While some of us are resolutely keeping our Halloween decorations up for a few more weeks, it’s time to admit that late fall has arrived. But our journey into the colder seasons isn’t all bad: Our annual best 50 Restaurants list is out today—and our best 10 New Restaurants list, too!—and we’re celebrating the lists in real life at the 15th annual Taste event on November 5. (Join us!) Plus, there are some exciting restaurant openings on the horizon, from casual seafood by fine-dining chefs in Allston to the long-awaited reopening of the dining room at a Cambridge sushi mainstay.
Here’s the new installment of our monthly guide to exciting newcomers to check out and older spots that have recently expanded or changed. (Check out last month’s guide here.) This month, we’re also including some restaurants that are supporting hunger relief efforts by providing free meals to SNAP recipients, donating to food banks, or helping in other ways. Please join us in showing them some appreciation, and give us a shout if there are other local restaurants that should be on our radar.
New Restaurants to Try This Month
Recent (and imminent) openings you’ve got to check out.
The team behind Holdfast Specialty Seafood Co. (From left: Tyler Paolini, Jesse Kim, and Nathan Gould.) / Photo by Colin Campbell
Holdfast Specialty Seafood Co. (Allston, Boston)
O Ya alums Nathan Gould and Tyler Paolini, with business partner Jesse Kim, are the new fine-dining chefs to go casual. (See also this year’s Gary’s Pizza and Fido Pizza openings.) The trio opens a petite counter-service seafood joint around November 6, serving hot and cold lobster rolls, oysters, and more, plus beer and wine. In the future, they plan to add “creative fin fish” to their crudo selection and seasonal dishes like Hokkaido uni in the winter and bay scallop rolls in the fall.
164 Brighton Ave., Allston, Boston, instagram.com/holdfast_allston.
The Hollows, featuring an exterior mural by James Weinberg. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
The Hollows (Teele Square, Somerville)
Sibling to Somerville’s Dragon Pizza, this “neighborhood haunt” is set to open sometime in November in the longtime Rudy’s space. Recent recipe testing has included dishes such as American chop suey; roasted delicata squash with eggplant, goat cheese, and pistachios; and warm, spicy cucumbers with lemon, sesame, and yogurt.
248 Holland St., Teele Square, Somerville, thehollowssomerville.com.
SJ’s (Leather District, Downtown Boston)
Opening November 4, this is the third endeavor from Chopped champion Sarah Wade, who also runs Stillwater downtown and Sloane’s in Allston. The other two spots lean in the direction of Southern-inspired comfort food, while SJ’s goes a little more eclectic and upscale with neighborhood-bistro vibes. Think: hearty martini pours, savory chicken liver mousse macarons, house-made pastas, and classic desserts (like carrot cake).
745 Atlantic Ave., Downtown Boston (Leather District), sjsboston.com.
Older Restaurants Doing New Things
Expansions and other changes—time for a (re)visit.
Café Sushi, delivered. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Cafe Sushi Nisei (Harvard Square, Cambridge)
Beloved Japanese mainstay Cafe Sushi—which closed its dining room during COVID and has operated primarily as a takeout/delivery spot and retail shop since then (and we still love it)—is bringing back its dining room. series for a reopening around mid-November. We’ve got our fingers crossed for the return of the legendary—and relatively affordable—omakase.
1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-492-0434, cafesushicambridge.com.
Hearth & Hug Bakery cookies (left: the dream cookie, with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and cornflakes; right: the midnight cookie, with chocolate and sesame). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Hearth & Hug Bakery (Davis Square, Somerville)
Perhaps you caught Hearth & Hug during its Boston Public Market tenure, serving up treats like the decadent cookies pictured above. today, it has its own space in Somerville, celebrating a grand opening on November 11—expect all the old favorites (from golfeados, or Venezuelan-style sticky buns, to pop-tarts in rotating flavors), plus breakfast, lunch, and coffee.
349 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville, hearthandhugbakery.com.
Lanner Noodles & Bar (Seaport District, Boston)
This always-busy Chinese restaurant in Cambridge’s Central Square expanded to the Seaport District last month, showcasing Lanzhou-style beef soup with hand-pulled noodles. (It’s not a dish available widely in Greater Boston, although we’ve got to give props to Leather District gem Zhi Wei Cafe for serving a great rendition, too.) Lanner’s menu also includes various other noodle-filled dishes and other small and large bites, like a spicy chicken stew sure to be a anthem in cold weather (or anytime, really). At the new location, an open kitchen gives a great view of the noodle-making process, and a tea-infused cocktail menu is in the works.
