Bitty & Beau's Coffee Brightens Melrose | Eat Mass

MASSACHUSETTS — Welcome to the first edition for September of Eat Mass, Patch's weekly round up of food and restaurant news in Massachusetts. Scroll down for more, including:

• A new Japanese pub moves into Malden.
• A fundraiser has been created for an Arlington juice bar struck by fire.
• The Tewksbury Fall Harvest Festival returns in late September.
• Bertucci's celebrates its 40th anniversary with discounts on pizza.

Restaurant Openings, Closings

• Billerica: The Parlor Pizzeria has opened on Boston Road, says Boston Restaurant Talk. Its menu presents wood-fired white, tomato-based and Sicilian pizza, as well as calzones, salads, garlic knots and meatballs.
• Brookline (Coolidge Corner): According to BostonChefs.com, a new beer garden at Prairie Fire is now open. While sipping beers from local breweries showcased on a rotating basis, guests can feast on an assortment of munchies; from fluke ceviche and Bavarian pretzels to bratwurst and wood-fired pizza. The garden is slated to remain open until December.
• Cambridge: Boston.com reports that the MIT Stratton Student Center location of Anna's Taqueria has shuttered its doors after 16 years. Citing a statement from owner Betsy Kamio, the space will be converted into a student lounge. One location in Cambridge remains, along with those in Newton, Brookline, Somerville, and Boston.
• Cambridge (Porter Square): Bubble tea outfit One Zo is heading over to Porter Square, according to Boston Restaurant Talk. Noted for its freshly made, in-house boba, it will move into the space previously held by Joie de Vivre. The national beverage chain presently has one regional location in Quincy, with the Cambridge store expected to open in December.
• Cambridge: Blue Owl has perched in Central Square, states Boston.com. Housed in the same building as its sister restaurant, The Dial, the bar’s extensive lineup of libations accompanies a mélange of global street foods. Looking out for the late-night crowd with hours from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, it opened on Sept. 1.
• Gloucester: Seafood haven Captain Carlo’s announced its closure after over 30 years in business, per Boston.com. Citing a Facebook post from the eatery last Sunday, its last day of operation will be Sept. 4. Hosting live music throughout the years, that evening’s final show will feature rock band Mystery Meat.
• Peabody: According to Boston Restaurant Talk, First Avenue joint Centennial Grille has closed. In a Facebook post on Aug. 23, Centennial's proprietors shared a final message: “Its [sic] with a heavy heart that we have made the difficult decision to close our location. Our last day will be August 27th.”
• Plum Island: Sunset Club has now opened near the residential section of the isle, according to Eater Boston. Helmed by the management company behind Trina’s Starlite Lounge in Somerville, diners can expect spectacular views to go with its diverse, seafood-heavy menu.

Bitty & Beau's Coffee Brightens Melrose

While there are a number of coffee shops bustling around Melrose, one opened last weekend that delivers an important note of inclusion and acceptance.

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee officially opened on Main Street in downtown Melrose on Aug. 28 and what sets it apart from its peers is the staff, which is comprised of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Named for Amy Wright’s two youngest children, who both have Down syndrome, Bitty & Beau's launched in Wilmington, North Carolina in 2016 as Beau’s Coffee. From its creation, its strong message of advocacy has been evident, as stated on its official website: “With over 80% of
people with intellectual and developmental disabilities unemployed nationwide, Beau’s Coffee created a path for people with disabilities to become more valued, accepted and included in every community.”

Later that year, at the request of Beau Wright, his sister’s name was added onto the business, and it continues its mission to provide jobs, hope, and pride to the disabled community.

Owned by Maryanne O’Donnell, the Melrose shop is the first in the country to be franchised. It joins Bitty & Beau’s current locations in North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., Texas and South Carolina. Shops are also coming to Alabama, Florida, and
Michigan, as well as additional locales in Texas and North Carolina.

More Massachusetts Food News

Bertucci’s celebrates 40th anniversary with savings: To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Bertucci’s is offering a discount of 40 percent off of cheese pizzas for one day only. Coinciding with National Cheese Pizza Day on Sept. 5, the promotion will apply to orders placed directly through its website (using promotional code "CHEESEPIZZADAY") and will be valid for both takeout and dine-in. The restaurant has 53 locations nationally, with 27 in Massachusetts alone.

