizzeria first opened on Sumner Street 13 years ago after being in two other locations in Eastie, with the restaurant being featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" back in 2012.

[Earlier Article]
Italian Express Pizzeria in East Boston Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Friday, July 29, 2022

Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot Is Opening in the Former Quincy Dynasty Space in North Quincy

It looks like a new hot pot restaurant is getting ready to open in Quincy, and it has the same name as a dining spot that had been hoping to open in downtown Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot is opening on Billings Street in North Quincy, taking over the space where Quincy Dynasty had once been. The poster mentions that it is not yet open but is in the process of hiring workers, while a website for the place is up and shows a variety of broths, meats, seafood, veggies, and noodles available. A couple of years ago, a restaurant called Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot had been looking to open in the New Jumbo space on Hudson Street in Chinatown, but Jumbo Seafood is now in that space.

The address for Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot in North Quincy is 47 Billings Road, Quincy, MA, 02171. Its website can be found at https://www.weishuwuhotpot.com/

[October 27 update: According to its website, Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot is now open in North Quincy.]

[Earlier Article]
Wei Shu Wu Hot Pot May Be Replacing New Jumbo Seafood Restaurant in Boston's Chinatown

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Update: Dynasty Hot Pot to Open in Boston's Chinatown

[Ed note: This article was updated on May 26 to reflect the actual name of the place.]

A new hot pot place is looking to open in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, a restaurant that they say would be called Dalongyi Hot Pot is planning to open on Hudson Street--though Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub says that the name will actually be Dynasty Hot Pot and that Dailongy Hot Pot, Inc. appears to be the name of the parent company--and the address indicates that it could be moving into the old China Pavilion space, though Adam has learned that it would actually go into the former Ginza space next door. (China Pavilion is a long-closed restaurant whose sign can still be seen on a building next to the empty lot where it had once been, based on a Sampan article from Richard Auffrey.)

As mentioned here earlier, a restaurant called Dalongyi Hot Pot had been planning to open in the former Le's space on Brighton Avenue in Allston; it is not known if those plans--which were first announced last summer--are still in the works, nor is it known if there is any connection between that place and this spot.

The address for the proposed Dynasty Hot Pot in Chinatown is 14B Hudson Street, Boston, MA, 02111.

[Earlier Article]
Dalongyi Hot Pot Plans to Replace Le's in Allston

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Friday, July 23, 2021

Dalongyi Hot Pot Plans to Replace Le's in Allston

A longtime Vietnamese restaurant in Allston may be going away, and new hot pot place could be opening in its space.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, Dalongyi Hot Pot is seeking to acquire the beer and wine license currently held by Le's on Brighton Avenue, with the plan being to open in that location. Little is known about the proposed eatery other than the fact that the manager listed is Ping Hong Chen; the hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28, so more may be known by then.

Le's has been in its Allston space for approximately 15 years; previous to that, the space had been home to Pho Pasteur. Another location of Le's is in Cambridge's Harvard Square while a restaurant called Pho Le can be found in Dorchester.

The address for the proposed Dalongyi Hot Pot (and Le's) is 137 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

[October 15 update: According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Le's in Allston is now closed.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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.)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Shu DaXia Hot Pot Plans to Replace Scoozi in Boston's Kenmore Square Area

A group of hot pot restaurants based in China may be expanding to Boston, opening an outlet where a gourmet pizzeria and sandwich bar currently resides.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, Shu DaXia Hot Pot is planning to open on the edge of Kenmore Square, taking over the Scoozi space on Commonwealth Avenue. The proposed hot pot spot is also seeking the beer and wine license currently held by Scoozi, and the eatery would include a main dining room and bar along with a kitchen. If approved, it appears that this might be the first location of Shu DaXia Hot Pot in the United States, as its others are located in Asia and Australia. (The headquarters for the company are in Chengdu in the Sichuan province of China.) Shu DaXia claims to have the most popular Sichuan hot pot in China, according to its website.

