MonteVerdi to Open at The Royal Sonesta in Cambridge

A new Italian dining spot is on its way to a riverside space in Cambridge, and a well-known local restaurateur is behind it.

According to a press release, Seth Greenberg (Mistral, Mooo Seaport, Serafina Seaport, Serafina Back Bay) is planning to open MonteVerdi in the former Dante space at The Royal Sonesta Boston, which is located along the Charles River on Edward H. Land Boulevard. The upcoming spot will feature a mix of traditional and modern Italian dishes along with beer, wine, and cocktails, and the space will include an outdoor terrace with views of the Charles as well as a private dining room.

If all goes as planned, MonteVerdi will open sometime in May and will initially offer dinner service and a weekend brunch, while lunch service and a raw bar will be added at a later date.

The address for MonteVerdi (and The Royal Sonesta Boston) is 40 Edwin H Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA, 02142. The web page for the hotel can be found at https://www.sonesta.com/royal-sonesta/ma/cambridge/royal-sonesta-boston

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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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Update: The Faraway May Be Opening in the Riverside/Cambridgeport Section of Cambridge

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated on February 15 to reflect the fact that a specific location has not yet been given for the place.]

It looks like a new restaurant and bar may be on its way to a section of Cambridge that is just outside of Central Square.

According to a tweet, The Faraway is planning to open in the Riverside/Cambridgeport area of the city, while a Kickstarter page indicates that two sisters are behind the proposed dining and drinking spot, with the fundraising page saying that it would be "a cozy neighborhood bar & restaurant serving New American, farmer's market-influenced small plates focused on great service with a jukebox & busy brunch....We aim to be an extension for the community, hosting pop-ups with chefs around the world, neighborhood-centered dinners and a place to gather regularly." The Kickstarter campaign appears to have already surpassed its goal of raising $18,000 (which has been set up to help pay for a variety of things, including tables, chairs, and flooring), and that the owners hope to open The Faraway sometime late in the summer if all goes well with the licensing and permitting process along with city inspections.

While the original tweet mentioned a specific location, we have been told that The Faraway does not actually have a confirmed location at this point in time.

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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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88 Wharf in Milton Landing Is Now Prime Pizza

by Marc Hurwitz

An upscale restaurant known in part for its riverside views has been replaced by a new eatery that focuses on pizza.

According to a source within the Quincy Is Everything Facebook group page, 88 Wharf in Milton Landing is now Prime Pizza, with our source saying that the new spot has at least a partial ownership connection to the old spot. 88 Wharf first opened in 2009, featuring mostly New American and Mediterranean fare, though it began to focus on Mexican cuisine before it closed; the new Prime Pizza offers items such as burgers hanger steak, chicken piccata, bolognese, and grilled salmon in addition to pizza.

88 Wharf had been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) as an under-the-radar spot featuring a patio above the Neponset River, with the review being found here:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/88Wharf.html

The address for the new Prime Pizza is 88 Wharf Street, Milton, MA, 02186. Its website can be found at https://www.primemilton.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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Danversport Yacht Club Restaurant to Close

A popular riverside restaurant north of Boston is going to be closing its doors.

The Danvers Herald is reporting that the Danversport Yacht Club Grille and Bistro will be shutting down on April 2, with owner Paul DeLorenzo saying that the restaurant area will become an event venue. DeLorenzo says that gift cards for the dining spot can be used for public events, while unused cards will be fully refunded.

The Danversport Yacht Club first opened in 1970.

The address for the Danversport Yacht Club Grille and Bistro is 161 Elliott Street, Danvers, MA, 01923. The website for the yacht club can be found at http://www.danversport.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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Brelundi Opens within the Watch Factory in Waltham

A second location of an Italian restaurant has opened in Waltham, and this one resides within an historic building in a particularly scenic location.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Brelundi is now open in the Watch Factory building on Crescent Street, joining its original location on Felton Street, which first opened in early 2015. The new outlet of the restaurant is a full-service spot while the original, focuses more on takeout, with both offering mostly Southern Italian and Sicilian fare.

The Watch Factory, which dates back to the mid-1800s, is located a couple of blocks west of Moody Street on the Charles River.

The address for the new location of Brelundi is 185 Crescent Street, Waltham, MA 02453. The website for both locations is at http://www.brelundi.com/

[Earlier Article]
Two Locations of Brelundi to Open in Waltham

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

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Viola Restaurant and Wine Bar in Braintree Has Closed

An Italian restaurant in Braintree has closed its doors after being in business for nearly five years.

