Restaurants you dearly miss [Boston, New England]

Brookline had bocce.

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I was a waitress at the club. Not too many places open when we closed but pre performances there was Tommys Lunch, Elsies, the Tasty and Hazens.

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They will re-open in a new spot! 775 Beacon St.

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The Seawall, Rockport, MA. Husband still lusts for its lobster linguini which I am unable to duplicate. In fact, once we were there and the chef was on vacation, leaving the recipe with his sous. The dish was no where near as good as when the boss was cooking. A sweet little place.

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Looking forward to that!

I remember well Tommy’s lunch, the Tasty and Elsies (especially the Landsman sandwich of handcut pastrami) but I don’t recall Hazen’s (do tell). To add to the list, Buddy’s Sirloin Pit/Cardells.

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I went through my share of the roast beef special at Elsie’s, but always worried a bit about the pile of bacon at the back of the cooktop that looked like a week’s supply.

Good news on ES. They always had good fish and raw bar and I remember their beef marrow bone and brioche. it was the first place I had a pisco sour that has since become a favorite cocktail.

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I saw this! Great news! I knew he had some places that were going to open, but didn’t know he’d be resurrecting ESK.

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answering my own question. Hazen’s was a cafeteria that ended in 1973. Cool site here that lists Cambridge restaurants 1900-2000. https://historycambridge.org/culinary/home.html
It reminded me of Green Street Grill for Caribbean and Forest Cafe for authentic Mexican (Fish with Pipian mole).

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Getting hungry just thinking about those two places. Both were on our rotation back in the day.

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Two places I miss:

Peppe Boca in Davis Square, when it was still a shop/ deli. beautiful bread made by the owner, and great Italian food.

Also, Matt Murphy’s pub in Brookline Village. Loved their Irish breakfast, oatmeal with whiskey, the sandwiches, the dinners.!

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forgot about peppe boca. it started out great, but devolved into a identity crisis.

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Quite right. We love it, too, in its prime, but once it went downhill it did so fast.

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Identity crisis is right. For the past several (many?) years it’s been identified only as a vacant hole. Sad.

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Very sad indeed…before Peppe Boca was an old school Italian market & deli, Sessa’s I think was the name?

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From the past:

Sessa’s Cold Cuts in Davis Square Will Be Reborn as Pepe Bocca

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The closing of Mary Chung’s noted in another thread reminds me of the Empress Room on the top of the Hyatt in Cambridge, just below the rotating lounge. Fabulous white tablecloth Chinese. I think Sally Ling may have been involved?

Also has anyone mentioned Hunan in Central Square? I can still recall the spice-induced perspiration :wink:

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Ah yes, thanks. I remember that deli case! Sad that the space still sits empty. Hope whatever ends up there is something good.

“white tablecloth Chinese” just made me recall Mr. Leung in Copley.

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