Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Honor Local Eateries | Eat Mass

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

• Fox & the Knife's fresh pasta stocked at Formaggio Kitchen.
• Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas set up at Patriot Place.
• The Liberty Hotel's Clink salutes the end of summer with a clambake.

Openings, Closings

• Boston (Financial District): As of Sept. 1, an Italian restaurant within The Langham, Boston is now operational. Boston.com reports that Grana offers both American and Italian cuisine for breakfast and lunch, including Panettone french toast, Belgian waffles, lobster raviolo and cod cioppino. Situated in what was once the great hall of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, it will also begin a weekend brunch service in mid-September.
• Boston (Back Bay): WHDH reports that brewpub and restaurant Yard House will be opening a new location at the Boston Marriott Copley Place on Huntington Avenue. While the chain is national, only a handful of eateries are here in the Bay State. Joining spots in Burlington, Dedham, Lynnfield, and a second Boston locale in the Fenway area, it's set to open on Sept. 27.
• Bedford: A third spot of The Painted Burro has landed in Bedford, says BostonChefs.com. Cuisine from a myriad of regions in Mexico are presented, as is with the locales in Waltham and Somerville. Taking over the area that was previously Posto Bedford, it opened on Sept. 8.
• Brookline (Coolidge Corner): According to Boston Restaurant Talk, Osaka Japanese Sushi & Steakhouse has ended its run in Brookline. While the Coolidge Corner location is listed on the Osaka Restaurant Group's website as “closed indefinitely”, its second location in Northampton remains open. The eatery features favorites such as sushi, sashimi, donburi and hibachi dishes.
• Cambridge (Harvard Square): Spending over 20 years on Holyoke Street, Thai restaurant Spicies has pulled the plug, reports Boston Restaurant Talk. Citing a Cambridge Day article, BRT also states that Boston Ramen Co. is poised to take over the space.
• Malden: Highland Avenue’s Spadafora Slush and Ice Cream has shut down as of last week. In an Aug. 31 Facebook post, the proprietors made the announcement: “After 40+ years of providing our products to the community via manufacturing, wholesale and retail, we announce the closure of Spadafora Slush and Ice Cream as of today.”
• Plymouth: With axe throwing bars all the rage, those on the South Shore eager to try a hand at tossing the blade can visit Longhouse Axe Throwing. Tentatively celebrating its grand opening on Sept. 4, guests can hit their target in five tossing bays and enjoy hard seltzers and craft beers, reports Fun107.
• Reading: Fat Larry’s is bringing sandwiches and ice cream to Haven Street, which was previously filled by the Olde Reading Butcher Shop. While no official opening date has been announced, its website and social media accounts have been created and are being updated.
• Watertown: O’Some Café has opened on Main Street, says Boston Restaurant Talk. Its website lists a variety of beverages, including chai and matcha lattes, espresso and yuzu sodas, cappuccinos and americanos. Current bakery items offered are cookies, croissants, and muffins.

Chestnut Hill Restaurants Win Honors in 2021 Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards

For many, Wine Spectator magazine is considered one of the top authorities in the world of oenophilia and their yearly Restaurant Awards bestow a badge of honor to eateries both stateside and worldwide.

As explained on the magazine's website, the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards recognize "restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers."

Judged on an extensive number of criteria, three levels of awards are bestowed to eateries. This year's winners were presented in Wine Spectator's Aug. 31 issue, with several Massachusetts restaurants receiving an accolade. The Capital Grille, Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse and Seasons 52, all in Chestnut Hill, were granted the coveted Award of Excellence for 2021.

According to the magazine, the Award of Excellence is for wine lists "which offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these
lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers."

The Grand Award, the awards' most prestigious honor, was given to three restaurants this year: Le Bernardin in New York, SingleThread Farms in Healdsburg, California, and Brennan's in New Orleans.

