Moonshine 152 to Replace Franklin Cafe in South Boston

[Ed note: This article was updated on November 19 to reflect confirmation of this news, though the new restaurant will have a slightly different name.]

It looks like the South Boston location of a group of award-winning restaurants is closing, and a new dining spot is moving in.

The Boston Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog is reporting (via Boston Herald writer Donna Goodison) that the group behind the Franklin Cafe on Dorchester Avenue is petitioning the city of Boston to sell the business to a dining spot that would tentatively be called Moonshine Kitchen, which seems to correspond with a tip we heard in late October from a source within the restaurant industry. Our source mentioned that the prospective owner of the proposed Moonshine Kitchen is Asia Mei, who has been the chef at Sam's at Louis, a restaurant at Fan Pier on the Boston waterfront. (This appears to be confirmed by Bizapedia.) It looks like the other locations of the Franklin Cafe in the South End (their original location) and Gloucester will remain in business.

[November 19 update: The Boston Globe confirms that the Franklin Cafe in South Boston is indeed closing, and that Moonshine 152 (not Moonshine Kitchen) will take its place.]

[December 3 update: Boston Magazine states that Moonshine 152 plans to open sometime in January, and that the restaurant will feature New American fare along with a late-night menu that has Asian and Latin American influences.]

[December 31 update: According to a Facebook post from Asia Mei, the Franklin Cafe in South Boston closes at the end of business hours today.]

[February 19, 2015 update: According to a Twitter post from Boston Globe food writer @kcbaskin, Moonshine 152 opens tomorrow at 5:30 PM.]

The Franklin Cafe, which opened in the South End in 1996, Gloucester in 2000, and South Boston in 2008 has received countless awards over the years for its comfort food, late-night dining, and cocktails. Other restaurants under the same ownership include Tasty Burger and The Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar.

The address for the South Boston location of the Franklin Cafe (and Moonshine 152) is 152 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston, MA, 02127.

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Volle Nolle in Boston's North End Is Closing

A North End restaurant that closed for a few months in late 2013 before reopening earlier this year is closing once again, and it looks like this time its closure will be permanent.

Boston Magazine is reporting that Volle Nolle on Hanover Street is closing sometime in December, with chef Sebastian Martinez going to the upcoming Korean restaurant Koy on North Street near Faneuil Hall and owner Torri Crowell "definitely moving on." Volle Nolle first opened in 2006 as a sandwich shop until closing last last year, only to reopen in January as a revamped restaurant featuring small plates and wine once the the temporary pop-up spot Whisk moved out of the space.

[November 13 update: NorthEndWaterfront.com states that Volle Nolle is now "closed for the season," based on a notice out front. It is not known whether this is a temporary closure before it closes for good next month (see above) or whether they decided to shut down early; as soon as we get more information on the exact status of the place, we will post another update here.]

The address for Volle Nolle is 351 Hanover Street, Boston, MA, 02113.

[Earlier Article]
Koy Plans to Open in UBurger Space in Boston's Faneuil Hall Area

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Highlights for the Week Ending November 7, 2014

Several more stories and articles focusing on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a now-closed iconic dining spot getting ready to be demolished, a food truck getting hit by a fire, and a restaurant and provisions shop coming to Brookline. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) included an updated review of a pizza place in Concord, a photo of meat loaf from a restaurant and bar in Quincy, and a new slideshow on chocolate-based items in the region.

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

Boston Restaurant Talk

Hilltop Steak House Property in Saugus Sold; Building to Be Demolished, Shopping Plaza and Restaurant to Be Built

The Goods JP in Jamaica Plain Temporarily Closed Due to Health Emergency

Rami's Food Truck Has Shut Down After a Fire; Rebuilding to Take Place

Tikki Masala Opens in Jamaica Plain

Project 202 Restaurant and Provisions Shop to Open in Brookline Village

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Updated Review: New London Pizza in Concord, MA

Photo: Meat Loaf from Louis in Quincy, MA

New Slideshow: Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond

Updated Review: Rami's in Brookline, MA

Photo: Pizza from New London Pizza in Concord, MA

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Petsi Pies Moving to New Location in East Cambridge

[Ed note: This article was updated on November 14 to reflect confirmation that this is indeed a move.]