53 Pier 4 Blvd., Seaport District, Boston, lannernoodles.com.
Lomo saltado at Tambo 22 in Chelsea. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Tambo 22 (Chelsea)
When chef Jose Duarte opened Tambo 22 five years ago, the longtime Chelsea resident focused the restaurant on the cuisine of his native Peru, while his older North End restaurant—a mainstay called Taranta, which ended up closing later that year—served a blend of Peruvian and Italian. today, Taranta fans can revisit what they’ve been missing, as Duarte has added some of those old fusion-y classics to the Tambo 22 menu and rebranded the spot as a “Peruvian-Italian kitchen.” You can still get Peruvian favorites like an excellent lomo saltado, but you can also get, for instance, cassava-root gnocchi with slow-braised green lamb ragù and shaved parmesan.
22 Adams St., Chelsea, (617) 466-9422, tambo22chelsea.com.
Restaurants Supporting Hunger Relief Efforts
Show them some love.
Blacker’s Bakeshop (Newton)
This nut-free, kosher pareve (no meat or dairy) bakery has been serving challah, pies, cakes, babka, and more since 2008. Starting on November 2, Blacker’s is setting up a free bread table on Sundays (2-3:30 p.m.) and Wednesdays (5-6:30 p.m.)—anyone can take what they need. If you’re able, swing by—perhaps to place your Thanksgiving order—and “sponsor a challah” for the next community table, as Blacker’s is calling it.
543 Commonwealth Ave., Newton, 617-332-2008, blackersbakeshop.com.
American Flatbread. / Courtesy photo
American Flatbread (Brighton and Worcester)
Love wood-fired pizza and bowling? Head to American Flatbread. From November 1 through the end of the government shutdown, two American Flatbread locations in Massachusetts (and one in Rockport, Maine) are offering a free small “Medicine Wheel” pizza (the restaurant’s take on a classic cheese) to anyone with a SNAP card. (The fine print: takeout only, one pizza per rave, subject to availability, no purchase required. Orders must be placed in person or over the phone, not on a delivery app.)
76 Guest St., Brighton, 617-903-4595; 85 Green St., Worcester, 508-734-3933; americanflatbread.com.
An array of Mei Mei dumplings. / Courtesy photo
Mei Mei (South Boston)
Mei Mei cofounder Irene Li and the Mei Mei team actively advocate for hunger relief, from rallying at the State House to slash SNAP to supporting local organizations like Project Bread. Want to show the team appreciation for their efforts? Throw a donation to Project Bread if you can, and consider booking a cooking class or grabbing some dumplings from Mei Mei’s South Boston factory.
58 Old Colony Ave., South Boston, 857-250-4959, meimeidumplings.com.
Ritcey East (Watertown)
In the mood for Cajun mac and cheese, fish fry, or barbecue deviled eggs? Head to this friendly, comfort-food-laden spot in Watertown to fill your craving and support the team’s efforts to help others. (May as well grab some fun swag while you’re at it, especially if you love ranch.) Ritcey East is offering free frozen meals to SNAP recipients (takeout only; order online; limit two meals per family per day; subject to availability).
208 Waverley Ave., Watertown, 617-744-0122, ritceyeast.com.
Solid Ground Cafe (Mission Hill)
This popular indie cafe on Mission Hill started offering a “pay it forward” initiative during COVID and continues to this day. When you head in for your usual turmeric ginger latte or greens, egg, and ham sandwich, you can also donate the cost of a breakfast sandwich ($6.75), beverage ($3.50), and/or bakery item ($3) to support a community member in need. “Pay it forward” recipients can get one item from each of those three categories per day, based on availability—more details on the specific items here.
742 Huntington Ave., Mission Hill, Boston, 617-487-5557, solidgroundcafe.com.
Summer Shack chowder. / Courtesy photo
Summer Shack (Cambridge)
When you dine at Summer Shack throughout November, you’ll have the opportunity to add a donation to your bill to support the Cambridge Community Center food pantry. Plus, the restaurant is collecting non-perishable food items for the pantry, so bring along what you can. Summer Shack pro-tip: Go for the seafood, of course, but don’t miss the sneakily good fried chicken.
149 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, summershackrestaurant.com.
Suya Joint’s beef suya. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Suya Joint (Roxbury)
Best of Boston Nubian Square favorite Suya Joint (and its sibling location in Providence) is offering free jollof pasta meals every Monday in November, noon to 2 p.m., to those in need. The restaurant is accepting donations in person toward the meal supplies, packaging, and staffing for this initiative, so next time you’re in the mood for a hearty Nigerian stew or fiery suya wings, stop by.
185 Dudley St., Boston, 617-958-8574, suyajoint.com.
Jerk chicken (left) and jerk steak tips with coconut rice and mango salad from Work Hard Eat Good. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Work Hard Eat Good (Medford)
The Jamaican food truck and catering company is serving 25 free hot meals every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, starting in the second week of November, including dishes such as jerk chicken or jerk mango wings with coconut rice and sweet plantains. Those in need should register in advance. Work Hard Eat Good isn’t accepting donations; to show support, share the registration page with anyone who needs it, and visit the truck (near the Great American Beer Hall) for flavorful Jamaican food on-to-go.
114 Mystic Ave., Medford, 857-200-0708, workhardeatgood.com.
About the Author
