Hot & Now

What’s hot and happening now in the restaurant scene PAUL GIORGIO

SHREWSBURY STREET GOES MIDDLE EASTERN. A new restaurant recently opened at 156 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester. Rony Zogyby is the new owner of Beirut Bite. They serve Lebanese food. This is the third Middle Eastern eatery on the street.

OUTDOOR DINING EXTENDED. It looks like Worcester will keep its temporary outdoor dining regulations in place to help out a still-struggling area restaurant industry. Look for places to install outdoor heaters as the weather turns cooler.

OTHER OPENINGS. LaReyna Express recently opened in the Seven Hills Plaza at 90 Madison St., Worcester.

ACTION JACKSON. New Tradition LLC, recently opened at 7 Jackson St., just off of Main Street. The eatery is next door to Eastern Border. We don’t know if they are attracting the skateboard crowd.

TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS. Two artisanal doughnut shops have opened in the middle of September in Worcester. Doughnut Homies opened in the Public Market in Worcester’s Canal District. Lines have been out the door.

Also recently opened is Glazy Susan, which has operated as a popup for at least a year. Glazy Susan is in the DCU Center in the space formerly operated by Figs & Pigs.

CHASHU OPENS. The much-anticipated opening of Chashu on Worcester’s Franklin Street happened in mid-September. The ramen noodle eatery was supposed to open in the spring, but was held up. This place is straight out of NYC.

PAL JOEY. Joey's Bar & Grill, 344 Chandler St., recently reopened after their Corvid vacation. This well-established West Side eatery was missed for the past several months. They will be serving dinner only for the time being, according to owner Erika Rovezzi.

CAN’T BEAT A DEAD HORSE. Worcester’s deadhorse hill restaurant recently reopened for inside dining. We expect more restaurants to do this as the temperature drops.

AS DOES CHUCK’S. Chuck’s Steakhouse in Auburn has taken down its tent and has also moved dining indoors.

IL FORNO MOVES. Fitchburg mainstay Il Forno recently moved to Lunenburg. The Italian eatery has taken over the space once occupied by Sean Patricks’.