July’s biggest restaurant openings and closings
Neighborhood brasseries and homemade tofu made an entrance this month, while a Somerville stalwart closed up shop.
Can’t keep up with all of the restaurant and bar openings and closings happening around Boston? We highlight the need-to-know newcomers and surprising shutters that made headlines this past month.
Openings
The South End gained a new neighborhood hangout with the opening of Black Lamb.
Black Lamb
The team behind Bar Mezzana, Shore Leave, and No Relation launched their latest project in June with the debut of Black Lamb, a neighborhood brasserie in the South End where lamb tartare and lobster rolls find a place on the menu alongside burgers and smoked American hams. Chef Colin Lynch and executive chef Chris Drown drive the kitchen, while beverage director Ryan Lotz has taken classic cocktails and tweaked them ever so slightly (the vodka martini is infused with olive oil; the mojito is sweetened with rosé wine syrup). Pop in for daily specials while welcoming this little lamb to the neighborhood. (571 Tremont St., Boston)
Beacon Hill scored a new chef-ed up bar in July with the opening of The Emory, a casual hangout serving upscale bar food and drinks in the former Bellevue Hotel on Beacon Street. Owner Andy Kilgore, a fixture within Boston’s restaurant and bar scene, created the kind of casual dining environment conducive to “the way I like to eat,” which includes plenty of bar seating, high-low bites like foie gras tots, and a solid beer, wine, and cocktail list. Take advantage of The Emory’s patio this summer while tossing back oysters from the raw bar. (21 Beacon St., Boston)
Kim’s Tofu
A new Korean restaurant specializing in homemade tofu joined the Allston dining scene, offering customizable stews and classic Korean dishes like kalbi (barbecue beef short ribs) and seafood soybean pancakes. The menu is small, with a focus on tofu soup. To craft your own soup, choose proteins and toppings (kimchi, oysters, sausages, vegetables), a spice level, and various rice options to add to a bubbling bowl of silky tofu. (160 Brighton Ave., Boston)
The Oyster Club
Oysters, clams, lobsters, scallops, and other seafood co-stars are on the menu at The Oyster Club, a new yacht club-inspired restaurant that recently opened in the former Via Matta and Doretta Tavern space in the Back Bay. Chef Chris Parsons has returned to his seafood roots (while still offering items like a burger or a fried chicken sandwich for the fish-averse), implementing “Lobster of the Day” specials and leaning on New England produce. Don’t skip out on dessert, though: Toscanini’s provides the ice cream, which goes well with The Oyster Club’s luxurious Taza chocolate brownie. (79 Park Plaza, Boston)
Garlic shrimp at Peregrine.
Peregrine
Chef Josh Lewin and Katrina Jazayeri found wild success with their award-winning Somerville restaurant Juliet, so it’s no surprise that their second project, Peregrine, was a much-welcomed addition to the Beacon Hill neighborhood in July. The Mediterranean restaurant sits adjacent to the lobby in the newly-opened Whitney Hotel, and highlights food that is inspired by the sunny shores of Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, and Catalonia: wild Chatham mussels in olive oil, tomato, and mint; tagliatelle al vongole; Catalonian cheesecake; and an aromatic bisteca with rosemary garlic potatoes. Pair your meal with a glass of wine from Jazayeri’s excellent wine list. (170 Charles St., Boston)
The Porch Southern Fare and Juke Joint
Nashville hot chicken, shrimp and grits, and barbecue pork ribs brought a taste of the South to Medford with the opening of The Porch, a Southern food and live music spot owned by chef Jonathan Post and partner Cenk Emre. Portraits of country artists adorn the walls, while a solid entertainment lineup attracts diners who are looking for a side of bluegrass with their dinner. (175 River’s Edge Drive, Medford)
Sally’s Sandwiches
Blackbird Doughnuts broke into the sandwich game with the recent opening of Sally’s Sandwiches at the chain’s South End location. Named after owner Rebecca Roth Gullo’s mother, the take-out spot serves hefty creations like the brisket sandwich with slaw and pimento-goat cheese and the porchetta sandwich with 14-hour roasted pork, arugula, garlic broccoli rabe, pickled cherry peppers, and cheeses. Making a pit stop here in the morning? Pick up a few breakfast tacos or an egg sandwich (and grab some doughnuts while you’re at it). (492 Tremont St., Boston)
Closings
The grass-fed cheeseburger at Kirkland Tap & Trotter.
The Kirkland Tap & Trotter
It came as a shock to local diners when The Kirkland Tap & Trotter, a Somerville staple, announced that it was closing on July 20 after almost six years. Chef Tony Maws (Craigie on Main, Craigie Burger) posted a note to his Instagram lamenting the closure: “Someday perhaps I’ll be able to offer an explanation,” he wrote. “For now I’m just reflecting…hard to grasp.”
The Lower Depths
This Kenmore Square watering hole said its goodbyes at the tail end of June, announcing in a Facebook post that, after 13 years, it would be closing up shop. “And that’s a wrap,” read the post, which was published on June 30. “We’re moving on to some new adventures as of July 1st.” The cash-only bar, owned by the Wilcox Hospitality Group (Bukowski Tavern, Tip Tap Room, Parish Cafe), was well-loved for its tater tots, craft beer selection, and hot dogs.
Vito’s Tavern
This popular sports bar in the North End is no longer, but not all is lost — it was swiftly replaced by Domenic’s, an Italian restaurant from the same owner. So long to Vito’s burgers and wings, but hello to Domenic’s more classic Italian fare: mussels marinara, chicken parm, and puttanesca.
