Frank DePasquale and Nick Varano to Open Fratelli at Encore Boston Harbor Resort and Casino

by Marc Hurwitz

Two big names within the local restaurant scene are teaming up to open a dining spot in the upcoming casino complex in Everett.

According to an article in The Boston Globe, Frank DePasquale and Nick Varano are planning to open Fratelli, an Italian restaurant that will be located off the main gambling floor of Encore Boston Harbor resort and casino (formerly Wynn Boston Harbor) along the Mystic River. The post says that the dining spot will have seating for 135 and will offer such items as pizza, calzones, house-made pasta dishes, grilled meats and seafood, panini, and burgers. This will be one of 13 restaurants to open at the complex, with another Italian restaurant with a Frank Sinatra theme to it coming as well. Encore Boston Harbor plans to open next June, so it is possible that Fratelli could debut around that time.

Frank DePasquale heads up DePasquale Ventures, which includes such spots as AquaPazza, Assaggio, Bricco, Mare Oyster Bar, Quattro, and Trattoria Il Panino; Nick Varano is behind the Varano Group, which operates such places as Strega North End, Strega Prime, Strega Waterfront, STRIP by Strega, NICO, and Caffe Strega.

The website for Encore Boston Harbor can be found at http://encorebostonharbor.com/

[Earlier Article]
Wynn Boston Harbor Resort and Casino to Have 13 Restaurants, Including Frank Sinatra-Themed Italian Spot

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]

---

Tweet

Nahita Opening in Former Liquid Art House Space in Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A new dining spot is getting closer to opening in the space where a combination restaurant/art gallery had been--and now it appears to have a name.

According to job posts within the bostonchefs.com site, Nahita is opening in the old Liquid Art House space in Boston, with the upcoming Arlington Street eatery now hiring for a variety of job positions. Earlier, we had reported that the new spot would feature globally-inspired fare while also being "more approachable," with a mix of formal seating and lounge-style dining, a raw bar, and a dessert-plating station being included; it is not known if this is still the case, so stay tuned for updates.

Liquid Art House closed down last November after being in business for a bit more than five years.

The address for Nahita (and the now-closed Liquid Art House) is 100 Arlington Street, Boston, MA, 02116.

[July 2 update: According to a press release, Nahita plans to open this summer and that its menu will include Latin and Asian-influenced dishes. A specific opening date has not been given as of yet, but the release does mention that a job fair will be held onsite this Friday and Saturday.]

[September 4 update: Eater Boston states that Nahita is now open, with a new press release stating that the restaurant--which will be open for dinner only for now--features such items as ceviche, tiraditos (Peruvian raw fish), sashimi, tacos, guacamole, beef barbacoa, and elote (Mexican street corn), along with a variety of wines and cocktails.]

[Earlier Article]
Liquid Art House in Boston to Be Replaced by a New Concept

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]

---

Tweet

Raffaele's Ristorante in Waltham Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

An Italian dining spot on "Restaurant Row" has very quietly shut down.

A tweet from @JeremyKrantz links to a Reddit page that mentions the closing of Raffaele's Ristorante on Moody Street in Waltham, with a check on the dining spot's Facebook page confirming that it is no longer in operation--and that it apparently closed back in late April. Raffaele's first opened in late 2016, taking over the space where Nonna's Italian Bar and Grill had been. and before that, Erawan of Siam.

The address for this now-closed Italian restaurant in Waltham was: Raffaele's Ristorante, 469 Moody Street, Waltham, MA, 02453.

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]

---

Tweet

Stephi's in Southie Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

A local group of restaurants has gotten a bit smaller, as its South Boston location has closed after being in business for approximately five years.

According to a Twitter post from @maureencaught, Stephi's in Southie on West Broadway has shut down, though it appears that Stephanie's on Newbury in the Back Bay and Stephi's on Tremont in the South End both remain in operation. Eater Boston indicates that this appears to be part of a consolidation after the recent merging of Stephanie's Restaurant Group and the Met Restaurant Group into Sidell Hospitality, with Stephanie Sokolove saying that "While it's always an emotional moment leaving a neighborhood you've been part of, the changes that are coming to the group are both positive and needed....The goal since we unified at the top of the year was to combine teams, solidify our flagship locations on Newbury Street in the Back Bay and bring the family of brands to new levels expanding on some new opportunities....We're excited at what 2019/20 will bring to Boston and beyond."

