Restaurant Openings: Something New; A Rebirth; and Reinvented with a Move

There's been several additions to the Jamaica Plain restaurant scene of late. There are some familiar faces in old places, familiar faces in new spaces, and a boom of flavor. The only Scottish restaurant in Boston, The Haven, recently opened in a new space at The Brewery Complex. The Haven had been in a very small space in Hyde Square for more than 10 years, and moved to the old Bella Luna and Milky Way Lounge space, which is a lot bigger and includes a patio. Already The Haven has hosted a whiskey tasting, a quiz night, are preparing for a comedy night and of course they've been serving delicious Scotch.

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Bella Luna is Coming Back and Teaming Up with The Haven

The owners of Bella Luna and The Haven recently announced a new collaboration to reopen Bella Luna's space at the Brewery Complex and call it The Haven at the Brewery. "Together we will be re-opening a restaurant, events and music space at the Brewery after the pandemic forced Bella Luna and the Milky Way to close in March of 2020," said Kathie Mainzer. The Haven's owner, Jason Waddleton will be the general manager and operating partner. The Bella Luna Restaurant and the Milky Way Lounge closed in June 2020 due to the pandemic. Later than month the owners created a GoFundMe to pay off debts and assist former employees.

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JP Restaurants Raising $$ for Immigrant Rights During Dining for a Difference Week

Diners in Jamaica Plain have a chance to donate to a great cause while enjoying meals at six fabulous local restaurants during Dining for a Difference Week from November 4 to 9. The fundraiser will support national immigrant rights group Kids in Need of Defense, which in recent months has been working tirelessly on behalf of migrant children separated from their parents. During Dining for a Difference Week, local restaurants Tres Gatos, The Haven, Casa Verde, The Frogmore, Vee Vee and Little Dipper will each donate a portion of proceeds from a night of business. The event is the fifth organized by Boston For All, a grassroots group of local parents inspired by the 2016 election to raise money for civil liberties and civil rights organizations. Thus far, Boston for All has raised more than $25,000 through fun, family-friendly events.

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The 10 Best Restaurants in JP, According to TripAdvisor

What do you think is the "best" restaurant in Jamaica Plain according to TripAdvisor? Does your favorite restaurant make the Top 10? If you said Doyle's is ranked #1, then you are correct. According to TripAdvisor.com, Doyle's Cafe is the #1 restaurant in Jamaica Plain out of 79 restaurants in JP rated on the site. Out of 402 reviews, Doyle's received 188 "excellent" ratings.

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Drummer Peter Stewart and bagpipers Brian Miller and Tom Childs play in front of The Haven during the first annual "Angry Scotsman" Kilt Crawl through Jamaica Plain, Sept. 13, 2014. Participants in the event, which was a benefit for the Scots' Charitable Society and Charitable Irish Society, walked through Jamaica Plain, stopping at four local establishments; Eugene O'Neill's, James's Gate, Costello's, and The Haven.

‘A Scottish Restaurant Needs to Have Scotch’ — Board Backs Booze for The Haven

The Haven gained a neighborhood board's support for its goal of getting a full liquor license. JP resident Monica Salas, speaking in favor of the idea, put it simply: "A Scottish restaurant needs to have Scotch." The Public Service Committee of the JP Neighborhood Council met Tuesday in the teachers' lounge at the JFK School. The board voted 4-0 to recommend supporting an all-alcohol license for the 2 Perkins St. pub.

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Alison Moronta, business development director for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Association, shares a smile with Jason Waddleton, owner of The Haven, which hosted a meeting of Hyde and Jackson Square business owners on May 13, 2015.

Biz Leaders in Hyde and Jackson Squares Aim to Work Together

[Editor's note: This report is being reproduced in English by kind arrangement with El Mundo Newspaper, where it originally appeared.]

Business owners in two of Boston’s most Latino neighborhoods, Hyde and Jackson squares in Jamaica Plain, aim to work together to bring in more customers. In two recent sessions hosted by Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp., a total of more than 30 business owners strategized on how to improve the business environment. Business owners at the first meeting, held May 13 at the Julia Martin House, focused on safety, parking and cleanliness, said Rafael Mejia, owner of Evelyn’s Market and president of the Hyde Jackson Square Merchants Association. Mejia said business owners want to give people more reasons to go into Hyde and Jackson squares. “A lot of people don’t know what’s in the neighborhood,” Mejia said.

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Alison Moronta, left, helps facilitate a meeting of business owners at The Haven on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

JP Organization Seeks Help to Restore Small Biz Funding

The JP Neighborhood Development Corp., known for its efforts at increasing affordable housing, is also an important backer of the neighborhood's small businesses. And the tax dollars that support a key program, Small Business Technical Assistance, aren't in the state Senate's budget (or the governor's, for that matter.)

Alison Moronta, business development director for the JPNDC, issued an urgent call at a Wednesday meeting of neighborhood business owners. She asked participants in a Hyde Jackson Main Street networking session at The Haven to call or write legislators, urging them to restore $2 million to the program. David Warner, co-owner of City Feed, said he'd already contacted legislators. "Our business wouldn't exist without the JPNDC," he told the crowd of about 20 business owners.

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What’s Open in Jamaica Plain?

We're # OPEN! A photo posted by Aurum Restaurant (@aurumrestaurant) on Jan 27, 2015 at 6:41am PST

While authorities are urging people to hunker down in their apartments and homes, we keep getting requests for what's actually open during the blizzard. Here's what we know so far. We'll update this list as we learn of other openings. This kind of information can change fast, so I do recommend calling before you head over.

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These JP residents say they would all vote "Aye" if they lived in Scotland. From left: Tom Menihan, Ginny O'Neil, John Hannafin and Melissa Hamel. They gathered at The Haven on Sept. 18, 2014.

The Haven Burger Makes Buzzfeed’s List of Nation’s 21 Best

Hello neighbors. Here's your Morning Memo for Tuesday, Nov. 18. Burger Heaven at The Haven: I tend toward the liquid meals when I'm at The Haven, but Hyde Square's wee bit of Scotland won national press this week as Buzzfeed readers tapped the tavern's burger as one of the country's 21 best. Last Day to See the Bonsai: Tuesday the Arnold Arboretum's exquisite bonsai collection will be going off display for the winter.

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The Haven, Boston's only Scottish bar and restaurant, held its own vote on Scottish independence. Taken Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014.

Voters at The Haven Go Heavily For Scottish Independence

With 32 of 32 councils reporting, Scotland's bid for independence failed, with 55 percent voting "no" to 45 percent in the "aye" camp. Not so at The Haven in Jamaica Plain, which held its own referendum. Alisa Clark, a Boston journalist covering the swarm of people at the Hyde Square bar on Thursday night for the Gazette, has the numbers:

Local vote at @thehavenjp : 174 "nae" to over 500 "aye". Clearly we're all for sticking it to England in the #cradleofliberty— Alisa C.D. Clark (@Alisa_unedited) September 19, 2014

That's at least 74 percent to 26 percent in favor of Scottish secession. But while it turned out to be a sad night for the "Aye" camp, the vote and excitement leading up to it were certainly a business and publicity bonanza for one of the neighborhood's most singular establishments.

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