Bossmama Taproom & Kitchen in Wakefield Is Bringing Floramo's into Its Space

A dining and drinking spot in the northern suburbs of Boston that is known in part for its "pour your own beer" concept is teaming up with a restaurant that is famous for its steak tips.

According to an Instagram post, Bossmama Taproom & Kitchen in Wakefield is bringing the Floramo's team into their space, with Bossmama keeping its menu in place while Floramo's will be offering their tips, ribs, and more to customers as well. The post indicates that over the next few week, Bossmama and Floramo's will be working to merge the two teams together, and more specifics on the collaboration should be coming out soon over social media.

Floramo's Restaurant had originally been in Chelsea, moving to spaces in Wakefield and Malden in 2022 with both of those locations closing earlier this year. (There is still talk that Floramo's will open back up in Chelsea at some point in the future. )

The address for Bossmama Taproom & Kitchen/Floramo's is 963 Main Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880. The website for Bossmama is at https://bossmamataproom.com/ while the Facebook page for Floramo's is at https://www.facebook.com/@Floramosbarandgrille/

(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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Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea to Close September 9

A restaurant and bar known for its steak tips and ribs will be closing its original location next month.

According to a tweet from the place, Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea is planning to close on September 9, with the post referring customers to their new location in Wakefield and their upcoming restaurant in Malden. As reported here over the past couple of weeks, owner John Floramo has taken over the kitchen of the Dockside Restaurant space on Main Street in Wakefield and is in the process of changing the name of the restaurant to Floramo's, while another location of Floramo's Restaurant is taking over the former House of Smoke/Dockside Restaurant space on Route 60 in Malden.

A message sent to us from Floramo's last week hints that they could possibly open back up in Chelsea at some point, saying that "The land and building in Chelsea was sold voluntarily with a potential to return once construction is complete." (A research and lab building is being planned for the Everett Avenue space.)

The address for Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea is 213 Everett Avenue, Chelsea, MA, 02150. Its website is at http://floramos.net/

[Earlier Articles]
New Development at Floramo's Site in Chelsea Gets Approval; Floramo's Could Return to Space
Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield Is Becoming Floramo's
Floramo's Restaurant Planning to Open in Malden

Floramo's Restaurant Is Opening in Malden

Last week, it was reported that an iconic place for steak tips and ribs was expanding to a new location, and now we have learned that another new one is on its way as well.

According to a Twitter thread from Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, Floramo's Restaurant plans to open in that city, taking over the former House of Smoke/Dockside Restaurant space on Route 60. As mentioned earlier, this would be its second takeover of a Dockside space, as the Wakefield location of Dockside is also becoming Floramo's (and whose kitchen already has owner John Floramo behind it). It isn't exactly known what is becoming of Floramo's in Chelsea [ed note--now closed], as a new development is being planned for that space, though the dining spot has been asked to return once construction is complete.

The address for the upcoming location of  Floramo's Restaurant in Malden is 229 Centre Street (Route 60), Malden, MA, 02148. The website for Floramo's is at http://floramos.net/

[August 4 update: A statement sent to us from Floramo's says the following: "John and Kerri Floramo are so excited to be opening up shop in our hometown of Malden. John is a lifelong resident of the city and he and his wife have raised their family here. They're proud to bring the business to Malden and to serve the residents of this  awesome community.…The land and building in Chelsea was sold voluntarily with a potential to return once construction is complete."]

[September 22 update: A tweet from the restaurant indicates that Floramo's opens in Malden today.]

[Earlier Article]
Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield Is Becoming Floramo's

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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Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield Is Becoming Floramo's

Last month, it was reported that the owner of a beloved spot for steak tips and ribs was taking over the kitchen of a restaurant in the northern suburbs, and now we have learned that the kitchen isn't the only thing changing.

A tweet from Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea says (via a screenshot of an article from the Wakefield Daily Item) that Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield is in the process of becoming a new location of Floramo's. Back in the early part of June, John Floramo started serving lunch at the Main Street spot, offering some faves from the original Floramo's, and a few days later he started offering dinner as well there. It is not known what kinds of changes (if any) the menu might ultimately have at the Wakefield location of Floramo's, and it isn't known if this will be more of a move or a second location, as a new development is being planned for the Floramo's space in Chelsea, though they have apparently been asked to return once construction is complete.

The address for Dockside Restaurant (and the upcoming Floramo's Restaurant) in Wakefield is 1099 Main Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880. The website for Dockside is at https://www.docksiderestaurants.com/ while the website for Floramo's is at http://floramos.net/

[Earlier Articles]
Owner of Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea Takes Over Kitchen at Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield
New Development at Floramo's Site in Chelsea Gets Approval; Floramo's Could Return to Space

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!

Owner of Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea Takes Over Kitchen at Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield

The owner of a legendary spot for steak tips and ribs just outside of Boston is now serving some of their faves at a restaurant in the northern suburbs.

