Highlights for the Week Ending October 10, 2014

Several more stories and articles focusing on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a cheap eats spot in the Back Bay closing, a British sandwich chain shutting one of its Boston locations, and a now-closed Harvard Square eatery possibly reopening in another location. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) included an updated review of an Italian restaurant in Lexington, a new slideshow on comfort food items in the Boston area, and a photo of a lamb dish from a Brookline dining spot.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Men-Tei in Boston's Back Bay Has Closed

Is Peet's Coffee Taking Over Goody Glover's in Boston's North End?

Pret a Manger Is Closing One Of Its Locations in Boston's Back Bay

Veggie Planet May Reopen in New Location

Noodles and Company to Open Locations in Medford, Westwood, and Woburn

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Updated Review: Via Lago in Lexington, MA

Photo: Cheeseburger from City Streets in Waltham, MA

New Slideshow: Twelve More Comfort Food Items from Boston-Area Restaurants

Photo: Crab Cakes from Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy, MA

Photo: Lamb Chops from Orinoco in Brookline, MA

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Men-Tei in Boston's Back Bay Has Closed

An Asian restaurant in the Back Bay of Boston that was known as one of the few good options for inexpensive food in the neighborhood has closed its doors.

According to a post from BostonZest on the Chowhound site, Men-Tei on Hereford Street is no longer in business, with a note out front thanking customers for their support over the years. A phone call placed to the restaurant seems to confirm its closure, with the number no longer being in service.

Men-Tei was a casual dining spot that focused mainly on reasonably-priced Japanese fare, including ramen dishes, teriyaki, curry rice, and fried oysters. The eatery had been in business for a bit less than 20 years.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in the Back Bay was: Men-Tei, 66 Hereford Street, Boston, MA, 02115.

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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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Peet's Coffee Is Moving into the Goody Glover's Space in Boston's North End

It looks like a California-based coffee roaster and retailer is taking over a space in Boston's North End where an Irish pub and restaurant currently resides.

According to a Twitter post from @NorthEndBoston, Peet's Coffee is "looking to replace Goody Glover's" on Salem Street, with the note saying that an abutters meeting will be taking place on October 20 at the site of the restaurant to look into the proposal. No other information has been given at this point in time; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.

Currently, Peet's Coffee has locations in Brookline, Cambridge, Lexington, Newton Centre, and Wellesley (with new locations planned for several sites in Boston and Brookline), along with cafe/bank collaborations called Capital One 360 Cafe in Boston and Brookline. The website for the Peet's chain is at http://www.peets.com/

The address for Goody Glover's (and the new location of Peet's Coffee) is 50 Salem Street, Boston, MA, 02113. Its website can be found at http://goodyglovers.com/

[October 10 update: It has now been confirmed that Goody Glover's is shutting down, as a Facebook post from the place says that "The rumors are true. Goody Glover's will be closing at the end of October 2014....Thanks for 11 wonderful years!!"]

[October 29 update: The Boston Globe reports that Goody Glover's will close on Friday (October 31) and that the owner of the pub says Peet's is indeed taking over the space.]

[January 8, 2016 update: The northendwaterfront.com site states that Peet's is now open in the former Goody Glover's space.]

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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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Zoup! Fresh Soup Company to Open in Natick

Last year, we reported that a small quick-casual restaurant chain featuring soup was closing its only Massachusetts location in downtown Boston. Now we have learned that another location of the eatery will be coming to the area.

According to a press release, Zoup! Fresh Soup Company is planning on opening at the Sherwood Plaza in Natick, with franchisees Mark and Lori Fox hoping to open the dining spot later this year. Once it opens, expect the restaurant to feature 12 rotating options of freshly-made soups that could include split pea, lobster bisque, beef barley, broccoli cheddar, and more, along with salads and sandwiches.

[January 16, 2015 update: A press release sent this week says that Zoup! Fresh Soup Company will open in Natick on January 29, with a pre-opening fundraiser also taking place on January 28 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM that will benefit the Natick Visiting Nurse Association. (Diners receive a bowl of soup, bread and a fountain drink in return for a $5.00 donation, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the organization.)]

A location of the Michigan-based Zoup! chain opened at Center Plaza in Boston's Government Center in late 2010 but it closed in the spring of 2013, citing that "the owner had health issues."

The address for this new soup spot in Natick is: Zoup! Fresh Soup Company, 1300 Worcester Street (Route 9), Natick, MA, 01760. The website for the chain can be found at: http://www.zoup.com/

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Pret a Manger Is Closing One Of Its Locations in Boston's Back Bay

A London-based chain of sandwich shops that is in the middle of an expansion in the Boston area has decided to close one of its stores within the city.

According to a Twitter post sent yesterday, a rumor was going around that the Pret a Manger location at 855 Boylston Street in the Back Bay was getting ready to close. A phone call placed to the shop this morning has confirmed this, with the person taking the call saying that today is indeed the last day of business for that location. It appears that other locations of Pret a Manger--including one in the Back Bay (in the old Borders space on Boylston Street) and others in Boston's Financial District (Arch Street, Federal Street, and Franklin Street)--will remain open.

As reported earlier here, it is possible that at least a dozen new outlets could be coming to Boston and Cambridge eventually, with the next one coming to State Street in the Financial District.

The website for Pret a Manger can be found at http://www.pret.com/us/

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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: Ariel's Ice Cream in Quincy's Marina Bay Reopens After Being Closed Due to Contract Issues

[Ed note: This article was updated on October 14 to reflect the fact that the place has reopened.]

An ice cream shop that is located by the water just south of Boston has closed for the time being due to contract issues.

According to a Facebook post, Ariel's Ice Cream in the Marina Bay section of Quincy is shuttered, saying that "Due to unresolved contract issues, we remain closed indefinitely." It appears that the shop has been closed for approximately a week, with another note from October 3 mentioning that "Due to unfortunate circumstances, Ariel's will be closed until further notice" while this past Monday, they stated that they were hoping for a "Tentative reopening on Thursday [today], provided we can come to a new agreement with our contract holder." As soon as we get more information on the exact status of Ariel's, we will post an update here.

[October 14 update: A new Facebook post from Ariel's indicates that it is open once again.]

Ariel's Ice Cream first opened in April of this year within the Marina Bay Marketplace, which is behind the boardwalk where most of the restaurants and shops at Marina Bay reside. The shop offers ice cream from the Boston Ice Cream Factory as well as soft serve, smoothies, and frappes.

The address for Ariel's is 333 Victory Road, Quincy, MA, 02171.

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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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