Tiffani Faison’s Bringing Pizza to Fenway, Mei Mei Is Getting a New Home, and More Food News

Tenderoni’s pizza. / Brian Samuels Photography

Welcome to our Monday news roundup, keeping you up to date on tidbits of Boston-area restaurant news. Got info that should be on our radar? Send an email.

Catch up on last week’s news

Here’s a peek inside Kendall Square’s new French restaurant Batifol, a “true Parisian brasserie” from the Petit Robert Bistro team. Among last week’s stories, you’ll also find a guide to Greater Boston’s best “frickles” (fried pickles); the rundown on Taste, our biggest culinary event of the year (tickets are on sale now!); and some news on Top of the Hub’s forthcoming replacement high up in the Prudential Center.

What else is going on?

• Restaurateur Tiffani Faison closed her Southeast Asian-inspired Fenway spot Tiger Mama a year ago, promising to hold onto the Boylston Street space and open something new. Now, she has announced her plans: It’ll be a full-blown version of Tenderoni’s—one of her concepts at the downtown food hall High Street Place. Set to open next month, it will be an “Italian-American-ish” restaurant with two-and-a-half-foot-long pizzas, lasagna, big salads, and such. The space will include two bars and a takeout window for slices and other select to-go items.
• Speaking of restaurants inspired by Italy, Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette’s new coastal Italian Newbury Street spot has officially changed its name from Faccia Brutta to Faccia a Faccia—face to face—“in an effort to allay concerns raised by another brand close in name.” In June, Brooklyn-based Faccia Brutto, a company that produces Italian-style spirits, had reportedly filed a trademark lawsuit alleging consumer confusion due to the similar names.
• Mei Mei—previously a food truck and Fenway restaurant—transformed into a dumpling company during the pandemic and will soon move its headquarters to South Boston. In addition to serving as a dumpling factory, the space will play host to cooking classes and a cafe. That’s right, Mei Mei’s beloved Double Awesome scallion pancake sandwich will be available once again. The company is crowdfunding via Numarket, a platform that gives contributors their money back—and then some—in the form of non-expiring credits granted on a monthly basis that can be used at the business once it’s open.
• In other funding news, Somerville’s vegan Egyptian restaurant Koshari Mama is seeking the public’s support via Patronicity to raise money for a safe and durable kitchen floor and an updated point of sale system to “help streamline our business and help us grow.” The team is hoping to raise around $9000 in the coming weeks.
• Beacon Hill could be getting a cat cafe. Slated for Charles Street, the business—dubbed A Sanctuary Café—would include a cafe, small bookstore, and a multi-level cat lounge where visitors could reserve hour-long time slots.

Things to do

Be sure to check out our weekly roundup of great events in and around the city, from music and theater to festivals and art exhibits. Here are a few upcoming food events that’ve caught our eye; follow the links for pricing, timing, and other pertinent info:

• Head out to Sherborn to celebrate everyone’s favorite restaurant-themed TV show of the moment, The Bear: Heritage of Sherborn is hosting a dinner inspired by the show on October 19. There’ll be family meal spaghetti, cola-braised short rib, and more.
• Eventide Fenway is turning its sporadic oyster deals into an official dollar oyster schedule as of October 19. Swing by Wednesday through Sunday between 3 and 5 p.m. for buck-a-shuck (maximum one dozen per person).
• Barra, the tiny Mexican bar and restaurant in Union Square, is hosting a four-course Día de Muertos dinner on November 2—get your tickets now as space is very limited. Barra’s new executive chef Alex Bhojwani, formerly of Boston wine bars Haley.Henry and Nathálie, is behind the menu.