According to a notice from the place, John Floramo of Floramo's Restaurant in Chelsea has taken over the kitchen at Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield, with the post stating that "His lunch menu, cooked his way, with his recipes and sauces will start [Monday, June 6]" while showing a menu that includes steak and turkey tips, ribs, shrimp scampi, veal cutlet, and more. In addition, a tweet from Dockside says to "Stay tuned for a BIG announcement!" while including a #comingsoon hashtag, so we should know more as to the exact plans for the space over the coming days and weeks.

Floramo's, which dates back to the mid-1980s, is known for its grill items, BBQ, and Italian dishes, along with its famous slogan "where the meat falls off the bone." Dockside once had locations in Malden (two) and Chelsea, with one of the Malden outlets now being home to House of Smoke, a BBQ spot under the same ownership.

The address for Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield is 1099 Main Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880. Its website is at https://www.docksiderestaurants.com/ while the website for Floramo's Restaurant is at http://floramos.net/

[June 10 update: A new tweet indicates that John Floramo now has a dinner menu in place at Dockside in Wakefield, including such items as steak tips, sausage, BBQ chicken breast, haddock marinara, and more.]

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!

Flip The Bird Is Opening in Salem

A growing local group of North Shore dining spots that focus on fried chicken sandwiches will be opening another new location north of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Flip the Bird is planning to open a new location in Salem, with a Facebook post from the business saying that "If you know the address: NO SPOILERS! We'll announce it shortly. We can't wait! And thank you Mayor for playing along with us!" This is one of two new outlets of the chicken place on the way, with another opening in Danvers; the new locations will be joining others at the Cabot Plaza in Beverly, Cummings Center in Beverly, and the Swampscott Mall in Swampscott.

Flip the Bird features chicken sandwiches along with ribs, biscuits, salads, side dishes, frappes, and more. The website for all locations can be found at https://flipthebirdfriedchicken.com/

[July 15, 2022 update: According to its Facebook, page, Flip the Bird is now open at 14 New Derby Street in Salem.]

[Earlier Article]
Flip The Bird to Open in Danvers

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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Flip The Bird Is Opening in Danvers

A trio of dining spots on the North Shore that focus on fried chicken sandwiches will be opening a new location which will also be north of Boston.

According to Facebook post from the place (via a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page), Flip the Bird is planning to open in Danvers this summer, joining other locations at the Cabot Plaza in Beverly, Cummings Center in Beverly, and the Swampscott Mall in Swampscott. Based on those outlets, expect to see a variety of chicken sandwiches along with ribs, biscuits, salads, side dishes, and frappes.

The website for all locations of Flip the Bird can be found at https://flipthebirdfriedchicken.com/

[June 25 update: According to a source, the new location of Flip the Bird in Danvers will be taking over the former ToppSalad space at 198 Endicott Street.]

[October 7 update: Wicked Local states that Flip the Bird opens today in Danvers.]

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.)

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Flip The Bird Opens in Beverly

A new restaurant featuring fried chicken sandwiches has come to the North Shore.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Flip The Bird is now open in Beverly, moving into a space in the Cabot Plaza on Route 1A. The post says that owners Anthony Marino and Victoria Farnsworth, who also run Marino's Cafe in the nearby Cummings Center, offer a variety of chicken sandwiches along with ribs, with the menu showing such sandwich options as The "OG" (a fried chicken sandwich on a potato roll with buttermilk ranch and half sour pickles) and The Nashville (Nashville-dipped fried chicken on a potato roll with lettuce, a pickled relish called chow-chow, and Bayou sauce).

The address for this new dining spot in Beverly is: Flip The Bird, 407 Cabot Street (Route 1A), Beverly, MA, 01915. The website for the restaurant will be at https://flipthebirdfriedchicken.com/

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

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Fifteen Chicken Dishes from Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Matthew Gaudet (West Bridge) Is Opening SuperFine Food in Manchester-by-the-Sea

One of the people behind a high-end Cambridge restaurant that closed at the beginning of the year is getting ready to open a new eatery on the North Shore.

Boston Magazine is reporting that Matthew Gaudet of the now-shuttered West Bridge in Kendall Square is teaming up with business partner Paul Emmett to open SuperFine Food in Manchester-by-the-Sea, with the dining spot expected to open sometime this week in the former Christine's Coffee Cup space. The article says that the Union Street restaurant will be a casual, family-friendly counter-service spot that offers salads, pizza, ribs, seafood, and more, along with beer, wine, and cocktails, though the cocktail list was still being worked on as of late last week.

Gaudet and Alexis Gelburd-Kimler closed West Bridge at the end of December after three years in business, saying at the time that they decided to shut down the upscale French-New England fusion restaurant in order to "pursue new opportunities."

The address for SuperFine Food is 25 Union Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, 01944. Its website will be at http://www.superfinefood.com/

[August 31 update: A tweet from Boston Magazine states that SuperFine Food opens today at 3:00 PM.]

