Boston Restaurant Talk

Friday, November 13, 2015

Anthony Caturano of Prezza in Boston's North End Is Opening Tonno in Gloucester

One of the most familiar figures within the Boston restaurant scene is opening a second dining spot, and this one will be north of the city.

Eater Boston is reporting that Anthony Caturano, who is the chef/owner of Prezza in the North End, is planning to open Tonno in Gloucester, taking over the space on Main Street where the Blackburn Tavern had been. The article says that the 99-seat dining spot will be a "coastal Italian seafood concept" with the menu including seafood caught off the New England coast. Expect to see such items as octopus salad, local oysters, roasted cod oreganata, cioppino, and more, along with a huge wine list with most being from Italy and "classic Italian cocktails." If all goes as planned, Tonno could be opening sometime in the spring of 2016.

[June 7, 2016 update: According to a press release, Tonno opens on June 17.]

Caturano's 15-year-old Prezza is an upscale Italian restaurant on Fleet Street in the North End that features dishes from Italy's Abruzzi region.

The address for Tonno is 2 Main Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930.

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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]

Cafe Luigi Will Not Reopen in Bedford Marketplace; Looking for New Home

A few months ago, we reported that a popular suburban restaurant temporarily closed its doors in anticipation of a move to a new building within its shopping center. Now we have learned that this won't be happening.

According to a source, Cafe Luigi in Bedford will not be reopening within the Bedford Marketplace, with a post from the Bedford-Business blog confirming this, saying that owner Richard Stoico is now trying to find a new home for his Italian eatery. The post says that Stoico would like to keep Luigi's in Bedford, but he is also looking in surrounding communities as well.

Cafe Luigi, which first opened nearly 30 years ago, shut down in August because its building was being demolished as part of a major renovation of the shopping center, with the plan being to reopen in its new home in the spring of 2016. The place has been known as a family-friendly restaurant featuring a mix of traditional Italian fare and old-school Italian-American items. (The parent company of Cafe Luigi also runs Grassfields in Andover and Waltham, Jimmy's Steer House in Arlington and Saugus, Jimmy's Tavern and Grill in Shrewsbury, Mario's in Lexington, and Prime in Wayland.)

The website for Luigi's can be found at http://www.luigisbedford.com/

[December 31 update: A Facebook post from Cafe Luigi says that it is looking to reopen sometime in the spring, though the note does not say where the new location will be (it simply references "our next home").]

[May 5, 2016 update: A new Facebook post from Cafe Luigi states that it will not be reopening this spring after all, as "certain obstacles presented themselves that could not be overcome." The post goes on to say that "We are still actively pursuing a new space but do not have information to share publicly at this time."]

[June 8, 2016 update: In what could be seen as an ominous turn of events, both the Facebook page and the website for Luigi's have been taken down.]

[Earlier Article]
Cafe Luigi in Bedford Has Closed; Will Reopen in New Building

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pasta Dishes from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Beyond]

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Avana Sushi to Replace Samurai Kuang Eatery in Boston's Downtown Crossing

A Japanese restaurant and sushi spot in the heart of downtown Boston has closed, and it will be replaced by another Japanese restaurant and sushi spot.

According to a Twitter post from @CappyinBoston, Samurai Kuang Eatery on Franklin Street in Downtown Crossing is closed and will be replaced by Avana Sushi. An article from Eater Boston mentions this as well, though it does not know if this will be a third location of Avana or a move from its location on Beach Street in Chinatown. (Another location can be found in Reading.)

It appears that Samurai Kuang Eatery is at least indirectly connected with Samurai on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay; that restaurant remains in operation.

The address for the now-closed Samurai Kuang Eatery (and new Avana Sushi) is 58 Franklin Street, Boston, MA, 02110. The website for Avana can be found at http://avanasushi.com/home-page/

[January 14, 2016 update: A new article from Eater Boston states that the new location of Avana is now open; EB also says that the original remains open as well, and that the new location is larger than the Beach Street restaurant.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

Sports Bar, Bowling Alley Part of Development Plans for Former Boston Garden Site

The first phase of a project that would bring new development to the old Boston Garden space has cleared a big hurdle, and the plans include a massive sports bar along with a bowling alley.

