Boston's Hub Hall Embraces Local Flavor | Eat Mass

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

• Two treasured fall festivals set to reopen with plenty of food and fun.
• Workers at a chain of cafés in Cambridge intend to unionize.
• Possible new ownership may save popular Andover luncheonette.

Restaurant Openings, Closings

• Boston (Beacon Hill): According to Boston.com, the first digital-only Dunkin' has opened on Beacon Street. Featuring a designated space allowing for contactless pickup, all orders for Dunkin' Digital are placed via its mobile application or its in-store kiosks. Opening quietly on Aug. 18, a ribbon cutting for its grand opening was held on Tuesday by Dunkin' business owner Sean Sullivan.
• Boston (Seaport District): Boston.com reports that the tantalizingly-monikered Coquette opened last Thursday. Featuring cuisine evocative of both the Basque Country in northern Spain and southwestern France, guests can indulge in tuna au poivre (rare tuna in a Madagascar green peppercorn sauce), Iberico pork collar, joues de boeuf (braised beef cheeks with mushrooms and espelette) and merda dé Can (Provençal-style spinach dumplings with a tomato brown-butter). Located within the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, it is currently serving dinner and drinks, but is anticipating an expansion to include lunch and brunch services.
• Cambridge (Inman Square): According to both Cambridge Day and Boston Restaurant Talk, Inman Square's Highland Fried has closed indefinitely. Citing an Instagram post by the chicken and barbecue restaurant, it is "pressing the pause button" and will remain closed "while we figure out our next move for Highland Fried. ...watching what happens with Delta", inferring that part of the reason for the closure could be due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, affected by the Delta variant.
• Hingham: Shake Shack continues to extend its reach throughout Massachusetts. According to Boston Restaurant Talk, the Derby Street Shops will contain the next post of the milkshake and burger joint and is scheduled to debut in 2022. This will be the first location on the South Shore.
• Milford: National sub chain Jersey Mike's is looking to put up stakes in the Milford Crossing plaza on Route 109. Aiming to take over the former space of a Hair Cuttery salon, the store's owner is awaiting approvals from the town to open. The casual chain currently has multiple locations throughout Massachusetts.
• Plymouth: Old Sandwich Road's Rye Tavern has closed indefinitely, says Boston Restaurant Talk. In a Sept. 8 Facebook post, the restaurant states it will remain shuttered "as we try to adequately staff our kitchen."
• Saugus: Grab a glass of milk because Crumbl Cookies is opening another location in the Bay State. While an official date has yet to be announced, construction and signage can be seen at a space at the Shops at Saugus, located on the northbound side of Route 1. Crumbl's store in Methuen is currently operational, with another coming to Woburn Village in Woburn. Patch previously reported that Woburn will house the second location, but according to other sources, it looks to be the third. We apologize for the error.
• Somerville: Adding to its ever-expanding collection of outlet shops and restaurants, Eater Boston states that two more eateries and another location of a local liquor store chain are coming to Assembly Row. Juicygreens, with spots in Jamaica Plain and Boston's Hub Hall, serves fresh juices, smoothies, and various bowls; Union Square Donuts tempts those with a sweet tooth with crullers and doughnuts; Sav-Mor Spirits stocks everything you need for your cocktail cabinet, and the clever signage featured at its other stores could be making an appearance.
• Woburn: Chateau Restaurant will bring its ambiance and classic Italian fare to the former space of Joe’s American Bar and Grill on Mishawum Road. Having received its liquor license back in May, it will join eight other locations throughout Greater Boston.

Boston's Hub Hall Embraces Local Flavor

Both visitors to Boston and its locals may have a tough time deciding what to eat once they get a glimpse into the newly-opened Hub Hall at the Hub on Causeway.

Located near North Station and the TD Garden, the food court features a 16,000 square foot dining area that can seat 500 people, showcasing 18 vendors with cuisine in a wide variety of styles.

Ranging from Southern, soup, and seafood to meats and sweets, many of these vendors are already a Massachusetts mainstay. Among the choices visitors can enjoy delights from include Mike’s Pastry, Caffé Nero, Boston Soup Co., Lily P’s Fried Chicken, Sullivan’s Castle Island, Smoke Shop BBQ, and Naco Taco.

As if the current lineup of nibbles wasn’t mouth-watering enough, Chef Masaharu Morimoto, best known for his starring role on “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America”, is set to open Momosan Ramen sometime this fall. It will offer Japanese-style ramen, as well as sushi and grilled dishes.

Those whose interests gear more towards beverages can head over to the two bars within the venue. Craft beers are the focus of The Draft by Banners and the Now Pouring Wine Bar has a rotating wine selection, cider, beer, and cocktails.

While hours of operation vary for each vendor, Hub Hall’s general hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Learn more at https://www.hubhallboston.com/.

More Massachusetts Food News

Fall introduces return of cherished festivals: The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered a number of popular fairs in Massachusetts in 2020, but with autumn arriving next week, two local festivals are gearing up to bring back food and fun for the season.