[Earlier Article]
West Bridge in Cambridge's Kendall Square is Closing

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pizzas in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Lilian's Smokin' Rack Barbecue Truck to Debut in Boston

A food truck that offers ribs and more will soon be setting up in the heart of downtown Boston.

An article from Eater Boston and a post from UrbanDaddy indicate that Lilian's Smokin' Rack Barbecue will be debuting on April 1, with EB saying that it will be stationed at the Rings Fountain along the Rose Kennedy Greenway on Tuesdays. UrbanDaddy says that in addition to Texas-style ribs, the truck will also be offering pulled pork sandwiches and sweet tea, with the sandwich having BBQ sauce made using maple syrup from New Hampshire.

[March 27 update: A Facebook post from Lilian's gives the full schedule for its truck, with it being at the Charlestown Navy Yard on Mondays, Rings Fountain on Tuesdays, City Hall Plaza on Wednesdays, the Greenway at Atlantic Avenue and High Street on Thursdays, and Belvidere Street by the Prudential Center on Fridays.]

Lilian's started out as a business focusing on dry rubs for Texas-style BBQ, with original, spicy, and salt-free blends sold. The website can be found at http://www.liliansmokinrackbbq.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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ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2012 Coming to East Cambridge, October 21, 2012

A food event and street fair that features ribs is coming to East Cambridge once again in October.

On Sunday, October 21, the East Cambridge Business Association (ECBA) "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2012 will be held on Cambridge Street (between Fulkerson Street and Fifth Street), with the event taking place from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The rib fest is a competition where pit masters face off to see who makes the best ribs in Cambridge, with guests trying samples of ribs and voting for their favorites. In addition to the rib samplings, each restaurant will also sell one of their own dishes from their menu. A few dining spots that will be participating in the rib fest include Area Four, Atwood's Tavern, Bambara, East Side Bar and Grille, Lord Hobo, Ole, Portugalia, Tupelo, and others.

A Taste Ticket is needed in order to try 10 rib samples from participating restaurants, with tickets going on sale September 20.

For more information on the ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2012, please go to the link below:

http://eastcambridgeba.dreamhosters.com/


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M&M Ribs to Bring Truck to Downtown Boston and the South End

A food truck in Roxbury that has featured Southern style dishes for three decades is going to start setting up shop at two locations in downtown Boston as well as one spot in the city's South End neighborhood.

The Boston Herald reports that the owner of M&M Ribs will start taking his truck to City Hall Plaza, Kilby Street in the Financial District, and the corner of Tremont Street and East Berkeley Street in the South End. Currently, the truck, which offers such items as beef and pork ribs, BBQ chicken, brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken wings, operates in a parking lot at the corner of Hampden Street and Kemble Street in Roxbury, but starting in May, M&M Ribs will also be stationed at these three spots.

The article mentions that the truck will be at City Hall Plaza on Tuesdays, while on Wednesdays it will be at Tremont and East Berkeley streets from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Kilby Street from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM. It will be at its Roxbury location the rest of the week.

The website for M&M Ribs can be found at http://mandmribs.com/

Thanks to Grub Street Boston for bringing this to our attention.

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ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2011 to Be Held in East Cambridge October 9

A culinary event that focuses on ribs returns to East Cambridge this month.

According to the East Cambridge Business Association (ECBA) website, the ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2011 is coming to Cambridge Street (between Fulkerson Street and Fifth Street) on Sunday, October 9, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM. As was the case last year, the event will be a competition between pit masters from a number of local restaurants, including Area Four, Bambara, Bosphorus, East Side Bar and Grille, Lord Hobo, Muqueca, Portugalia, Think Tank, Tupelo, and several others.

In addition to the rib competition, the "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2011 will also feature cooking demos from local chefs, children's activities, a hayride, and live music. The event is free to the public, but if you would like to sample the ribs and cast your vote, the "Taste Tickets" cost $20 each.

For more information on the ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2011, please go to the ECBA link below.

ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest

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ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2010 Coming to Cambridge October 17

A culinary event is coming to East Cambridge in October, and it will be focused on ribs.

According to The Cambridge Chronicle and Wicked Local, the East Cambridge Business Association (ECBA) will be hosting the ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2010 on Sunday, October 17 on Cambridge Street between Fulkerson Street and Sixth Street (east of Inman Square and west of Lechmere Square). The event, which goes from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, will be a competition between pit masters from Atwood's Tavern, Bambara, East Side Bar and Grille, Formaggio Kitchen, Hungry Mother, Oleana, Pug's Bar and Grill, and Tupelo. The pit masters will be competing for a $500 prize, which goes toward a charity of their choice.

Included at the festival will be various items from the competing restaurants' menus, including non-BBQ items, according to the article. There will also be children's activities provided by East End House, a nonprofit multi-service community center and social service agency that is located on nearby Spring Street.

Tickets to rib fest are $15 per person.

For more information on the ECBA "Smoke This" Rib Fest 2010, please go to the Cambridge Chronicle/Wicked Local link below.

East Cambridge rib fest planned for Oct. 17

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