Blue Ribbon Brasserie in Boston's Kenmore Square Has Closed

Another dining spot from a NYC-based restaurant group has shut down.

According to a source, Blue Ribbon Brasserie in the Kenmore Square section of Boston is no longer in operation, with a sign out front saying "Blue Ribbon Brasserie is closed. We would like to thank all of our guests and staff that helped create memorable experiences here." This is the second place from Blue Ribbon Restaurants to close in Kenmore, as Pescador shut down last year and its space is now home to a location of Row 34; another spot from the restaurant group called Blue Ribbon Sushi remains open in Kenmore.

Blue Ribbon Brasserie first opened inside the Hotel Commonwealth in the latter part of 2023, taking over the space that had previously been home to Eastern Standard (that restaurant now resides in a nearby space at the Fenway Center development which sits above the Mass. Pike just outside of Kenmore Square).

Another location of Blue Ribbon Brasserie remains open in Manhattan near where West Village and SoHo meet.

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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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Komugi Japanese Bakery & Cafe to Open Near Union Square in Somerville

It looks like a new bakery is on its way to Somerville.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Komugi Japanese Bakery & Cafe is making plans to open, moving into a space on Prospect Street a short distance south of Union Square. The website and Instagram page for the place indicates that it will be a Japanese bakery that uses Hokkaido flour (from Japan) and it will offer such options as sweet and savory buns, bread, donuts, croissants, cinnamon rolls, coffee, and more

The address for Komugi Japanese Bakery & Cafe is 68 Prospect Street, Somerville, MA, 02143. Its website can be found at https://bakerycafekomugi.com/ while its Instagram page is at https://www.instagram.com/bakerycafe.komugi/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Locations of Dumpling Daughter in Brookline and South Boston Are Closed; Exact Status Unknown

What was once a small group of Chinese restaurants known for their dumplings now appears to be down to just one, as two of their locations are shuttered with no information on whether they might return or not.

According to a source, Dumpling Daughter in Brookline is closed, while a Caught in Southie article also mentions that the South Boston location is no longer in business either. While Caught in Southie says that the South Boston location is officially closed, both outlets are labeled "temporarily closed" in Google searches while the phone number for the Brookline location doesn't seem to be working. The original location in Weston does remain open, and their products continue to be found in markets and food shops both locally and nationally. (Another location of the restaurant had once been in Cambridge's Kendall Square, but that one is no longer in operation.)

The website for Dumpling Daughter can be found at https://www.dumplingdaughter.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Oakberry Opens in Arlington Center

A chain with roots in South America has expanded to the Greater Boston area, with a location opening in the northwest suburbs of Boston.

Based on information from posters within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Oakberry is now open in Arlington, moving into a space on Massachusetts Avenue in the center of town. The new spot, which got its start in Brazil, offers such options as build-your-own and signature acai bowls along with smoothies and snacks.

The address for Oakberry in Arlington Center is 476 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02474. The website for the business is at https://www.oakberry.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Pink Carrot Opens at Lyrik Back Bay in Boston

A pair of cafes known for their healthy fare have been joined by a third location, with this one being within a new mixed-use development in Boston.

According to a source, Pink Carrot is now open at Lyrik Back Bay, an open-air plaza that is located above the Mass Pike by Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue. The new location joins its original in the North End along with a second outlet in Chestnut Hill, and like those two, it offers such options as sweet and savory toasts, breakfast burritos, wraps and bowls, smoothies, juices, coffee, and more.

The address for the new Pink Carrot at Lyrik Back Bay is 400 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02115. Its website can be found at https://www.pinkcarrotboston.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Blank Street Coffee to Open in the Former Twin Donuts Space in Allston, Will Keep Iconic Sign

A growing group of coffee shops and coffee carts with roots in New York City will be expanding further into the Boston area, moving into a landmark space where a breakfast and lunch spot had been for 70 years.

According to a press release, Blank Street Coffee is planning to open in Allston, taking over the former  Twin Donuts space on Cambridge Street. The Hamilton Company, a local real estate organization, will restore the neon Twin Donuts sign and the Blank Street branding will be incorporated into the sign, with Jameson Brown, Chairman and CEO of The Hamilton Company stating that "Blank Street's preservation of the iconic Twin Donuts sign really honors the long history of that property as a special place that is beloved in the community." If all goes as planned, the new location of Blank Street Coffee could open in the late spring of 2026 and it will be the eighth Boston-area location.

Twin Donuts dated back to the mid-1950s, offering such items as bagels, muffins, croissants, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, omelets, and salads.

The address for the upcoming Blank Street Coffee in Allston is 501 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA, 02134. The website for the business is at https://www.blankstreet.com/

[Earlier Article]
Twin Donuts in Allston Is Closing

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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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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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)