The person behind three bakeries in Cambridge and Somerville is opening a new location in East Cambridge.

Eater Boston is reporting (via the City of Cambridge) that Renee McLeod of Petsi Pies is planning to open a new location at 594 Cambridge Street in East Cambridge, which is only about three blocks east of another Petsi Pies at 441 Cambridge Street. It appears that this is a move, though this has not been confirmed as of yet; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.\

Other locations of Petsi Pies can currently be found on Beacon Street in Somerville and Putnam Street in Cambridge, though as mentioned in an earlier article, the Putnam Street location could be closing at some point to make way for a new location of Darwin's Ltd.

[November 14 update: Cambridge Day mentions that this is indeed a move, with Petsi Pies going from 441 Cambridge Street to 594 Cambridge Street; in addition, the article says that McLeod has also renewed a lease for its Putnam Street location, so the rumors about Darwin's taking over the space appear to be untrue.]

[January 22, 2015 update: Eater Boston states that Petsi Pies is now open in its new location on Cambridge Street.]

The website for Petsi Pies can be found at http://petsipies.com/

[Earlier Article]
Petsi Pies Is Opening in East Cambridge

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Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant and Cantina to Open in Watertown

A small group of Mexican restaurants continues to expand, with a new location coming to a space in Watertown where an Italian restaurant had been for more than 40 years until closing early last year.

According to one of our readers, a sign is now up for Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant & Cantina on Main Street in the center of town, with a Facebook post from the group of dining spots confirming this--and indicating that it will be moving into the former Verona Restaurant space. (The Facebook post, which was put up in late September, had said that the new location of Ixtapa was slated to open in mid to late October.)

[June 15, 2015 update: The Watertown location of Ixtapa has not yet opened, and Eater Boston states that it now might not be opening until August.]

[September 9, 2015 update: A new article from Eater Boston says that Ixtapa is now open in Watertown.]

Ixtapa recently opened a new location in Acton as well, joining others in Groton, Lexington, Lunenburg, and Woburn.

The address for this Mexican restaurant in Watertown is: Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, 18 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, MA, 02472.

[Earlier Article]
Verona Restaurant in Watertown Has Closed

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Hilltop Steak House Property in Saugus Sold; Building Being Demolished

The property in Saugus where a now-closed landmark restaurant used to be has been sold, and it looks like the structure may be replaced by new commercial development, though nothing has been written in stone as of yet.

The Saugus Advertiser is reporting that the former Hilltop Steak House on Route 1 was recently purchased by a developer, who is demolishing the iconic building and possibly putting in a new shopping plaza and restaurant at the site. The article says that if the plans go through, the standalone dining spot proposed for the space may be a 200-plus seat family-friendly restaurant that would likely have "some steak involved," with the famous neon cactus sign from the old Hilltop remaining in place.

[April 15, 2015 update: A new article from Wicked Local states that the Hilltop building is being town down within the next month, though the iconic cactus sign out front is slated to be saved. The post also says that the earlier agreement with the developer fell through and that the previous developer (or possibly its associates) is now apparently involved--and that no specific plans have been given for the space other than a mention that it could turn into some type of a mixed-use development.]

[April 27, 2015 update: According to a post from WCVB Boston, the Hilltop Steak House building was demolished today.]

[August 5, 2015 update: A new article in the Saugus Advertiser mentions that a mixed-use development is being planned for the former Hilltop site, though a standalone dining spot will not happen after all (any restaurant built would apparently be part of the mixed-use structure). The article also says that the iconic Hilltop sign may remain in place if it can be retrofitted with lighting that is more modern.]

The Hilltop Steak House closed in October of 2013 after more than 50 years in business; its Weymouth butcher shop is still in operation.

The address for the Hilltop Steak House property is 855 Broadway (Route 1), Saugus, MA, 01906.

[Earlier Article]
Hilltop Steak House in Saugus Is Closing

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