The Boston Business Journal is reporting that the Boston Civic Design Commission has given approval for a multi-level podium called "Champions Row" at the site of the old Garden (and currently, a parking lot) on Causeway Street next to North Station. The article says that the podium would have 2.8 acres of space and would include a 20,000-square-foot sports bar with room for 500, a bowling alley, and other businesses such as a Star Market, a movie theater, and additional space for retail. No specific details have been given for who might be behind the sports bar or bowling alley--and while the blueprint for the project shows the logo for the latter being similar to that of Strike Rock N' Bowl in Niagara Falls, NY, there is no indication at this point in time that that place would be opening within the development.

Boston Properties is behind the mixed-use project, which is also slated to have both a residential tower and an office tower along with a hotel and a parking garage.

[January 27, 2016 update: According to a Twitter post from @ConciergeBoston, construction has begun on the new project next to North Station that will include a multi-level podium with a sports bar, bowling alley, grocery store, and more. (The post says that the name of the project is "The Hub on Causeway.")]

[January 28, 2016 update: The Boston Herald states that Big Night Entertainment and concert promoter Don Law are teaming up with the plan being to open an entertainment complex within the upcoming development at the former Boston Garden site. The article says that the aforementioned bowling alley would be a part of the complex, along with a restaurant, nightclub, and venue for live concerts. (It is not known if the sports bar mentioned earlier would be part of it.)]

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]

Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market to Open in Boston's Seaport District

An Italian restaurant and market with two locations north of Boston is going to be expanding again, this time coming to one of the hottest parts of the city.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market will open in the Seaport District of Boston, with the place being located in the upcoming One Seaport Square mixed-use development and having 14,500 square feet of space along with seating for 320. The article says that Joe Faro, who runs the existing pair of dining spots/markets in Burlington and Salem, NH under the Tuscan Brands company, is also going to be opening a location in Portsmouth, NH, and the Portsmouth outlet will be the third while the Seaport District location will be the fourth. [Ed note--the Portsmouth location is now open.]

One Seaport Square will also be home to a Mexican restaurant called the Scorpion Bar, a nightclub called The Grand, and a branch of the bowling alley/restaurant complex Kings. The development will be located by Sleeper Street, Northern Avenue, and Seaport Boulevard near Fan Pier. [Ed note: Both the Scorpion Bar and The Grand are now open.]

The website for Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market can be found at http://www.tuscanbrands.com/

Thanks to @kcbaskin of The Boston Globe for bringing this to our attention.

[November 13, 2017 update: Patrick Maguire of Maguire Promotions & Hospitality Consulting mentions that Tuscan Kitchen plans to open in the Seaport District on November 20. (It is not yet known if Tuscan Market opens that day as well.)]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pasta Dishes from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Beyond]

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Tasty on the Hill Opens in Medford

A new eatery has opened a few miles north of Boston, and it features a Portuguese sandwich that cannot be found anywhere else in the region.

The Medford Transcript is reporting that Tasty on the Hill is now open in Medford, taking over the space on Boston Avenue where Tasty Gourmet had been until closing in June. The article says that the new dining spot offers traditional American fare such as bagels, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, pancakes, omelets, salads, and burgers, with its signature item being a Portuguese specialty called a Francesinha, which is similar to a club sandwich and includes layers of meat, cheese, and eggs, and is topped with a house sauce. Variations of the sandwich include traditional, burger, grilled chicken, smoked salmon, bacalhau (cod), and vegetarian, according to the Transcript. Owner Antonio Pereira doesn't believe Francesinhas can be found in the Boston area, or anywhere in the United States on a regular basis for that matter, though a website check does show it being offered in a handful of places around the country.

For now, Tasty on the Hill is open for breakfast and lunch daily from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, though the restaurant may start offering dinners at some point as well.

The address for this new dining spot in Medford is: Tasty on the Hill, 321 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA, 02155. Its website can be found at http://www.tastyonthehill.com/

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]