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These 37 Boston businesses received the city’s new liquor licenses
Handing out the liquor licenses, which were approved by state lawmakers last year to combat Boston's cap, is expected to take three years.
City officials on Thursday announced the approval of 37 liquor license applications for businesses across the city, the first round of the 225 new licenses granted by state lawmakers to ease Boston’s notorious limit and give more restaurant owners a chance of snagging one of the coveted licenses.
A press release said that the City of Boston Licensing Board approved 28 applications Thursday, and the other nine applications had been approved previously. Of the 37 licenses approved by the Licensing Board, 33 were zip code-restricted, part of the 195 new licenses meant to reach underserved neighborhoods. Thursday’s batch included restaurants in Dorchester, Roxbury, the South End, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, East Boston, Roslindale, Hyde Park, and Charlestown.
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Two businesses in Brighton’s Oak Square were approved, with one more license up for grabs for that neighborhood.
Officials also approved four licenses for community spaces.
The major legislation, signed by Gov. Maura Healey in September, will approve over three years a total of 195 zip code-restricted all-alcohol and beer and wine licenses, 15 all-alcohol licenses for community spaces, and three all-alcohol licenses specifically for Oak Square.
The remaining 12 licenses will be unrestricted, allowing them to go to any neighborhood. But the unrestricted licenses could also be sold on the private market, often the only way restaurateurs can enter the market in Boston because there’s a post-Prohibition limit on liquor licenses. Those licenses no longer in use by former restaurants can cost new business owners up to $600,000.
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The rule has set up the current scene of restaurants today: There are 60 to 90 license-holding restaurants in Back Bay and Seaport, mostly snatched up by restaurant groups that can afford them. And in Boston’s predominantly low-income, BIPOC communities, like Mattapan and Roxbury, there are only a handful of license-holding eateries.
Supporters of additional licenses, which include Mayor Michelle Wu, have argued that more licenses would only help Boston’s small business economy since alcohol is a big part of restaurant sales.
“Each of these 37 local businesses brings vitality, jobs, and community to our neighborhoods,” Mayor Wu said in a statement. “I’m thankful to these entrepreneurs for investing in Boston, to the Licensing Board for their diligent efforts stewarding a smooth and thorough process, and to our partners at the state and local levels who advanced the legislation making this possible. I look forward to celebrating each of these restaurants and community spaces as we build opportunity in our neighborhoods.”
The Licensing Board approached the process of handing out the licenses differently than in 2014, the last time legislation was passed to add more liquor licenses in Boston. These licenses were not doled out on a first-come, first-serve basis, but instead the board weighed “public need.”
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Back in December, board chairperson Kathleen Joyce explained that “public need” is already a factor they use when approving liquor licenses. The board takes into consideration the number of liquor licenses in a neighborhood where the applicant is interested, comparing the concept to other restaurants in the area, takeout and delivery impacts to the neighborhood, public support of the restaurant, and the personal and professional reputation of the applicant.
Thursday’s news was just the first of what is expected to be a three-year process. Joyce said in a press release that the phased application process aims to “give applicants the time they need to present strong proposals, ensuring those granted licenses are set up for long-term success.”
The next deadline for applicants is at 11:59 p.m. on May 23. The Licensing Board and other city offices continue to hold bi-weekly office hours and invite restaurant owners to drop-in appointments if they have questions about the application process.
37 liquor license recipients:
Zip Code Restricted Licenses
- Crystal Spoons, Roxbury (02118), All Alcohol
- El Centro, South End (02118), All Alcohol
- La Parada Dominican Kitchen, Jamaica Plain (02119), All Alcohol
- justBook-ish, Dorchester (02122), Beer and Wine
- Minina Cafe, Dorchester (02122), Beer and Wine
- One Family Diner, Dorchester (02122), Beer and Wine
- Fresh Food Generation, Dorchester (02124), All Alcohol
- Murl’s Kitchen, Dorchester (02124), All Alcohol
- Mofongo Factory, Dorchester (02125), Beer and Wine
- Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant, Mattapan (02126), All Alcohol
- Angela’s Cafe Orient Heights, East Boston (02128), All Alcohol
- Cabana Grill, East Boston (02128), All Alcohol
- Cafe Dello Sport, East Boston (02128), All Alcohol
- Con Sabor A Colombia, East Boston (02128), Beer and Wine
- El Jardin, East Boston (02128), Beer and Wine
- Florenza, East Boston (02128), Beer and Wine
- Los Alebrijes, East Boston (02128), Beer and Wine
- Mi Pueblito, East Boston (02128), All Alcohol
- Taqueria Jalisco Orient Heights (02128), East Boston, All Alcohol
- The Smoke Shop BBQ (02128), East Boston, All Alcohol
- Peruvian Taste Restaurant, Charlestown (02129), Beer and Wine
- bb.q Chicken, Jamaica Plain (02130), Beer and Wine
- Don Tequeño y Doña Arepa, Jamaica Plain (02130), Beer and Wine
- Jadu, Jamaica Plain (02130), Beer and Wine
- Mangú Dominican Bistro, Jamaica Plain (02130), Beer and Wine
- Momo Masala, Jamaica Plain (02130), All Alcohol
- Stoked Pizza, Jamaica Plain (02130), All Alcohol
- Harry’s All American, Roslindale (02131), All Alcohol
- Mi Finca Mexican Restaurant & Pizzeria, Roslindale (02131), Beer and Wine
- From Scratch, Oak Square, Brighton (02135), All Alcohol
- SubRosa and Humaari, Oak Square, Brighton (02135), All Alcohol
- Las Delicias Colombianas, Hyde Park (02136), All Alcohol
- Little Haiti International Cuisine, Hyde Park (02136), All Alcohol
Community Space All Alcohol Licenses
- Huntington Theatre Company, Fenway (02115)
- Zoo New England, Dorchester (02121)
- Jeffries Yacht Club, East Boston (02128)
- Roslindale Substation, Roslindale (02131)
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