Love Art Udon to Replace Angora Cafe by Boston University

by Marc Hurwitz

[Ed note: This article was updated on May 4 to reflect confirmation of Angora being closed for good--and a new restaurant moving into its space.]

It looks like a longtime European-style cafe that was popular with college students is gone for good after stating earlier that it had been temporarily closed for renovations.

Eater Boston is reporting that Angora Cafe by Boston University appears to be shuttered permanently, as sources say there are signs showing that the Commonwealth Avenue space is up for lease and that its windows remain papered over nearly a month after the place said they would reopen before the end of 2017--and now, its website has been taken down as well. The eatery, which got its start more than 30 years ago, was known in part for its sandwiches, Mediterranean-influenced menu items, and smoothies and frozen yogurt.

The address for Angora Cafe is 1024 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215.

[May 4 update: A new article from Eater Boston confirms that Angora Cafe has shuttered for good, and that a new spot called Love Art Udon (from the people behind Love Art Sushi, a sushi and poke spot on Haviland Street) will open in its space. EB says that the upcoming eatery will focus on udon dishes along with tempura options.]

[November 2 update: Eater Boston states that Love Art Udon opens on Monday, November 5.]

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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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Toscanini's Ice Cream to Open Second Location in East Cambridge; Central Square Shop to Temporarily Close

by Marc Hurwitz

An award-winning ice cream shop that was established nearly 40 years ago is temporarily closing, but when it reopens there will be not one, but two locations.

Boston Magazine is reporting that Toscanini's in Cambridge's Central Square is shutting down later this month as its building on Main Street is being turned into a boutique hotel, and the owners will open a new location at First and Rogers streets in East Cambridge around the time that its original shop closes. The article says that all production will be moving to the new space and that it will be a permanent shop that will remain open--and will continue to house the production equipment--when the Central Square location returns. The new shop will have approximately 40 seats and a display kitchen that can be seen by customers, according to Boston Magazine.

As reported here earlier, Cinderella's--which was also in the Main Street building--is closed for good (though its delivery service has been merged with Beauty's Pizza on Hampshire Street) while Patty Chen's plans to return to the space once renovations are complete.

Toscanini's, which started out in 1981, has received high praise over the years, including multiple "best ofs" from Boston Magazine, according to a page on the shop's website.

The address for the original location of Toscanini's is 899 Main Street while its new shop will be at 159 First Street.

[January 26 update: Cambridge Day mentions that the Main Street location of Toscanini's has now closed--and may remain so through July--while the First Street shop is now open.]

[Earlier Articles]
Building Housing Cinderella's, Patty Chen's, Toscanini's in Cambridge May Become Boutique Hotel; Eateries Appear to Be Safe
Cinderella's in Cambridge's Central Square Is Closing

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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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Nathalie is Opening in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

by Marc Hurwitz

It looks like a new restaurant is in the works for the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, and the person behind a downtown seafood spot and wine bar appears to be involved with it.

According to a licensing board page within the city's website, a dining spot called nathalie is planning to open on Brookline Avenue and is seeking to acquire its liquor license from the Brass Cat Cafe, a yet-to-open spot in Jamaica Plain. The notice says that the proposed eatery would have a bar and a seasonal outdoor patio, and that the manager is Haley Lynn Fortier, who runs haley.henry on Province Street. Very little is known about what food might be served at nathalie and when it could open (and whether nathalie is just a working name), so stay tuned for updates.

haley.henry first opened in downtown Boston in August of 2016, offering tinned fish, cheeses, a variety of wines, and more.

The address for nathalie is 186 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215.

[January 29 update: Eater Boston states that nathalie will be a wine bar with a lounge area and a small outdoor patio, with the place hoping to open sometime this summer.]

[July 24 update: Boston Magazine mentions that nathalie opens on Friday, July 27, and that it will be open for dinner only at first, with lunch service being added at a later date.]

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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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Crepe & More Is Opening Inside Boston's South Station

by Marc Hurwitz

A new crepe place is on its way to Boston, and it will be catering mainly to commuters.

Eater Boston is reporting (via a licensing board page) that Crepe & More is planning to open at a kiosk inside South Station, with the hearing notice indicating that Lea Sasportes of Amorino in the Back Bay (and eventually, Cambridge's Harvard Square) is behind the business. According to Eater, the upcoming spot will feature sweet and savory crepes along with other desserts and specialty drinks, and while it will not have its own seating, customers can opt for public seating within the building itself.

Amorino is a Paris-based chain of artisan gelato shops that first opened on Newbury Street in March of 2015; an earlier article in Boston Magazine mentioned that the Boston location will apparently be "the first of [Sasportes's] many owned and operated franchises around the country."

[January 26, 2018 update: According to a source, Crepe & More is now open inside South Station.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Items from Bakeries and Pastry Shops in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Smokin' Betty's BBQ + Bar in Salem Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A barbecue spot on the North Shore is shutting down after only a short time in business.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Smokin' Betty's BBQ + Bar in Salem is closing its doors on Sunday, January 14 after less than eight months in operation. The note says that "At the end of the day it really came down to simple math. We spent more money than we brought in and we projected a larger number of customers than we saw come through our doors. And by the end it was putting a major financial strain on our other two restaurants to keep it going." The post does say that it is possible the concept could return in a smaller space at some point in time (and it continues to be around for catering), but for now, the Lafayette Street restaurant is saying farewell.

The people behind Smokin' Betty's BBQ + Bar--which opened last May in the space where Strega and Red Lulu had been--also run Gulu-Gulu Cafe and Flying Saucer Pizza Company in Salem.

The address for this soon-to-close barbecue spot in Salem is: Smokin' Betty's BBQ + Bar, 94 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA, 01970.

Thanks to @KatCornetta for bringing this to our attention.

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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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Tapeo in Boston's Back Bay Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

One of Boston's best-known restaurants is shutting down this weekend.

An email sent today from the dining spot confirms what a source told us earlier today, that Tapeo in the Back Bay is closing, with the note saying that the Newbury Street dining spot will shutter on Sunday, January 14. The email says that the reason for the closure is because of lease negotiations that were unsuccessful due at least in part to a rent increase.

Tapeo, which has been in business for 22 years, is known for its tapas, Spanish wines, and more. The Solea Group, which runs Tapeo, also operates Kika Tapas in Cambridge and Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar in Waltham.

The address for Tapeo is 266 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. Its website can be found at http://bostontapas.com/

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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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