Last winter, a spike in COVID cases caused scores of restaurants to go into so-called “hibernation,” with most reopening in spring or early summer. A somewhat similar pattern appears to be playing out suddenly this winter, in part due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across the region, although closures tend to be shorter than last year, at least for now.
According to multiple sources, including posters on the Friends of Boston’s Hidden Restaurants Facebook group pages, a large number of restaurants and bars are either temporarily closed or will be closing soon. Timeframes vary, including some places closing until after Christmas, others saying they plan to reopen after the start of the New Year, and still others saying they hope to open later in the winter. Some simply state that they are closed indefinitely.
The reasons for the closures are also varied, including workers testing positive for COVID, a general slowdown in business, a long-needed vacation during the holidays, and a wait situation regarding the ability to recover grants/loans for businesses affected by the pandemic were harmed.
The number of restaurants temporarily closing is in constant flux right now, as are the dates of their reopening (and for those that are still open, their hours of operation). So right now, it’s best to call restaurants in advance to find out more about their exact status.