Scoozi first opened on Commonwealth Avenue back in 2010; another outlet had been located on Newbury Street in the Back Bay, but that one closed in 2017.

The address for Scoozi (and the proposed Shu DaXia Hot Pot) is 580 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215. A web page for the Boston location of Shu DaXia can be found at https://www.sdxhotpot.com/2019/05/30/boston-hot-pot/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Happy Lamb Hot Pot Plans to Open in Former Sunset Grill and Tap Space in Allston

It looks like a hot pot place may be opening a third Boston-area location, and this one would take over the space where a renowned beer bar had been.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the City of Boston website, Happy Lamb Hot Pot is seeking to acquire the beer and wine license held by the now-closed Sunset Grill & Tap in Allston, with the plan being to open within that Brighton Avenue space. If approved, the new eatery would join other locations in Chinatown and Cambridge's Central Square.

Sunset Grill & Tap closed in late 2017, several months after its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; the restaurant and bar had been in business for approximately 20 years and was known in part for its nachos and extensive beer list.

The address for the proposed location of Happy Lamb Hot Pot is 130 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Spicy World Is Opening in Malden

A restaurant in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood that claims to be the first of its kind in the entire state is expanding northward.

According to a source, Spicy World is opening in Malden, moving into a space on Pleasant Street where Oppa's Kitchen and Bar had been until closing last year. Our source indicates that like the original location on Beach Street in Chinatown, the new outlet of Spicy World will feature Sichuan skewer pots, a food item that they say they introduced to Massachusetts and which diners are given a broth that they choose along with sticks of meat and vegetables and such items as noodles and freshly-made dumplings that are added to the broth (which typically includes warming ingredients such as Sichuan peppers). Our source also mentions that the place will also be a "street fighter cafe" with consoles lining one of the bars in front of TVs where players can compete in street-fighting (and other) tournaments.

The address for this new restaurant in Malden is: Spicy World, 157 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA, 02148. The website for the original location in Chinatown can be found at https://www.spicyworldboston.com/

[June 6 update: Our source tells us that Spicy World is now open.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Liuyishou Hotpot Is Expanding to Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A large chain of Chongqing hot pot restaurants based in China is making its way to Boston.

According to a source (Geoff Wong), Liuyishou Hotpot is opening in Chinatown, moving into the former Joy Luck Hot Pot space on Washington Street. This has also been confirmed by Eater New York, which says that "two more locations are set to open in Boston and Seattle by the end of this year." Once it opens, expect to see such broth options as a beef oil spicy soup base and a vegetable oil based along with a combination of the two, while ingredients include beef, pork, lamb, veggies, and more. (The city of Chongqing is known in part for its spicy Sichuan cuisine, including Chongqing hot pot.)

Currently, only three other locations of Liuyishou Hotpot can be found in the United States, including in Flushing, NY, Princeton, NJ, and San Mateo, CA.

The address for this new hot pot restaurant in Chinatown is: Liuyishou Hotpot, 702 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02111. The website for the chain can be found at http://www.liuyishouna.com/

[January 10, 2019 update: A message from Geoff Wong indicates that Liuyishou Hotpot has soft-opened.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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

Friday, June 29, 2018

Tasty Pot Replacing In House Cafe in Allston

by Marc Hurwitz

A small group of Taiwanese hot pot places is expanding to Boston, opening where a Mediterranean eatery had been.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Tasty Pot is opening in Allston in the former In House Cafe space on Brighton Avenue, with the dining spot offering an array of hot pot options along with appetizers, desserts, and a variety of milk teas. Currently, the mini-chain has a dozen outlets in California and one in Ontario, with this shop being its first on the East Coast.

Eater says that In House Cafe plans to open in a new location, though it is not known exactly where at this point.

The address for the new Tasty Pot (and now-closed In House Cafe) is 194 Harvard Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134. The website for its other locations can be found at https://www.tastypotusa.com/

[October 9 update: Eater Boston states that Tasty Pot is now open in Allston.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]