Boston Restaurant Talk

Friday, January 15, 2016

Gentile Brewing Company Is Opening in Beverly

A brand new brewery is coming to the North Shore, and this one will be moving into an historic building that started out as a shoe factory.

According to an article from Wicked Local, Gentile Brewing Company is going to be opening in Beverly, with owners Paul and Christen Gentile hoping to have the brewery up and running in the next four to six weeks. The post says that the business is going to be located in a building that dates back to 1884 when it started out as a shoe factory (it has since been home to a number of manufacturing companies), and that the brewery will be setting up shop on the lower level, with a taproom being part of the plans.

[February 29 update: Eater Boston mentions that Gentile Brewing Company opens its doors to the public this Friday (March 4).]

It looks like Gentile Brewing Company will produce a stout, a porter, an IPA, and a blond ale, according to Wicked Local.

The address for this new brewery in Beverly is: Gentile Brewing Company, 59 Park Street, Beverly, MA, 01915. Its website can be found at http://gentilebrewing.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Good Places to Get Beer in the Boston Area]

Camino Real in Allston Has Closed

One of the relatively few Colombian restaurants in Boston has closed down.

Eater Boston is reporting (via the Hungry Onion site) that Camino Real in Allston is no longer in operation, with the Yelp page for the Harvard Avenue dining spot and a Google search for the place seeming to confirm this. It is not yet known exactly why the restaurant shuttered, nor is it known what might go into the space; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.

Camino Real first opened in 1999, offering items such as Colombian sausage, yuca frita, arroz con pollo, tamales, carne asada, and flan.

The address for this now-closed dining spot in Allston was: Camino Real, 48 Harvard Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

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]

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Ed Hancock (Tavolo, Tasty Burger, Bonfire) Has Passed Away

The manager of several dining spots in the Boston area and elsewhere in the country has passed away.

According to a source within the industry, news of the passing Ed Hancock of Tavolo in Dorchester has come out over the past few hours, with little in the way of details given at this point in time. Hancock had been manager of the Dorchester Avenue restaurant for the past few months and had previously been general manager at Tasty Burger in Boston, and before that, he had worked at several other restaurants both here and outside of the region, including Bonfire Restaurant in Park Plaza, where he was general manager. (He worked at restaurants in Michigan and California over the past decade as well.)

As soon as we get information on services for Ed Hancock, we will post an update here.

[January 19, 2016 update: A Twitter post sent this morning indicates that visitation will take place today from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Sullivan Funeral Home on Maquan Street in Hanson, with the funeral mass for Ed Hancock taking place tomorrow (Wednesday, January 20) at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph the Worker Church, also on Maquan Street.]

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

Tres Petite Creperie Is Opening in Lexington Center

A new crepe shop is on its way to the northwestern suburbs of Boston, and more locations could be on the way.

Eater Boston is reporting that Tres Petite Creperie is planning to open in Lexington Center, with the address given indicating that it would be in a building behind Mass. Ave. that is home to Fruitee Yogurt, a Dunkin' Donuts, and a couple of other businesses. A job post on the Craigslist site mentions that this will be its "first" location and that the people behind it are planning to open "multiple" shops, though the post does not say whether they would be in the local area.

At this point in time, it looks like Tres Petite Creperie will be open for lunch and dinner daily, with hours being 11:30 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. [Ed note--it now looks like Tres Petite Creperie will be open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays.]

The address for this new crepe shop is: Tres Petite Creperie, 1707 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA, 02420.

[March 14 update: A new article from Eater Boston states that Tres Petite Creperie is now open.]

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]

Wabora Prime Opens in Allston

A pair of restaurants with one location in Canada and another in Boston has opened a third dining spot in Allston, and this one puts a twist on some beloved comfort food items.

Eater Boston is reporting that Wabora Prime is now open on Brighton Avenue, with the address indicating that it has moved into the space where such spots as Boston Kabob Company, Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery, and V. Majestic had been. Unlike the locations of Wabora on Newbury Street and in Bracebridge, ON (which are both mainly sushi spots), the new Wabora Prime features hot dogs, hamburgers, and poutine, all with Korean-style options such as kimchi bacon, pork bulgogi, and fried eggs, along with other choices for toppings. The eatery also offers more traditional Asian items, including udon soup, chicken katsu rice plates, and more.

Wabora first opened in the Back Bay last June, taking over the space where Ikura Sushi had been.

The address for this new dining spot in Allston is: Wabora Prime, 164 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

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]

Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar in Boston's Back Bay Opening New Location in Fort Point

An upscale Back Bay restaurant and bar that focuses on Mexican food and tequila is looking to expand to one of the hottest sections of the city for dining.

According to a Twitter post from @DGoodison of The Boston Herald, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar is planning to open in the city's Fort Point neighborhood, with a Fort Point Boston blog post confirming this, stating that a meeting will be held on January 19 to talk about the dining and drinking spot possibly coming to Summer Street. Based on the address given, it appears that the new location of Lolita may actually be overlooking Fort Point Channel (by the corner of Summer Street and Melcher Street), though it is not known in what section of the building it might be.

Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar first opened on Dartmouth Street in December of 2010, taking over the Papa Razzi space (Papa Razzi subsequently moved to Newbury Street). The people behind the place also opened Red Lulu Cocina and Tequila Bar in Salem the following year, but it closed in 2013 and while there were plans for it to move to a nearby location and become another Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, those plans seem to have fallen through.

The address for the new location of Lolita in Fort Point is 253 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210. The website for the Back Bay location can be found at http://www.lolitatequilabars.com/

[October 14, 2017 update: A press release indicates that Lolita opens in Fort Point today and that it will have seating for 210 and will be just below sidewalk level along Fort Point Channel and the Harborwalk.]

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]