It’s high time we had something to look forward to, and nothing excites us more than pending restaurant openings. Our city’s intrepid restaurateurs are forging ahead with a slew of new openings over the next few months, and we’ll also see some big-name celebrity chefs arrive in Boston this year.
As we’ve come to expect, the offerings will be eclectic and varied: an Asian street food eatery, a fun Peruvian restaurant in Cambridge, a Nashville-inspired comfort spot, a patisserie from a celeb-beloved chef, and more are all expected to open later this year. So get excited, and check out these 11 Boston restaurants that we can’t wait to try.
Address: 253 Tremont Street, Theater District
Opening date: January 17
Jason Bond always knows how to party—and we sure could use a party right about now. The chef and owner transformed his former Abby Lane space into a two-story, Nashville-inspired Southern joint that plies you with indulgent fare like burnt end fries, crunchy chicken skin BLT, braised short rib, and blackened Texas redfish. But it’s the “stage” part that we’re truly excited about: the upper floor stage will feature live music every Friday and Saturday night from local bands as well as acts from Nashville and beyond. And to answer your unspoken question: Hell yes there will be line-dancing, every Thursday night.
Address: 396 Hanover Street, Back Bay
Opening date: January
We’ll follow Jen Royle anywhere. The genius behind the elevated Italian restaurant, TABLE, and an accompanying market is expanding her reign with an Italian sandwich shop that will also offer homemade gelati and a full espresso menu. Sounds straightforward, but when you learn that Royle has spent many months perfecting her gelato-making technique, you know you’re in for something special.
Address: 776 Boylston Street, Back Bay
Opening date: Early 2022
This one sells itself. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is making his first foray into the Boston dining scene; it’ll take up residence in the glamorous, 7,000-square-foot space on the first floor of the Mandarin Oriental; and it’s a culinary showcase spotlighting dishes from Ramsay’s 30-something restaurants around the world. Expect his famous beef Wellington as well as homages to New England ingredients, from a bacon-laden clam chowder to a Maine lobster bouillabaisse.
Address: 463 Assembly Row, Somerville
Opening date: February
We’re always excited for a new Assembly Row dining option, and we’re extra-excited for one that plays to multiple needs. Salt + Stone aims to be both an after-work hangout spot and a sit-down dinner spot, with both large and small plates available. Veteran restaurateurs Sean and Sue Olson will lean on their travels and deep relationships with regional farmers and purveyors to bring diners an eclectic menu of seafood towers, charcuterie boards, steak frites, handmade pasta, artisanal flatbreads, and seasonal salads and grain bowls. The 155-seat dining room includes floor-to-ceiling windows, and the two patios include a fire pit and a private bar. And did we mention that you’ll be able to order the spot’s boardwalk fries to-go in a paper cone?
Address: 221 Concord Avenue, Huron Village
Opening date: Early 2022
Step into Union Square’s Celeste, and you’ll worry you’ve crashed someone’s private dinner party—the conviviality is that striking. So we’re expecting a similar level of hospitality in the next space from chef JuanMa Calderón and partner Maria Rondeau, which is opening in their own Cambridge neighborhood. What can you expect? Two small dining rooms, creative Peruvian cuisine, pisco sours, and a supper club vibe.
Address: 792 Beacon Street, Piccadilly Square, Newton
Opening date: Early 2022
Whether you know chef Thiago Silva as a personal baker to the stars, the winner of first baking season of Chopped, or as one of the eight current contestants on the Netflix show School of Chocolate, 2022 will bring more of this pastry expert. Silva will kick off 2022 by opening up his first brick-and-mortar spot in Newton, where us mere mortals can soon indulge in his signature modern pastries, viennoiserie, breads, custom cakes, and of course, inimitable chocolates.
Address: 100 High Street, Downtown Crossing
Opening date: March
We got way ahead of ourselves on this one—chalk it up to overexcitement. But we’ll say it again: we can never have too many food halls, especially one that offers so many dining and drinking options. The full lineup includes Fuji, North East of the Border, Mike & Patty’s, and Mamaleh’s alongside new concepts like Haley Jane’s (fried chicken), Bubble Bath (a champagne and wine bar), and Tiffani Faison’s Dive Bar.
Address: 94 Derby Street, Hingham
Opening date: Early 2022
We got a little ahead of ourselves when we reported this one would be opening last fall. No matter: Now you have another reason to hit up Hingham’s Derby Street Shops that doesn’t involve shopping. The folks who brought us Shojo and Ruckus—and did tremendous work to support our local Chinese restaurants during the early days of the pandemic—are now opening a new concept that will continue their streak of irresistible pan-Asian offerings. And now we have a few more deets: raw bar offerings, both large and small plates, and a year-round patio.
Address: 611 Columbia Road, Upham’s Corner
Opening date: Early 2022
This one is on everyone’s must list, which is what happens when you first make your name with an incredible pop-up. The woman-, immigrant-, and Black-owned restaurant will feature both a cafe and a nighttime restaurant serving African-inspired comfort food inside a former comfort station in the heart of North Dorchester. Partners Kwasi Kwaa, Nyacko Pearl Perry, and Biplaw Rai already gave us a glimpse during their residency at Little Dipper, serving the likes of grilled prawns, jerk roasted duck, potato curry cakes, and mango ice cream; now we’re just counting down the days to an opening early this year.
Address: 54 Elm Street, Porter Square
Opening date: Early 2022
From the geniuses that brought you Dakzen comes this Asian fusion sibling, opening just down the road in the next few months. What Dakzen did for Thai street food (ie blow everyone’s mind), Jakingrass will do for other Asian recipes. Think bold, unexpected flavors and untraditional renderings of classic takeaway foods such as curry rice plates.
Address: One Shepard Street, Porter Square
Opening date: Early 2022
We trust the Giulia team completely: after all, they set a new standard for romantic Italian fare years ago, what with their rotating homemade pastas and moody, beautifully appointed interior. (Pour some out for sister restaurant Benedetto, which closed completely unexpectedly last spring due to circumstances beyond their control.) And now the team is poised to take over the former Chez Henri/Shepard space and introduce a seafood-forward menu to its adoring fans. The menu will celebrate sustainable coastal offerings from all over the world, and preparations will stay simple to let the seafood sing.
