10 fall restaurant openings we’re excited about

With the beginning of autumn comes a new start — especially for the new restaurants opening in and around Boston this season. Ranging from Italian eateries to destinations for fresh seafood, the next couple of months bring some exciting debuts to the city’s dining scene. Whether you’re looking for breakfast comfort food or a modern take on Japanese cuisine, we have you covered. 

Scroll down to see the complete guide to restaurants opening in the fall, and consider paying one of them a visit soon. (Do you know of an upcoming restaurant opening not highlighted on this list? Let us know by e-mailing [email protected].)

Comfort Kitchen

In Dorchester’s Uphams Corner, Comfort Kitchen will open a cafe by day that transforms into a restaurant at night this October. The eatery will serve dishes inspired by flavors of the African diaspora, connected from Asia to the Americas, or what they call “global comfort food.” Comfort Kitchen is headed by Biplaw Rai, Nyacko Perry, Kwasi Kwaa, and Rita Ferreira, and according to  Perry, management hopes that it will be “actively engaged in the celebration of art and history of our local community.” The cafe’s menu from previous pop-ups offered drinks like iced sorrel ginger tea and Nepali chiya and dishes like jerk roasted duck and za’atar brown butter trout.

611 Columbia Road, Boston

Estella

This modern American restaurant opened last week at Downtown Crossing, bringing a variety of eclectic dishes to the former 49 Social space on Temple Street. Estella serves breakfast, with items like chicken and waffles, pumpkin pancakes, and salmon sandwiches. Guests can also enjoy lunch and dinner, digging into a spicy firecracker burger, coconut shrimp, rosemary grilled lamb chops, and truffle mac and cheese. The space has three levels, featuring a quieter upper floor, a main level with a bar, and lower lounge. Owner Helder Brandao plans to eventually bring in live music and a DJ for diners’ entertainment.

49 Temple Place, Boston

Johnny Pomodoro

This counter service Italian dining spot will open in Charlestown in late October. Chef Johnny Burke is the owner of Johnny’s Takeaway in West Roxbury, which held a “Johnny Pomodoro” pop-up during the pandemic. It was so popular that he adapted it into a full restaurant. Menu mainstays include chicken parmesan, Caesar salad, pasta with homemade red sauce, garlic knots, and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. There will also be grab-and-go items like Detroit-style pizza and chicken fingers.

297 Main St., Boston

Little Whale Oyster Bar

Michael Serpa’s newest concept opened in mid September, taking over the space occupied by his French bistro Grand Tour on Newbury Street. Little Whale focuses on New England seafood classics, featuring a raw bar with local oysters. The spot will also serve Ipswich fried clams, local fish and shellfish, New England clam chowder, Maine lobster rolls (both warm and cold), and a white clam flatbread. The addition to Serpa’s establishments will round out his portfolio of seafood restaurants, Mediterranean-inspired Select Oyster Bar and Atlántico.

314 Newbury St., Boston

Pescador

The latest creation from New York City’s Blue Ribbon Group, Pescador will open in October in the former Island Creek Oyster Bar location in Kenmore Square. The a “coastal grill” will  serve local seafood and draw inspiration from a variety of global  cuisines, such as Spain and Argentina. The grand space boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, a 195-seat dining room “flooded with natural light,” a 18-seat ceviche bar, and a 30-foot cocktail bar.

498 Commonwealth Ave., Boston

Puritan Oyster Bar

Another oyster bar will be coming to town in November — a plan five years in the making from Puritan and Company. Chef/owner Will Gilson, who also operates several other restaurants, will open Puritan Oyster Bar next door to its Inman Square location, previously used for private events. At the intimate bar, you’ll find buttered lobster toast, raw seafood dishes, smoked fish, lobster rolls, tuna carpaccio, seafood dips, and beef and oyster tartare.

1164 Cambridge St., Cambridge

Saloniki

The fast-casual restaurant Saloniki is expanding to two new locations in Beacon Hill and Back Bay this September. The Newbury Street spot will be where long-time eatery Steve’s Greek Cuisine used to be located. Both locations will offer dishes like spatchcock chicken (served with crispy smashed potatoes and tzatziki), chicken souvlaki, griddled spanakopita, salads, zucchini-feta fritters, and their own frozen yogurt. Each restaurant will be able to accommodate 30 guests, and the Back Bay location will have a take-out window to expedite service.

1 Beacon Hill, Boston; 316 Newbury St., Boston

Untold Brewery & Restaurant

The popular South Shore brewery will unveil a new brewery, taproom, and restaurant at Derby Street Shops in Hingham this October. The location will highlight Untold’s lagers and ales, as well as new, limited releases. Their restaurant will be created in partnership with Clandestine Kitchen, bringing a fresh and healthy menu of salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and small plates, made with locally-sourced ingredients. Over a dozen beers will be on tap, as well as non-alcoholic drinks. With a family-friendly atmosphere, the Hingham spot is sure to become a destination.

98 Derby St., Hingham

The Wig Shop

Having just opened this September, The Wig Shop is a new cocktail lounge for downtown Boston. The spot is led by the team from the adjacent jm Curley/Bogie’s Place, and it will feature retro ambiance and inventive menus, with 70s inspired drinks, an exclusive champagne list, and small plates. “The cocktail destination has transformed what was once Wig World [an actual wig shop], turning the space into a cocktail hideaway while paying homage to the previous business through symbolic hair-themed elements,” according to a press release. Fancy finger foods on the menu include lobster pancakes, caviar crepes, and dolled up oysters.

27 Temple Place, Boston

XOXO Bar

This new izakaya, opening in the late fall, will make its debut across from The Street at Chestnut Hill. The space will be a modern, high-end Japanese eatery, with a rotating chef’s choice omakase menu, also serving sushi a la carte  and robatayaki cuisine. The kitchen will be led by master chef Desmond Chow, formerly of PABU and the recipient of the 2017 World Sushi Cup best performance award.

1154 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill