Boston Restaurant Talk

Friday, February 02, 2018

Jimmy John's Locations in Quincy and Braintree Have Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like a couple of Boston-area locations of an Illinois-based chain of sandwich shops have shut down.

According to posters on the Quincy Is Everything Facebook group page, Jimmy John's on Hancock Street in Quincy Center is no longer in business, while a poster on the South Braintree/Highlands Civic Community Facebook group has confirmed what someone told us on Twitter today, that the shop on Washington Street in South Braintree Square is shuttered as well. No reason has been given for the two closures as of yet, and while it appears that other locations of Jimmy John's in Boston, Lowell, Northborough, Waltham, and Worcester remain in operation (based on the chain's location page), we will post an update here if this changes

Jimmy John's first came to the local area in 2014 when it opened a shop on D Street in South Boston; the chain was got its start in Charleston, IL, in 1983.

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]

Coffee Break Cafe Is Opening in Hyde Park

by Marc Hurwitz

A cafe with three locations south of Boston is opening its first shop within the Boston city limits.

Eater Boston is reporting that Coffee Break Cafe is planning to open in Hyde Park, moving into a space on Truman Parkway near where it intersects Fairmount Avenue. Once it opens, the new location will join others on Old Colony Avenue in Quincy's Wollaston neighborhood and Parkingway in Quincy Center, along with one on Central Avenue in Milton.

Another location of Coffee Break Cafe had been on Atlantic Street in North Quincy, but it closed in March of 2016.

The address for this new cafe in Hyde Park is: Coffee Break Cafe, 680 Truman Parkway, Hyde Park, MA, 02136. The website for all of the locations can be found at http://www.coffeebreakcafe.net/

[March 7 update: A Facebook note from last month indicated at the time that the new Coffee Break Cafe hoped to open sometime in April, though it is not known if this is still the case.]

[September 13 update: A facebook thread indicates that the new Coffee Break Cafe in Hyde Park is still not open, and that they are "waiting on licensing."]

[December 19 update: Eater Boston states that Coffee Break Cafe is now open in Hyde Park.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Items from Bakeries and Pastry Shops in the Boston Area and Beyond]

Thursday, February 01, 2018

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/

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]

The Lobster Pot in Provincetown Plans to Expand Regionally -- And Perhaps Nationally

by Marc Hurwitz

A landmark seafood restaurant at the tip of Cape Cod is looking to expand in a big way.

Ptownie is reporting (via RestaurantNews.com) that The Lobster Pot in Provincetown is planning to open new franchised locations in the Northeast, though it could also expand nationally as well. Both websites say that Emerging Franchises is working with the restaurant to help them grow the business, though no specific franchised locations have been mentioned as of yet.

The Lobster Pot, which first opened on Commercial Street in 1979, is a local institution that offers such items as oysters, mussels marinara, clam chowder seafood pesto, baked cod, lobster rolls, baked stuffed lobster, boiled lobster, filet mignon, and grilled chicken. The website for the restaurant (which is closed until the spring) can be found at https://www.ptownlobsterpot.com/

Thanks to a source for initially bringing this to our attention.

[February 18 update: An article in boston.com states that owner/chef Tim McNulty of The Lobster Pot hopes to open two new locations by the end of this year and another two per year starting in 2019, though no specific locations have been given.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Seafood Dishes from Boston-Area and New England Restaurants]

Hakata Ramen Is Opening in Waltham

by Marc Hurwitz

A pair of ramen places in Boston and Quincy will soon be joined by a third, with this one replacing a pizzeria in the western suburbs.

According to an article in the Waltham Patch, Hakata Ramen is planning to open in Waltham, taking over the former Sabatino's space on Main Street. A Facebook page from The Waltham Channel mentions that the 60-seat eatery hopes to open by the end of March, and while it does not yet have a liquor license, it may seek one at some point down the road.

Currently, other locations of Hakata can be found in Boston's Back Bay/Fenway area and in Quincy's Wollaston neighborhood. In addition to ramen, the restaurants also serve a number of other items including sushi.

The address for this new ramen spot in Waltham is: Hakata Ramen, 895 Main Street, Waltham, MA, 02453.

[June 5 update: According to a source (Aron Levy), Hakata Ramen is now open in Waltham.]

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]

Tatte Bakery & Cafe Opening in Boston's Seaport District

by Marc Hurwitz

A local group of bakeries and cafes is expanding once again, this time opening a shop along the waterfront.

According to an article in Eater Boston, Tatte Bakery & Cafe is planning to open a new location within the upcoming Pier 4 development in Boston's Seaport District, with the bakery having nearly 4,000 square feet of space and sharing the ground floor with a new restaurant from the owner of Woods Hill Table in West Concord. It is not yet known when the waterfront shop might open, though Eater says that Pier 4 may be completed toward the latter part of 2018. (Stay tuned for updates as they come in.)

Tatte Bakery & Cafe, which first started out a bit more than 10 years ago, currently has locations in Beacon Hill, the Back Bay, the Fenway, Cambridge's Kendall Square (three), Harvard Square, and Brookline. The website for all locations can be found at http://tattebakery.com

[August 28 update: Boston Magazine states that Tatte opens in the Seaport District on Wednesday, September 5.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Items from Bakeries and Pastry Shops in the Boston Area and Beyond]