Giacomo's Ristorante in Boston's South End Is Temporarily Closed; Exact Status Unknown

by Marc Hurwitz

An outpost of an iconic Italian restaurant is closed for the time being, and it is not known if/when it might open again.

According to a Twitter post from @jenifer_jordan, Giacomo's Ristorante in the South End of Boston is shuttered, with a note out front at the Columbus Avenue dining spot saying the following:

"Due to cicumstances beyond our control Giacomo's South End will be temporarily closed! We deeply apologize for any inconvenience and hope to make it up to you in the near future. The Giacomo's South End crew wishes you a happy holiday and again apologizes for the great inconvenience."

An email from a source indicates that a new sign is now up that simply says "Giacomo's South End is temporarily closed. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience." Other sources who we have talked to do not have any further information on the closure. (We reached out to Giacomo's to find out more and are waiting to hear back.)

The North End location of Giacomo's is extremely popular with tourists and locals alike and often has long lines that extend down Hanover Street. In addition to the North End restaurant and its outlet in the South End, a third location can be found on Main Street in Melrose.

The address for Giacomo's in the South End is 431 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA, 02116.

[December 19 update: Eater Boston states that a voicemail message from the North End location mentions that the South End outlet is shut down because of an "emergency" and that it hopes to open back up in the new year.]

[December 29 update: A tweet from @bzref shows that an "Opening Soon" sign is now displayed out front at Giacomo's in the South End.]

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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]

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Shredded Is Opening in South Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like another new dining spot is on its way to South Boston, though very little is currently known about the place.

According to a Twitter post from @stevebikes, Shredded is planning to open on W Broadway, with the address indicating that it will be opening in a space between C Street and D Street a couple of storefronts east of Foodie's Market. A photo of the sign out front shows that it is apparently going to be a salad bar, with the sign simply saying "coming soon" and a reference to a website that isn't working as of yet, though an Instagram page for it is up and running. (As soon as we find out more about the spot, we will post an update here.)

The address for this new eatery in Southie is: Shredded, 246 W Broadway, South Boston, MA, 02127. The Instagram page for the place can be found at https://www.instagram.com/shreddedboston/

Thanks to a poster on the Southie Community Bulletin Board Facebook group page for some of the info on this.

[February 7, 2018 update: It looks like Shredded could be one step closer to opening by next week, as a licensing board hearing page indicates that the city is expected to look into its request for a common victualler license on Wednesday, February 14.]

[March 15, 2018 update: Eater Boston states that Shredded opens in South Boston tomorrow, and that it will feature salads and noodle bowls.]

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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]

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Our Fathers Deli Opens in Allston Today

by Marc Hurwitz

A brand new delicatessen and restaurant has come to Boston, and a local group is behind it.

As indicated in an earlier article, Our Fathers Deli opens today in Allston, moving into a space in the Continuum luxury apartment development on N Harvard Street. The new spot is run by the Franklin Restaurant Group (Franklin Cafe, Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar, Tasty Burger) and Boston Magazine states that owners Dave DuBois and Phil Audino have hired chef de cuisine Jameson Poll to head up the kitchen; Poll comes from such places as Tom Colicchio's Craft, The Breslin (which is a Michelin-starred spot owned by and Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield), and Michael Solmonov's Dizengoff, all of which are located in Manhattan. As reported earlier, the new place is a modern deli and restaurant featuring such items as matzo ball soup, charred eggplant, seared chicken liver, potato pancakes, falafel, challah-wrapped cod, and hand-cut corned beef and pastrami, while beer, wine, and cocktails are offered along with non-alcoholic options such as egg cream and shrub sodas.

Boston Magazine says that Our Fathers Deli has seating for 72 in its dining area plus another 20 at the bar and is open nightly from 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM, while lunch and a weekend brunch will be coming at some point in the future. (The deli opens at 7:00 AM on weekdays and 9:00 AM on weekends.)

The address for Our Fathers Deli is 197 N Harvard Street, Allston, MA, 02134.

[Earlier Article]
Our Fathers Deli to Open in Allston

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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]

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Tsukiji Bistro Is Opening in Melrose

by Marc Hurwitz

A new Asian restaurant is opening in the northern suburbs of Boston, and it is moving into the space above a steak and seafood spot.

According to a message from The Passionate Foodie, Tsukiji Bistro is in the middle of a soft opening in Melrose, with the restaurant being on the second floor of the Main Street building that houses Stearns & Hill's Bistro. The new eatery offers a mix of dishes with influences from Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and Hawaii, and it includes such options as sushi, raw bar items, gyoza, shumai, fried chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, lo mein, hot pot, and rice bowls, along with beer, wine, sake, and Asian-inspired cocktails.

It appears that there is a connection between Tsukiji Bistro and Stearns & Hill's Bistro, as the new spot shows a logo for Stearns & Hill's Bistro on its website along with another restaurant--Fusilli's Cucina in Reading. (In addition, the space that Tsukiji Bistro resides in used to be a bar for Stearns & Hill's Bistro.)

The address for this new Asian restaurant in Melrose is: Tsukiji Bistro, 505 Main St, Melrose, MA, 02176. Its website can be found at http://tsukijibistro.com/

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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]

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Mario Batali Stepping Away from His Businesses for the Time Being After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Come Up

by Marc Hurwitz

One of the biggest names in the food world is leaving his restaurant empire for now after news of sexual misconduct has been released.

According to an article from Eater, Mario Batali says that he is "stepping away from the day-to-day operations of his businesses" for an unknown period of time following allegations of inappropriate behavior that reportedly go back at least two decades based on multiple interviews by Eater, while ABC's, The Chew has asked him to step away from the show while they "review the allegations that have just recently come to [their] attention." The businesses that Batali is stepping away from include two in Boston--Eataly in the Prudential Center and Babbo in the Seaport District, both of which are part of the Batali & Bastianich (B&B) Hospitality Group.

B&B tells Eater that even though the company has had sexual harassment training and policies for 10+ years, it is now bringing in an independent corporate investigations firm that will help any workers looking to make claims against owners of their restaurants, while partner Joe Bastianich says that "Right now, I’m just focused on ensuring that our more than 1,000 employees continue to have a safe and positive work environment."

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Sally's Apizza in New Haven Has Been Sold; New Owners Plan Nationwide Expansion

by Marc Hurwitz

A few years ago, we reported that a landmark pizza spot in Connecticut was up for sale after being in business for more than 75 years. Now we have learned that the sale has finally gone through--and the new owners have some big plans for the brand.

Eater states (via the Hartford Courant) that Sally's Apizza in New Haven has been sold to new owners, with the Consiglio family (who are the former owners) staying on for the next couple of months as a "management presence." The names of the new owners have not yet been given, though the Courant does says that the new owners are looking to expand Sally's nationwide; it is not yet known if the Boston area could be included in these plans, so keep checking back for updates.

Sally's Apizza first opened in 1938, offering pizza cooked in a coal-fire oven to customers including countless celebrities and national figures over the years. Sally's neighbor in New Haven--Pepe's--has expanded to a handful of locations in the Northeast, with one being in Chestnut Hill, and both Sally's and Pepe's are considered by many to be among the best pizza places in all of New England.

The address for Sally's Apizza is 237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT, 06511. Its website can be found at http://sallysapizza.com/

[Earlier Article]
News Elsewhere: Sally's Apizza in New Haven May Be Sold

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

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