Several sources over the past week mentioned that Viola Restaurant and Wine Bar on Washington Street has shuttered, and a check on the place this weekend indicates that it is indeed gone. The dining spot first opened in the spring of 2008, featuring such items as pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and pizza. In addition to its main dining room, Viola also had a small outdoor patio that overlooked the Monatiquot River.

The address for this now-closed eatery in Braintree was: Viola Restaurant and Wine Bar, 1209 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184.


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Changes Coming to 88 Wharf in Milton

It looks like changes are on the way to a Milton restaurant that is one of only a few riverside dining spots in the Boston area.

Grub Street Boston reports that 88 Wharf on Wharf Street in Milton Landing is going to have both their menu and drinks list overhauled, with the folks behind La Morra in Brookline working on the former and the mixologist at Silvertone in downtown Boston working on the latter. 88 Wharf first opened in the summer of 2009, offering mostly New American fare and upscale comfort food and featuring an outdoor patio that overlooks the Neponset River. The restaurant, which is located on the ground floor of a condominium development behind Milton Village, has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants), with a link to the review being here:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/88Wharf.html

Grub Street mentions that the changes to 88 Wharf should be in place sometime this spring, and that the changes to the menu will apparently have the restaurant lean at least a bit more toward Italian cuisine.

[March 1 update: A bit more information on changes coming to 88 Wharf--the people who run La Morra are going to change the menu at 88 Wharf so that it will lean more toward inventive American comfort food with Italian and Irish leanings, and the wine list will include an array of options from Italy. The La Morra folks have already begun to partner with 88 Wharf, so changes could be on their way very soon.]

Josh and Jennifer Ziskin, opened La Morra in late 2003. Located at 48 Boylston Street at the foot of Brookline Village, La Morra features traditional northern Italian cuisine, cicchetti (tapas-like small plate portions) and a nightly prezzo fisso (set meal) menu. La Morra is also the name of the town in the Piedmont region where Josh began his training making fresh pasta, pressing wine and hunting for truffles. Celebrating 8 years of exceptional service and cuisine, La Morra has been fortunate to receive rave reviews from the food critics of Boston.

The address for this restaurant in Milton Landing is: 88 Wharf, 88 Wharf Street, Milton, MA, 02186.

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Rhode Island Dining Spot Makes List of Top 50 Scenic Restaurant Views

A travel news and commentary website that has been in existence since the late 1990s has come out with a list of 50 restaurants in the United States with scenic views, and a Rhode Island spot made the list.

The list put out by Consumer Traveler, which was released yesterday, shows that The Boat House in Tiverton, RI, is the only New England restaurant to be included among the "Top 50 Scenic Restaurant Views." The Boat House looks out at the Sakonnet River from its location within the gates of the Villages on Mount Hope Bay condominium complex, and it has both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu at the eatery tends to focus on seafood, though it does also have chicken and beef dishes, along with sandwiches.

In addition to The Boat House in Tiverton, The Consumer Traveler list includes several dining spots in New York City, including R Lounge at Two Times Square, Robert, The View Restaurant, and Top of the Tower, as well as Water's Edge in Long Island City.

For a look at the complete list, please go to the Consumer Traveler link below.

Top 50 most scenic restaurant views

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The Powow River Grille in Amesbury Is Closing

A riverside restaurant north of Boston that features an eclectic mix of ethnic dishes and comfort food will soon be closing. According to the Daily News of Newburyport, the Powow River Grille in Amesbury will close its doors at the end of 2009 after being in business for about five years. The owners of the restaurant (who also own the Plum Island Grille on nearby Plum Island) are apparently closing the Powow River Grille because one of the owners is looking at some type of new business venture.

The Powow River Grille has been serving a variety of unique dishes to diners over the past few years, including pan-roasted pineapple duck, lobster lasagna, Thai seafood stew, pan-seared ahi tuna over organic greens. The restaurant also offers such comfort food dishes as burgers and fried haddock.

The address for this soon-to-close restaurant north of Boston is: The Powow River Grille, 33 Main Street, Amesbury, MA, 01913. The phone number is (978) 388-2300.

For more on the pending closing of the Powow River Grille, please go to the Daily News of Newburyport link below:

Powow River Grille to close at year's end

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