All'Antico Vinaio May Be Opening in Boston's Downtown Crossing

An award-winning group of sandwich shops with roots in Italy that opened its first location in Boston last fall could be opening another location within the city.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, All'Antico Vinaio is looking to open in Downtown Crossing, moving into a space on Washington Street near where it meets Milk Street. The notice mentions that the proposed restaurant would have a dining area with seating for 20 people and an ordering counter, and it hopes to acquire a beer and wine license as well. If approved, the new location of All'Antico Vinaio would join another on Boylston Street in the Copley Square along with a handful of other U.S. locations.

All'Antico Vinaio, which started out in Florence in 1991, is known for their variety of panini; in 2017, Saveur included All'Antico Vinaio in an article on "The World's Best Sandwiches."

The address for the proposed location of All'Antico Vinaio in Downtown Crossing is 330 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02109. The website for All'Antico Vinaio can be found at https://ift.tt/qv3j9Lg

(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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Nirvana Tea House & Cafe in Millis Is Reopening

A vegan eatery in the southwest suburbs of Boston that shut down last fall is returning under new ownership.

According to a Bluesky Post, Nirvana Tea House & Cafe in Millis is opening back up, with Unity Farm Sanctuary purchasing the Main Street spot and planning a grand opening on March 26. A Facebook post from the place says the following:

Welcome to Nirvana! Under new ownership and management, Unity Farm Sanctuary purchased the Cafe in December 2025 and began the renovation work January 1, 2026! General Manager Keith Maher is back to run the cafe with hand picked team members and Head Baker Shannon. You will see some familiar faces too in the "front of the house" serving your tea, coffee, smoothies, salads, wraps, soups, bowls, and baked goods....Table service and take-away, plus Doordash has you covered! Our vision of food is that we simply want to offer you good, compassionate, tasty food.

Nirvana Tea House & Cafe first opened its doors in 2020.

The address for Nirvana Tea House & Cafe is 969 Main Street Unit 2, Millis, MA, 02054. Its website can be found at https://ift.tt/JYUt2a7

[Earlier Article]
Nirvana Tea House & Cafe in Millis Has Closed

(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.)

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KoKo Coffee Opens New Location Next to South Station in Boston

A small local group of coffee shops has been joined by a new location that should be popular with commuters.

According to its social media along with an earlier press release, KoKo Coffee is now open on Atlantic Avenue next to South Station, with the new spot joining another by the Boston waterfront on State Street along with others on Causeway Street by North Station and L Street in South Boston. The new shop offers such options as coffee, pastries, baked goods, salads, and sandwiches.

The address for the new location of KoKo Coffee is 745 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111. The Instagram page for all locations is at https://ift.tt/ovkW1Yy

(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.)

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New Restaurant from A Street Hospitality to Open in the Former Bristol Lounge Space Within the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston

A new dining spot is on its way to an iconic Boston space, and a local restaurant group is behind it.

According to an article from Boston Magazine, A Street Hospitality (Porto, La Padrona, Trade, Saloniki, the Venetian) is planning to open a restaurant in the old Bristol Lounge space in the Four Seasons Hotel on Boylston Street in the Back Bay, with Jody Adams, Eric Papachristos, and Jon Mendez planning to bring such classic options as Dover sole, prime rib, lobster bisque, local oysters, caviar and blini, and beef tartare to the as-of-yet unnamed spot. It is not yet known when the place might open (plans are in their early stages), but when it does, it will have dinner service daily along with a weekend brunch.

The Bristol Lounge, which closed during the pandemic, was known in part for its Bristol burger, which was considered one of Boston's best.

The website for A Street Hospitality can be found at https://ift.tt/jm4RUQY

(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.)

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Common Craft Opens in South Boston

A second location of a dining/drinking complex has debuted after being in the works for more than a year.

According to its website, Common Craft is now open in South Boston, joining the original location at the Burlington Mall in Burlington. Unlike that location which consists of multiple sections dedicated to beer, wine, and cocktails, the South Boston location focuses more on food, with a dining area called The Current featuring a rotating menu and having James Beard-winning chef Tony Messina and Patrick Lipscomb (Menton, Uni, Bisq, Craigie on Main, Pammy's) behind it, and a cocktail lounge called The Stillroom that features different twists on classic drinks.

The address for the South Boston location of Common Craft is 85 Damrell Street, South Boston, MA, 02127. The website for the business is at https://ift.tt/1Az79T3

[Earlier Article]
Common Craft Could Be Opening in South Boston

(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.)

Read more »

Melty in Dedham Has Closed

The sole Boston-area location of a small group of dining spots with roots out west has shut down.

Based on a check on the place this week, Melty in Dedham is no longer in business, with a message from @IrishEyesPhoto1 saying that it closed on March 8. A Facebook post from the Washington Street spot gives a bit more information, saying the following:

After much consideration, we've made the difficult decision to close Melty Dedham....Opening our doors in September 2024 was truly a dream come true. From day one, our goal was simple — to serve great food with warmth and create a place where people left feeling a little better than when they walked in. We are so proud of what we built with this community....Like many restaurants navigating a challenging environment, we faced hurdles that ultimately made it impossible to continue. This was not an easy decision, and we truly gave it everything we had....Thank you, Dedham, for welcoming us and supporting us. We are deeply grateful.

The Dedham location of Melty (whose company headquarters are in Utah) was known for its grilled cheese sandwiches along with its melts which included such options as pulled pork, bacon, corned beef, turkey, chicken, ham, ground beef, and more.

The address for the now-closed Melty in Dedham was 290 Washington Street, Dedham, MA, 02026. The website for the company is at https://ift.tt/1JBmoqA

(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.)

Read more »

Qué Mas Restaurant in Beverly Has Closed

A restaurant on the North Shore that featured Latin cuisine has shut down.

According to a couple of sources, Qué Mas Restaurant in Beverly is no longer in business, with an Instagram post from the Rantoul Street spot saying the following:

Thank you all for the endless support and love. It was a pleasure to see so many people really enjoy our food and notice all the passion that us and our staff put in. Well this is goodbye for now it isn't goodbye forever!

Qué Mas first opened in 2024, with Alex Pineda being behind it; Pineda is the son of Lydia Shire, who is known in part for her restaurant Scampo (where Pineda also worked) in the Beacon Hill/MGH area of Boston, and he was also a finalist on Alton Brown's "Chopped: Alton's Maniacal Baskets" in 2021.

The address for the now-closed Qué Mas was 114 Rantoul Street, Beverly, MA, 01915.

(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.)

Read more »