September welcomes return of the Tewksbury Fall Harvest Festival: After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the Tewksbury Fall Harvest Festival comes back on Sunday, Sept. 26. Hosted by the Tewksbury Public Events and Celebrations Committee, the event will feature food trucks, live entertainment, autumn-themed lawn games, and food and craft vendors. The festival will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Livingston Street Recreational Complex. Parking will be free at several lots on Livingston Street on a first come, first served basis. Additional information may be found by visiting https://www.facebook.com/TewksburyEvents/.

Japanese pub comes to Malden: Along with its original location in Brookline Village, Omori Izakaya & Sushi has taken over Sousaku Bistro's former slot on Eastern Avenue. Just like its flagship post, the menu displays a plethora of teriyaki, donburi, and yakitori dishes, as well as sashimi and sushi. For those feeling peckish for an afternoon meal, it offers a "Build Your Own Makimono Lunch", consisting of either two or three maki rolls and miso soup. Sake, plum wine, whisky, and Japanese draft beers are also available.

Fundraising campaign set up for Arlington juice bar following fire: After Thrive Juice Café experienced a fire on Aug. 28, a Go Fund Me campaign has been created on the juice bar’s behalf. Looking to raise $100,000, organizer Kirsteen Raboy wrote how Thrive is now “indefinitely inoperable”. According to statements by fire officials to YourArlington, the blaze resulted in an estimated $40,000 worth of damage to the café, as well as $25,000 to the building. The fire also spread to the neighboring 13FOREST Gallery, which produced ceiling damage. At the time of Patch’s initial report on Aug. 30, the campaign had raised close to $12,000. As of Sept. 1, the tally has risen to over $18,900. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Upcoming Food Events

Thursday, Sept. 2:

• September 2nd Farm to Table Dinner at Chatham Bars Inn Farm (Brewster)
• Farmers Markets: Falmouth, Foxborough, Harwich, Melrose, Milton, Stoneham, Tewksbury, Worcester, Yarmouth

Friday, Sept. 3:

• Northampton Local Food Tour (Northampton)
• Italian Dinner with Tiramisu Finale (2-hour Cooking Class + Dinner) (Boston)
• Off the Beaten Path Food Tours: Harvard Square Chocolate Tour (Cambridge)
• Farmers Markets: Osterville, Quincy, Worcester

Saturday, Sept. 4:

• Hardwick Vineyard and Winery Fall Craft & Food Festival (Hardwick)
• Appleseed Country Fair (Phillipston)
• Farmers Markets: Andover, Braintree, Marblehead, Newton, Orleans, Provincetown, Wakefield, Waltham, Worcester

Sunday, Sept. 5:

• Food Truck: Caravan Kitchen-Fort Hill Brewery (Easthampton)
• Appleseed Country Fair (Phillipston)
• Cooking Outdoors with Justin Shoults (Saugus)
• Farmers Markets: Acton-Boxborough, Canton, Needham, North Andover, Swampscott, Weymouth, Wilmington

Monday, Sept. 6:

• The Filling Station Food Truck (East Falmouth)
• Appleseed Country Fair (Phillipston)
• Farmers Markets: Beverly, Billerica, Truro, Worcester

Tuesday, Sept. 7:

• Eataly Boston Virtual Pasta Class: Ragù alla Bolognese (Boston)
• Farmers Markets: Chatham, Lexington, Newton, Sandwich, Worcester

Wednesday, Sept. 8:

• Garden Wine Party-Adventures in Spain (Boston)
• Farmers Markets: Arlington, Brewster, Dedham, Scituate, Wayland, Wellfleet, Worcester

Thursday, Sept. 9:

• The Crayon Project Fundraiser at Black Hat Brew Works (Bridgewater)
• Cheese for All! (Brookline)
• Farmers Markets: Falmouth, Foxborough, Harwich, Melrose, Milton, Stoneham, Tewksbury, Worcester, Yarmouth

Katy Kostakis is a freelance writer specializing in Arts and Entertainment, Lifestyle, Health and Wellness, and Food and Beverage. She has written for Gannett's Wicked Local, YourTango, and Film Inquiry.

Have a tip, question or suggestion? Connect with her on Twitter @KatyKostakis, on Instagram @katykostakis, as well as on her website, katykostakis.com.