Restaurants

10 restaurants, coffee shops, and bakery openings we’re looking forward to this fall

From a Vietnamese coffee shop to a playful seafood shack.

By Erin Kuschner

August 31, 2020

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Even during a pandemic, there’s always something to look forward to.

Despite an onslaught of recent closings — and there will, undoubtedly, be more to come — Boston’s restaurant industry remains resilient and hopeful. Chefs and owners are still forging ahead with opening their dream concepts, some working on expansive hotel restaurants with global street food, others putting together a thoughtful bakery program at a neighborhood coffee shop.

This fall, keep an eye out for these 10 restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries to add into your takeout or dining rotation.

B&B Fish
You know Jason Santos from Abby Lane, Buttermilk & Bourbon, and Citrus & Salt. Now the chef is going a more casual route with B&B Fish, a seafood spot in Marblehead that he’s opening with Buttermilk & Bourbon chef Jeff DeCandia. Beer-battered fish and chips, fried belly clams, scallops, chowder — all the beachside comfort food you can think of will be on hand, alongside fried beignets, soft serve, and sundaes. Settle in for either indoor or outdoor patio dining when B&B debuts in mid-September. (195 Pleasant St., Marblehead)
Projected opening: September 15

Bianca
Tim and Nancy Cushman’s Mr. Roni Cups recently opened at Bianca at The Street Chestnut Hill, offering Roman-style pizza by the slice, half pan, and full pan. Soon it’ll be Bianca’s turn to make a splash. The family-friendly restaurant will feature a little bit of everything: pizza, of course, but also sushi rolls, pasta, sandwiches, and meats and fish cooked on a wood-fired grill. It’s all served in a spacious, light-filled dining room that gives off Palm Springs vibes. Cocktails, beer, and wine will also be available, and, if you’re still feeling peckish after your meal, you can order a slice from Mr. Roni Cups for the road. (47 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill)
Projected opening: Fall 2020

The Italian grinder croissant at a Café Beatrice pop-up.

Café Beatrice and The Lexington at Cambridge Crossing
“I’m as excited for anybody else as to what it’s going to be like to open a new restaurant,” Will Gilson told Boston.com in early June. “It is daunting, it is scary, and I hope that people will come out.” His three concepts at Cambridge Crossing — rooftop bar The Lexington, Italian restaurant Geppetto, and all-day spot Café Beatrice — were supposed to debut this summer. Instead, The Lexington and Café Beatrice will open on October 10, with Geppetto making an entrance at a later date. Over the summer, Gilson and pastry chef Brian Mercury have been testing out menu items at their seasonal pop-up, The Lexington at the Picnic Grove in Cambridge Crossing. Look for an expanded menu when The Lexington and Café Beatrice open in October. (100 N. First St., Cambridge)
Projected opening: October 

Cicada Coffee Bar
When Cicada Coffee Bar debuts later this fall, it will be like a little slice of Hanoi has landed in Cambridge. Vinh Le and Duong Huynh, founders of contemporary Vietnamese pop-up Nem Kitchen, have taken over a former art gallery to convert into an artisanal Vietnamese coffee bar. In addition to variations of Vietnamese coffee, Cicada will offer drinks like a Hanoi egg cream coffee, coconut affogato, and tropical passionfruit and pineapple juices. To eat, guests will be able to dig into vermicelli noodle bowls, bánh mì, and spring rolls, which they can enjoy inside or on the 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio that Le and Huynh hope to turn into a plant-filled respite. Down the line, a craft beer and natural wine program will be incorporated into the beverage program, along with events like live music and art shows. (106 Prospect St., Cambridge)
Projected opening: November

Earnest Drinks
Gracie’s Ice Cream is about to get a sibling this fall with the arrival of Earnest Drinks, a cafe, coffee shop, and bar inside of a second Gracie’s location debuting in Kendall Square. Espresso, wine, beer, cocktails, and boozy milkshakes will all be available, and while details of the café lineup haven’t been released yet, it will be spearheaded by James Lavigne, who was the chef de cuisine at Barbara Lynch’s Stir. (399 Binney St., Cambridge)
Projected opening: Fall

Zeppoli at Rossetti Restaurant.

Rossetti Restaurant Beverly
With locations in Lynn and Winthrop, Rosetti Restaurant is adding a third outpost by expanding to Beverly this fall. At the helm is chef Jason Maynard, formerly of the South End’s Mistral, who is using founders Bob and Steve Rossetti’s traditional Italian recipes to craft a menu that includes zucchini blossoms, Rossetti meatballs, and house-made pasta. The space has a four-season patio, and will start with dinner served seven days a week before expanding to lunch and Sunday brunch. (142 Brimbal Ave., Beverly)
Projected opening: Late September/Early October

Sin City Superette
It may not be a restaurant, per se, but it’s exactly what so many neighborhoods need right now. Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn will open a sister concept, dubbed Sin City Superette, sometime this fall, offering grocery items, pantry staples, grab-n-go prepared foods, and coffee. Grocery delivery will also be available — a boon when the cold weather sets in. Follow Sin City Superette’s progress on Instagram as they prepare to open in late autumn on Exchange Street in Lynn. (71 Exchange St., Lynn)
Projected opening: Late fall

The Dial
When The Dial debuts at Cambridge’s new boutique hotel, 907 Main, in mid-September, the menu might temporarily satisfy any wanderlust that some of us are feeling. Chef Justin Urso, who was most recently at Catalyst, has crafted a globally-inspired menu drawing on, among others,  Caribbean, Colombian, and Singaporean flavors, resulting in dishes like jerk quail, lamb merguez sliders, and paella. A cocktail menu, helmed by beverage manager Courtney Nunheimer, encompasses three categories: “907 Classics,” “What we like,” and “Globally inspired,” featuring drinks like the sake- and tequila-based Sun Rising East. When it opens, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch will be available both indoors and on the hotel’s outdoor patio (breakfast is set to arrive in 2021). Blue Owl, the hotel’s rooftop bar, will open at a later date, but once it debuts guests will be able to snack on global street food — tacos, skewers, noodles — alongside a 50 cocktail-deep drink menu. (907 Main St., Cambridge)
Projected opening: September 16

Third Cliff Bakery
Meg Crowley has developed a dedicated following after launching Third Cliff Bakery five years ago, selling kimchi cheddar croissants and coconut ice coffee from the bakery’s trademark trike. Now she’s about to open her first brick and mortar in Jamaica Plain, a 1,400-square-foot space that will offer limited outdoor seating to start before opening up for indoor seating later. Partnering with West Stockbridge’s No. 6 Depot roastery and cafe, Third Cliff will offer espresso and drip coffee, along with a robust bakery menu comprised of fresh breads, savory pastries, croissants, cookies, cakes, and bars (yes, the browned butter and cinnamon Rice Krispies treats will make an appearance). Crowley said she hopes to incorporate even more creative croissants, longer fermentation breads like sourdough, and pickled fruits and vegetables. (3531 Washington St., Suite 103, Boston)
Projected opening: September

Top Shelf Cookies

Top Shelf Cookies
What started as a game-day superstition in 2014 became a full-blown business as Heather Yunger’s passion for cookies turned into Top Shelf Cookies. The company has been operating out of Commonwealth Kitchen in Dorchester, growing from farmers’ markets stalls to selling cookies wholesale, and will finally open a brick and mortar this fall. Yunger is currently raising money on Mainvest for the company’s new Dorchester home, which will offer at least a dozen fresh flavors daily, ice cream sandwiches, and test kitchen surprises. (515 Gallavan Blvd., Boston)
Projected opening: October