The newest storefront at 1761 Centre St. is bright yellow and has a jukebox and swivel seats. Until this year, the address was Christo's. Yeanie's, a '50s-style burger and chicken spot, opened there on Sunday, Sept. 20, according to Universal Hub, next door to Bánh Mì Ơi, the Vietnamese spot run by the same owners.
That opening set the pattern for the fall. Since late August, Yeanie's and Old Friend Pizza have opened in addresses the neighborhood already knew, and Leonardo's Bar Ristorante is headed for another. All three build on cooking that already has a history, whether from a nearby location, a following in Roslindale or a family's recipes. Meanwhile the long-running places have mostly stayed put under the same management. The change that affects regular routines the most is a closing that left a gap.
Every New Restaurant Picked a Room With a History
Here are the three newcomers and what was at each address before:
| Business | Address | Earlier tenants at the address | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yeanie's | 1761 Centre St. | Christo's | Opened Sept. 20 |
| Old Friend Pizza | 5272 Washington St. | How's Your Meat, Central American restaurants, Cristelle's | Soft-opened Oct. 28 |
| Leonardo's Bar Ristorante | 1430 VFW Parkway at Spring St. | Mission on Fire, Sofia, Vintage, Fontaine's | Announced Aug. 27 |
The VFW Parkway address has the longest chain of tenants. Universal Hub's August report named four businesses there before Leonardo's: Fontaine's, Vintage, Sofia and Mission on Fire. The Washington Street storefront near the Dedham line has a similar history. How's Your Meat was the most recent tenant, and before that came Central American restaurants and Cristelle's, per Universal Hub.
None of the three is a first restaurant built on a blank lot. Each one picked a working dining room with kitchen infrastructure and an address locals already associate with eating out.
The Cooking Already Had a History Too
The second thing the newcomers have in common is that the food did not start at these addresses. For two of them, West Roxbury residents may already have eaten it somewhere else.
Yeanie's is the second location. Owners Yeanie Bach and Phi Pham opened the first one in Dorchester, and their Bánh Mì Ơi is next door on Centre Street. The new shop extends a block the couple already runs.
Old Friend Pizza came from the next neighborhood over. Boston Restaurant Talk traced how Alden Caldwell's Detroit-style pizza grew. It began as a pop-up, moved to the Exodus Bagels Airstream, then took up a residency at The Substation in Roslindale, and it also appears at the Roslindale Farmers Market. According to Old Friend's website, each pan uses a three-day fermented dough, a sauce built on Jersey tomatoes, and a cheddar-and-mozzarella topping that caramelizes against the steel pan. The site lists the West Roxbury shop as open Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m., with links for pickup and delivery orders. The Substation residency, usually Thursday through Saturday, and seasonal Saturday appearances at the Rozzie Farmers Market are still on the schedule. The site points customers to Instagram for the latest timing.
Leonardo's Bar Ristorante builds on family cooking. Universal Hub reported that operator Leonardo Testa plans to update his father's recipes and serve them at the Spring Street corner.
Klin Thai at 1894 Centre St. is the fourth example. It opened in 2025 and didn't need a new space this fall. On Sept. 3 it received approval for a beer, wine and cordials license, Universal Hub reported. An established restaurant added to its offering at the address it already had.
The Long-Running Names Kept Their Places
The same continuity shows up at the two oldest businesses in this fall's news.
Tony's Place at 188 Baker Street, on the corner of Spring and Baker streets, has been run by the same family since Elio Imbornone bought it in 1969. Its building and land were scheduled for auction on Oct. 29. On Oct. 9, Universal Hub reported that the auction was canceled, so the restaurant keeps ownership of its property and can stay open. The restaurant's own site describes its menu as pasta, sauces, meats, fish, seafood and other Italian favorites.
Blanchard's, at Lagrange and Centre streets, is changing its name. On Sept. 24 the Boston Licensing Board approved the store's sale. Universal Hub reported that the new owner's attorney told the board the store would keep running the way it has for decades, apart from the new name, Kappy's Fine Wine & Spirits. Michael Pignone, who runs the store now and has worked there since 1999, will stay on as manager. The large "BLANCHARD'S" letters on the Lagrange Street side of the building are a neighborhood landmark. The hearing didn't settle whether they will change.
So the restaurant has been on the same corner for more than 50 years, and the liquor store keeps its manager and way of running while taking a new name. Both are the same kind of continuity seen at the new openings: the people who run these places stayed where they were.
Where the Bagels Went
The one change this fall that removed something from daily routines was a closing. The Bruegger's at 667 VFW Parkway shut down after at least a couple of decades in business. Universal Hub's report carried the headline "West Roxbury becomes bagelless."
According to the same report, the nearest bagel shops are now outside the neighborhood:
- Exodus Bagels, off Belgrade Avenue in Roslindale
- Cafe Fresh Bagel, in Dedham Center
- Rosenfeld's, in Newton Centre
The Exodus route also leads back to Old Friend, because the pizza operation once ran out of the Exodus Bagels Airstream before opening its own shop on Washington Street. West Roxbury and Roslindale share more of their food businesses than the neighborhood line suggests.
Four Events on the Calendar Before Mid-December
The local calendar runs on familiar places too. Every event below uses a park, a barn or a parking lot residents already know:
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 8:30 a.m. to noon: Zero Waste Day Drop-Off at Millennium Park, 315 Gardner Street. The City moved this event from its original Sept. 26 date. The City of Boston's event page has the details.
- Sunday, Nov. 29, 3 to 4:30 p.m.: Annual Holiday Wreath Making Workshop at The Barn at Pretty Moon Mercantile, 111 Park Street. Tickets are on Eventbrite.
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m.: Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour stop at Hastings Lot. The City's tour page lists this as the West Roxbury stop and describes the tour as including tree lightings and visits from Santa.
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 4 to 7 p.m.: West Roxbury Holiday Market in the Rockland Trust parking lot at 1920 Centre Street and next door at B & M Auto. West Roxbury Main Streets lists vendors, Santa, children's activities and a Christmas tree lot.
Dec. 5 has two events. The trolley stop is in the morning and the market is in the evening, so there is time between them for lunch on Centre Street, where Yeanie's sits at 1761 and the market sets up at 1920.
The holiday market will also be the first December for Old Friend on Washington Street and Yeanie's on Centre Street. Tony's Place goes into the season still owning its corner at Spring and Baker, and the store at Lagrange and Centre will still have the manager it has had for years, whichever name is on the sign.
Buildings like these, where a corner keeps its use through several tenants and a long-running owner holds on, are what Mission Realty Advisors studies when we advise West Roxbury owners and investors on mixed-use and multi-unit property. If you own a building on Centre Street, Spring Street or VFW Parkway and want to know how its location and tenant history affect its value, Request a Market Strategy & Home Valuation.