Easily one of the largest fairs in the state, The Big E comes back to the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield from Sept. 17 through Oct. 3. Known for its massive selection of food options, guests can munch on a plethora of treats including eclairs, cream puffs, corn dogs, baked potatoes, and pizza. Those who are hungry for something a bit more whimsical can dig into chocolate covered bacon, caramel apples, a Thanksgiving-esque turkey and stuffing sandwich, and much more when the Topsfield Fair returns to its grounds on Boston Street in Topsfield from Oct. 1. to Oct. 11. Both fairs are operating under regulations set by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as that of each respective town regarding COVID-19, and have policies in place for safety measures and attendance. Information on The Big E may be found at www.thebige.com. For details on the Topsfield Fair, please visit www.topsfieldfair.org.

Union to be formed by workers at Cambridge café chain: Eater Boston reports that the staff of Cambridge café chain Darwin's, Ltd. have decided to form a union. On Wednesday, a letter of intention to do so was sent by Darwin's United Organizing Committee to its management, asking for a voluntary recognition of said union via a card check procedure and its participation in "good-faith contract negotiations". The organizing committee is being represented by the New England Joint Board UNITE HERE union and support for its endeavors has been shown by a bulk of the chain's workers. Darwin's barista and organizing committee member Annina Kennedy-Yoon told Eater: "The best working relationships are the ones where workers have a say in how things are run. We don’t have any specific demands, we just want an equal say and to feel included in our relationships with our employers." If all goes well, the workers at Darwin's will be the second independent chain of cafés in Massachusetts to unionize, succeeding Boston's Pavement Coffeehouse.

Andover luncheonette to possibly continue under new ownership: After the owners of Shawsheen Luncheonette in Andover announced its closure this summer, a potential new operator has been found. The owner of two franchises of Bonchon Chicken, Peter Ahn, is finalizing the sale agreement to take over the Shawsheen Luncheonette from Amy and Brian Guay, who are retiring. Pending approval by the town, the eatery could reopen later this month or at some point in October.

Upcoming Food Events

Thursday, Sept. 16:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Wine & Spirits at The Stone Pantry (Georgetown)
• Steakhouse Grilling Class w/ Chef Joe Gatto (Boston)
• Julia Child Tribute Dinner (Cambridge)
• Vegan Thai (Cooking Class+Dinner) (Boston)
• Annunciation Greek Church Greek Food Festival (Brockton)
• Farmers Markets: Falmouth, Foxborough, Harwich, Melrose, Milton, Stoneham, Tewksbury, Worcester, Yarmouth

Friday, Sept. 17:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Annunciation Greek Church Greek Food Festival (Brockton)
• Halfway to St. Patrick's Day With The Pourmen! (Hyannis)
• 4th Annual Farm to Table Dinner to support the Caitlin Clavette Foundation (Winchester)
• Farmers Markets: Osterville, Quincy, Worcester

Saturday, Sept. 18:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Annunciation Greek Church Greek Food Festival (Brockton)
• Caribbean Rum & Food Festival (Roxbury)
• Derby Drag Diva Brunch (Salem)
• OLOP Mahrajan-Lebanese Festival (New Bedford)
• Oktoberfest at Bow Market (Somerville)
• Lowell Irish Festival (Lowell)
• Stellwagen Bier Co. Oktoberfest 2021 (Marshfield)
• North Andover Merchants' Fall Festival (North Andover)
• Fall Fest Pepperell 2021 (Pepperell)
• Blooms, Brews, and BBQS (Hopkinton)
• First Annual Springfield Fall Food Festival (Springfield)
• Farmers Markets: Andover, Braintree, Marblehead, Newton, Orleans, Provincetown, Wakefield, Waltham, Worcester

Sunday, Sept. 19:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Annunciation Greek Church Greek Food Festival (Brockton)
• Oktoberfest at Bow Market (Somerville)
• Culinary Fight Club Street Food Showdown (Plymouth)
• Hard Cider Bar & Live Music with The Splinters (Amesbury)
• 2021 11th Annual Boston Local Food Festival (Boston)
• Marlborough Food Truck and Arts Festival (Marlborough)
• Farmers Markets: Acton-Boxborough, Canton, Needham, North Andover, Swampscott, Weymouth, Wilmington

Monday, Sept. 20:

• Charcuterie and Custom Serving Board Workshop (Belchertown)
• Farmers Markets: Beverly, Billerica, Truro, Worcester

Tuesday, Sept. 21:

• Lobsterbake Aboard the USS Salem - Quincy Farmers Market Programs (Quincy)
• Croatian Wine Pairing Dinner at Brasserie (Boston)
• Widowmaker Anniversary Beer Dinner (Braintree)
• Mistress Carrie's Cocktails In The War Room-150th Episode LIVE!(Dracut)
• Farmers Markets: Chatham, Lexington, Newton, Sandwich, Worcester

Wednesday, Sept. 22:

• Dining Under The Stars (Leominster)
• The Trip to Italy: Dinner at South End Buttery with Chef Marisa Iocco (Boston)
• Cocktails in the Park (Boston)
• Wine and Chocolate Pairing (Boston)
• Burgers and Burgundy (Manchester-by-the-sea)
• Farmers Markets: Arlington, Brewster, Dedham, Scituate, Wayland, Wellfleet, Worcester

Thursday, Sept. 23:

• Cheese Plate Personality (Brookline)
• Inn at Hastings Park Farm + Vine Dinner, Featuring Wilson Farms and Paul Hobbs Winery (Lexington)
• Bartending 101: Rum Cocktail Mixing (Boston)
• Smokey, Saucy, & Spicy: Adult Cooking Class (Dover)
• 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.