Tag: Niche Hospitality Group

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Fast Casual Worcester

Birchtree’s Pick-Me-Up Pair

Welcome to the world of ‘fast casual’ dining where you can enjoy high quality dishes made with fresh ingredients even if you’re under a time crunch. As downtown Worcester transforms into a bustling residential neighborhood, plenty of fast casual options are cropping up.

Take, for example, Techni Mediterranean Grill – The Grid’s spot for falafel, grape leaves, and gyros. Diners can spice things up with tahini, tzatziki, harissa, or cilantro sauce. Guests can order a wrap or bowl on the go, or enjoy their lunch at Techni and its sister cafe, Brew on The Grid. Techni is only the beginning of The Grid’s fast casual empire. In the very near future, The Grid has plans to open a ramen spot called Sticks, Pie & Pint for slices, and a beer garden that will serve pretzels and sausages.

Niche Hospitality Group’s newest venture, Nonna’s Pizza and Pasta, will also embrace a ‘fast casual’ concept driven by the development of the Worcester Ice Center. Customers will be able to order Italian fare in a low stakes environment with high end ambience. Nonna’s will appeal to large groups and offer a beverage program that will set it apart from other grab-and-go options.

It should be noted that BirchTree Bread Company, open since 2014, has thrived in the fast casual market for years. BirchTree’s warm counter service, local ingredients, and enticing ambience define the fast casual genre. Visitors enjoy hassle free pastries, sandwiches, and pizzas that are more reasonably priced than a full service restaurant. With that, the promise of swift service attracts shoppers from on site retailers like Canal District Farmers Market, Crompton Collective, and Seed to Stem.

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The Usual is out and The Chameleon is in

The Chameleon on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA appears to have closed.

Nearly three months ago, Kevin A. Perry, owner of The Usual on 166 Shrewsbury Street, was arrested for charges in connection with using the proceeds of drug sales to purchase and renovate nine properties in Worcester County. The fate of The Usual hung on a thin line of customer support but in May, The Usual closed for good, leaving the opportunity open for a Worcester restaurant newcomer.

Today, the same space that incubated Niche Hospitality’s The Fix Burger Bar and Mezcal Tequila Cantina, is getting a face lift with a whole new restaurant concept.

The Chameleon, run by Joseph Herman, is a restaurant offering a twist to the concept of seasonal menus. While most places like deadhorse hill, change their menu to complement the farming season, The Chameleon will not just change the food options but instead change the entire menu theme. It is said to have seven to eight main core items available on the menu throughout the year but it will consistently change the rest of the menu to fit a new dining theme. Concepts will last for three months and then on to the next new dining theme.

If all goes according to plan, The Chameleon will kick off the first day of summer, June 21st, with its first menu theme: Classic American BBQ.

But the menu will not be the only thing consistently evolving at The Chameleon. To stay true to its name, The Chameleon will remain flexible to change and adaptation – including technological advances. The restaurant will offer customers a high-tech experience with tablets for menus and digital displays for draft beers. Offering 24 beers on tap as well as eight “draft cocktails” such as Hard Blueberry Lemonade or Hard Peach Tea, the cocktail list will be a staple to their ever-changing restaurant.