Boston Restaurant Talk

Thursday, January 03, 2019

Fat Biscuit at MarketStreet Lynnfield Has Closed

by Marc Hurwitz

It appears that a Southern-style restaurant in the northern suburbs that joined a New Hampshire location two years ago has shuttered

According to a source, Fat Biscuit at MarketStreet Lynnfield is no longer in business, with the place being cleared out and a sign out front saying that it has indeed closed down. A check on the MarketStreet Lynnfield website indicates that the restaurant is no longer listed there, while the restaurant's website has apparently been taken down.

Fat Biscuit first opened in early 2017, joining another location in North Conway (which is also closed), with both locations offering such items as biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, burgers, sausage balls, brick chicken, and a fried green tomato BLT.

The address for the Lynnfield location of Fat Biscuit was 335 Market Street, Lynnfield, MA, 01940.

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]

Wednesday, January 02, 2019

El Rincon de Moody's in Waltham Abruptly Closes; Will Apparently Be Closed for the Winter Season

by Marc Hurwitz

A taqueria and BBQ spot that is affiliated with an award-winning deli has suddenly closed, though it appears to be only a temporary closure.

According to a source along with an article from the Patch, El Rincon de Moody's in Waltham is shuttered, with a Facebook post from the Moody Street eatery saying that "we will be closed for the winter season. Thank you for all of your support and we apologize for any inconvenience. We will see you soon!" It is not known why the restaurant has shut down, nor is it known exactly when it might reopen, so keep checking back for updates.

Joshua Smith of the adjacent Moody's Delicatessen & Provisions (and The Backroom restaurant and wine bar) opened El Rincon de Moody's last May, with the place featuring tacos, BBQ items, and more. Smith is also behind a second location of Moody's Deli in Boston's Back Bay along with New England Charcuterie, a meat-processing plant near the Waltham/Belmont line.

The address for El Rincon de Moody's is 456 Moody Street, Waltham, MA, 02453. Its website is at https://www.elrincondemoodys.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]

Crush Pizza Is Opening in Quincy

by Marc Hurwitz

A wood-fired pizzeria in downtown Boston is expanding a few miles to the south.

According to City of Quincy consultant and publicist Kerry J. Byrne, Crush Pizza is planning to open in Quincy, with an earlier Instagram post seeming to confirm this. Byrne tells us that the new shop will apparently open in the former Jimmy John's space on Hancock Street in Quincy Center, in the same building that houses The Townshend. (The Quincy location of Jimmy John's closed early last year.) No opening date has been given as of yet, so stay tuned for updates.

Crush Pizza first opened on State Street in Boston's Financial District in late 2013 where a location of Upper Crust had once been; the pizzeria features wood-fired pies that are cooked at a temperature of 1000 degrees.

The address for the new location of Crush Pizza is 1250 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA, 02169. The website for the Boston shop can be found at https://crushpizza.com/

[May 28 update: Kerry Byrne posts on the Quincy Is Everything Facebook group page that Crush Pizza plans to open its new location in Quincy in the next couple of weeks.]

[July 1 update: A message sent to us this afternoon indicates that Crush Pizza in Quincy is now open, though no phone orders or deliveries will be taking place for the next few days while the place gets up to speed.]

[Earlier Article]
Jimmy John's Locations in Quincy and Braintree Have Closed

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Fifteen Pizzas in the Boston Area]

Falafel King Is Opening Across from Boston Common

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like the people behind a pair of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants in downtown Boston are opening another location in the downtown area.

According to a message sent from @CappyinBoston, Falafel King is getting ready to open in the former Subway space on Tremont Street across from Boston Common, with a picture sent showing a sign up for the place. Once it opens, the new outlet will join others on Washington Street and Summer Street, and based on the menus at those locations, expect to see such items as shish kabob, stuffed grape leaves, falafel, chicken shawarma, and hummus.

The address for the upcoming location of Falafel King across from Boston Common is 145 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02111. The website for the other nearby locations can be found at https://www.falafelkingboston.com/

[March 26 update: According to a couple of sources, the new Falafel King opens on Thursday, March 28.]

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]

Santoro's Sub-Villa in Saugus Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A sub shop on the North Shore whose roots date back to the 1950s is getting ready to close its doors.

According to a message from @CappyinBoston Santoro's Sub-Villa in Saugus is shutting down, with a sign out front saying that the owners of the Essex Street shop are retiring and that its tentative closing date is February 3. Its website says that Santoro's first opened in Saugus in the 1950s, with "Santoro's Original Submarine Sandwiches" moving from one side of Essex Street to the other in 1960 and becoming Santoro's Sub-Villa; the shop moved back to its original location in 1991.

The address for Santoro's Sub-Villa is 259 Essex Street (by Route 1), Saugus, MA, 01906. Its website can be found at https://www.santorossubvilla.com/

[February 4, 2019 update: A post from Boston's Wicked North Shore Facebook page indicates that Santoro's Sub-Villa will stay open a few more days, with its new closing date being Thursday, February 7 (at 4:00 PM), and the post also mentions that the shop is not open today.]

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 Westland Opens in Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A restaurant and bar near Symphony Hall that has been a long time in the making has finally opened.

According to a Facebook post from Drew Starr, The Westland is now open on Westland Avenue, taking over the space where Symphony 8 had once been. As mentioned earlier, the new spot is a tavern that features American fare, and the place also offers beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits including what Starr says is an extensive list of whiskeys. The person behind The Westland is Douglas Bacon, who has been working on getting the place to open for several years and was actually warned by the Boston Licensing Board that he had until this past November to show significant progress on getting it ready to open or risk losing the restaurant's license.

Symphony 8 debuted in the fall of 2009, featuring modern American fare and comfort food, while also having a hidden basement bar called Prohibited where a password was required to get in. The place shut down in 2013 and the space has remained vacant until now.

The address for The Westland is 8 Westland Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115.

[Earlier Articles]
The Westland to Open Near Symphony Hall in Boston
Symphony 8 in Boston Still Planning to Reopen

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]