Learn more about the story of how the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards began by visiting https://www.winespectator.com/articles/history-of-wine-spectator-restaurant-awards .

More Massachusetts Food News

Patriot Place offers designated outdoor dining areas: Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas (or DORA) have been set up around the periphery of Marlborough's Patriot Place. Visitors are welcome to procure takeout and libations from establishments within the plaza to picnic in the DORA zones. While alcoholic beverages are permitted with the purchase of a food item, they must be in a closed container such as a can, lidded cup or bottle.

Fox & the Knife's pasta for sale at Formaggio Kitchen: Craving Fox & the Knife's creste de gallo? Its' spinach malfadine? According to BostonChefs.com, fresh pasta by the South Boston enoteca is being stocked at Formaggio Kitchen's South End location. Selections are presented daily alongside Formaggio's ample amount of gourmet goodies. Curious as to what exactly is offered? Fox & the Knife lists its pasta on its own website.

Clambake at the Liberty Hotel's Clink sends off the summer: As reported by BostonChefs.com, the Liberty Hotel's Clink is having one last hurrah before summer's end. The End of the Summer Clambake will be held on Sept. 17 at the Boston hotel, offering a hearty four- course menu of clam and Maine lobster chowder, oysters, a Maine lobster clambake, and strawberry shortcake. Tickets are priced at $95 for a regular package, consisting of the meal and options for alcoholic beverages, excluding taxes, gratuity and processing fees; $80 for an alcohol-free package, and $35 for children under the age of 12. The clambake will be held indoors in the event of inclement weather.

Upcoming Food Events

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

Friday, Sept. 10:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Leominster Food Truck Festival (Leominster)
• Pizza in the Park-Old Morse Park (Cambridge)
• 2021 Greek Food & Music Festival at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church (Somerville)
• St. Catherine's Church Gyro Festival (Braintree)
• Farmers Markets: Osterville, Quincy, Worcester

Saturday, Sept. 11:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• New Bedford Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival (New Bedford)
• Boylston Schul-Verein Oktoberfest (Walpole)
• A Night in Bangkok at Black Birch (North Hatfield)
• E-LOVE-ATE Salem Willows Fest (Salem)
• Marshfield Community Rib Cook-Off (Marshfield)
• 2021 Greek Food & Music Festival at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church (Somerville)
• St. Catherine's Church Gyro Festival (Braintree)
• Farmers Markets: Andover, Braintree, Marblehead, Newton, Orleans, Provincetown, Wakefield, Waltham, Worcester

Sunday, Sept. 12:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Boylston Schul-Verein Oktoberfest (Walpole)
• 27th Cambridge Carnival (Cambridge)
• Piyesta Pinoy: Filipino Outdoor Pig Roast (Somerville)
• Dinner & Wine Pairing at The Joy Nest (Newburyport)
• An Evening in Provence Wine Dinner (Boston)
• Victorian Fair (Melrose)
• Marshfield Lobsterfest 2021 (Marshfield)
• 2021 Greek Food & Music Festival at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church (Somerville)
• St. Catherine's Church Gyro Festival (Braintree)
• Farmers Markets: Acton-Boxborough, Canton, Needham, North Andover, Swampscott, Weymouth, Wilmington

Monday, Sept. 13:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Grab & Go Summer Picnic at Home (West Springfield)
• Sushi Making 101: Cooking Class by Classpop! (Everett)
• Farmers Markets: Beverly, Billerica, Truro, Worcester

Tuesday, Sept. 14:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Tour of Italy Wine Dinner-Evviva Westford (Westford)
• Sam Adams Beer Dinner (Concord)
• Farmers Markets: Chatham, Lexington, Newton, Sandwich, Worcester

Wednesday, Sept. 15:

• Boston Seafood Week (Boston)
• Charcuterie and Wine Pairing (Boston)
• Farmers Markets: Arlington, Brewster, Dedham, Scituate, Wayland, Wellfleet, Worcester

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

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.