Stephi's in Southie first opened in September of 2013, offering upscale comfort food items such as lobster guacamole, a fried chicken sandwich, steak frites, macaroni and cheese, bolognese, and baked haddock.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in South Boston was: Stephi's in Southie, 11 West Broadway, South Boston, MA, 02127.

Thanks to Patrick Maguire of Maguire Promotions & Hospitality Consulting for initially bringing this to our attention.

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]

---

Tweet

Masona Grill in West Roxbury Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A cozy neighborhood dining spot known in part for its New American dishes with South American influences is shutting down.

A Facebook post from Manny Sifnugel of Masona Grill in West Roxbury confirms what we heard a few weeks ago, that the Corey Street restaurant will soon be closing its doors. In the note, Sifnugel says: "I want to thank you all who came and enjoyed my restaurants throughout this past 25 years. We will be closing some time in late July and hope you’ll come to pay a visit and say cheers to a great time." It is not yet known what might become of the space, so stay tuned for updates.

Sifnugel first opened Masona Grill in 2006; prior to that, he was involved with such spots as the Claremont Cafe in the South End and Cafe 300 in Fort Point.

The address for this soon-to-close restaurant in West Roxbury is: Masona Grill, 4 Corey Street, West Roxbury, MA, 02132.

[August 2 update: A new Facebook post from indicates that Masona Grill plans to close on Saturday, August 25.]

[August 12 update: Another new Facebook post mentions that there will be a sendoff for Masona Grill on Friday, August 24/]

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]

---

Tweet

Asian Restaurant, Retail, Condos Could Be Coming to the Former Beachcomber Site in Quincy

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 22 to reflect confirmation that a new restaurant is indeed planning to move into the Beachcomber space.]

It looks like an Asian restaurant will be moving into the space where an iconic seaside music club had once been.

According to an article from Wicked Local and The Patriot Ledger, the former Beachcomber property on Wollaston Beach in Quincy has been sold and that the company that bought it (797 Quincy Shore Dr LLC) has three names behind it--Zhong Wen Huang, Jacky An Xie, and Lin Y Xu. It appears that there may be a connection to a few Boston-area dining spots, as a person named Zhong Wen Huang is involved with Fuji Steak House in Needham while a person named Jacky An Xie is involved with Blue Fuji in Bedford and Medford. It is not known what the exact plans are for the Quincy Shore Drive site (no plans have been submitted yet, according to the article), but a source does tell us that an Asian restaurant group is indeed behind the purchase of the space. (As soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.)

The Beachcomber closed in the fall of 2015 after being in business for more than 50 years; the club attracted a number of national and local acts over the years, including Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, the Dropkick Murphys, and Loretta Lynn, with the place changing its name to Nostalgia in the early 1980s before returning to its original name in the late 1990s.

The address for the old Beachcomber site is 797 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA, 02170.

[August 22 update: Wicked Local confirms that a high-end Chinese restaurant is being planned for the former Beachcomber space, as well as additional room for retail and possibly condos as well. The article says that the Beachcomber building is slated to be demolished and that a new structure would replace it, though this won't happen right away, with preliminary plans possibly being submitted to the city as early as next month.]

[October 10 update: A new article from the Patriot Ledger mentions that the new owners of the property plan to tear down the old Beachcomber building and replace it with a structure that includes a small sushi bar on the first floor, the main dining area for the restaurant on the second floor, and two retail spaces on the first floor along with six residential units on the top floor. (A neighborhood meeting detailing the plans is slated to take place on Tuesday, October 16.)]

[January 14, 2020 update: A new article from the Patriot Ledger states that plans for a three-story building at the Beachcomber site have been withdrawn from a state environmental review board until the developers "can fully review and examine all concerns raised," including concerns about flooding in the area that were raised by nearby residents.]

[Earlier Article]
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing

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]

---