What has changed at South Shore Plaza since the steakhouse closed? The new dining signs at 250 Granite Street mostly point to next year. Davio's left in January, and its replacement isn't expected until spring 2027. A ramen shop that was supposed to open in the mall this month has pushed its date to January. For the next few months, the places in Braintree that are actually new and serving are spread along Granite Street, Quincy Avenue, Union Street, and Commercial Street.
The Plaza's big restaurant space, empty since January
Boston Restaurant Talk reported on January 5 that Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse at South Shore Plaza had closed, and that the Braintree location had been taken off the company's locations page. For many households, that room was the special-occasion table inside the mall.
The next tenant is known. The Patriot Ledger reported on August 28 that Fogo de Chão will move into the former Davio's space and open in spring 2027. MassLive's August 18 report said it will be the Brazilian steakhouse's first South Shore location, joining its restaurants in Boston's Back Bay and at the Burlington Mall, plus a Northshore Mall location in Peabody that was still upcoming when the story ran. The format is rodizio-style service, with gaucho chefs carving meats tableside, a Market Table of seasonal salads and vegetables, and a South American wine list.
Amy Sullivan, South Shore Plaza's director of marketing and business development, described the restaurant's role to MassLive:
"Fogo is a destination. It's a place people choose for birthdays, anniversaries, business dinners and memorable nights out."
The mall's Fogo de Chão store page went up with a "Coming Soon" post on September 1 and still lists no specific opening date. If you're planning a birthday or anniversary dinner this winter, that table is still a season away.
A ramen opening that moved from October to January
The second dining arrival at the Plaza shows how loose these timelines can be. What Now Boston reported on October 2 that Ramen Haven had filed permits for Unit 211A at 250 Granite Street and was aiming to open in late October 2026. Boston Restaurant Talk repeated that estimate on October 16. One week later, MassLive reported that a company spokesperson put the Braintree opening at January 2027.
Ramen Haven is based in Berlin, Massachusetts, and already runs shops in Berlin, Sudbury, and Burlington. According to the same MassLive report, its Boston location at 832 Commonwealth Avenue near Boston University was expected to open in November, ahead of Braintree. The menu is built around Japanese-style noodle bowls, and the company says its broth "is simmered for ten hours to develop depth, richness, and balance."
The mall has been adding tenants. MassLive listed Lululemon, Uniqlo, True Religion, Timberland, POP MART, Rolife, Cape Cod Coffee, and an expanded Foot Locker as recent additions. Most of those are retail, though. Of the sit-down restaurants announced for the Plaza this year, none has a 2026 date.
Where Braintree's 2026 openings actually happened
Here is the year in order, counting only places that have opened, at their own street addresses:
- February 22: Leo's Events and Restaurant, 589 Granite Street. It opened at 4 p.m. on a Sunday, run by Leo Keka. Boston Restaurant Talk quoted the launch post: "Today's the day! Leo's Restaurant officially opens its doors at 4PM."
- By February 26: Liberty at the Landing Tavern & Restaurant, 35 Commercial Street. It opened on the Braintree side of Weymouth Landing.
- May 8: Cava, 125 Union Street.
- Reported open August 25: ShoYu, 211 Quincy Avenue. It took over the former Pan Asia Cafe & Grill space.
Leo's sits on Granite Street, the same road as the mall, yet it opened more than a year before Fogo de Chão is expected next door. The other three replaced restaurants that were already at those addresses, which is how a dining scene can change this much without much construction.
Granite Street's other opening: Leo's
Leo's carries "Events" in its name, so it is set up to host gatherings as well as serve dinner. That matters on a stretch of Granite Street where the mall's best-known special-occasion room has been dark since January. Boston Restaurant Talk's February 25 report describes it as run by Leo Keka. For anyone already planning a December get-together, it is the 2026 Granite Street opening you can book now.
Commercial Street: a taco bar becomes a tavern
At Weymouth Landing, the address is Braintree's even though the neighborhood name is shared. Boston Restaurant Talk reported in January that Uno Mas Taco & Tequila Bar at 35 Commercial Street had closed for what a Facebook post called a "holiday break," with plans for a new concept in the new year. The replacement, Liberty at the Landing Tavern & Restaurant, comes from the people behind Liberty Tavern in Quincy Center.
The building has had three restaurants in a short span. Uno Mas opened there in fall 2024 in the former Rivershed space, and the blog's February 26 update said Liberty at the Landing was open. The Patriot Ledger also covered the changeover in early February. The town's licensing paperwork followed. Braintree's March 10 Board of License Commissioners agenda included Landing Restaurant Group's petition to change the business name from Uno Mas to Liberty at the Landing.
Union Street and Quincy Avenue: quicker meals in familiar spots
Cava opened at 125 Union Street on May 8, according to Boston Restaurant Talk. Ahead of the opening, regional director Ron Shuler told Patch that the company's mission is "to bring heart, health and humanity to food."
On Quincy Avenue, ShoYu was reported open at number 211 in late August, serving a pan-Asian menu in the space Pan Asia Cafe & Grill used to occupy. If you remember the old restaurant, the location is familiar and the name is new.
The losses that started the year
The year began with two closings. Alongside Davio's, Boston Restaurant Talk reported that Braintree's Uno Pizzeria and Grill would close on Sunday, January 11. Both were long-familiar chain names. Their departures, together with a mall replacement that is still months away, are why the busiest dining changes of 2026 happened elsewhere in town.
What to watch through the winter
- Ramen Haven, Unit 211A, South Shore Plaza. The current estimate is January 2027, after an earlier late-October target. Its Commonwealth Avenue shop in Boston was expected to open first.
- Fogo de Chão, former Davio's space. It is projected for spring 2027, and the mall's store page lists no firm date yet.
- Board of License Commissioners agendas. The town calendar listed board meetings on October 13 and October 27. Its agendas are where a new name at an old address usually appears first.
Until spring, the newest meals in Braintree are on Granite Street at Leo's, on Commercial Street at Liberty at the Landing, on Union Street at Cava, and on Quincy Avenue at ShoYu.
Following restaurant news like this is part of how I keep up with the towns I work in. If you're thinking about your next move and want to talk through which South Shore streets fit the way you live, from where you'd eat on a weeknight to where you'd host the holidays, I'd be glad to help. Let's Connect with Linda Macdonald.
