City Records Show 37 Voluntary Restaurant Closures in Boston Since July, From Rodent Droppings to Gas Leaks and Power Outages
A Watchman Report review of Boston's food inspection data found 33 establishments closed voluntarily at least once between July 1 and Oct. 16. The reasons range from pest problems to broken pipes.
Original reporting from public records by Watchman Report staff ·
Boston food establishments recorded 37 voluntary closures between July 1 and Oct. 16, 2026, according to a Watchman Report review of the city's public Food Establishment Inspections data on Analyze Boston. The closures involved 33 different licensed establishments; a few closed more than once in that period. In each case below, the closure is a voluntary closure per city records. The records do not say anyone got sick, and Watchman Report makes no such claim.
Some closures followed pest findings. On Sept. 30, an inspector at Spagnoulos, 240 Hanover St. in the North End, recorded a "large quantity" of rat droppings and two large rodents on a glue trap under the stove; the record says the voluntary closure would last "until establisment is deemed safe to reopen" (spelling as in the city record). On Oct. 2, at SARVA, 279 Newbury St., the inspector logged walk-in cooler foods at 55 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit and large rodent droppings.
On Oct. 7, at Fan Fan Restaurant, 15 Harvard Ave. in Hyde Park, the record describes a gas leak, with a city plumbing inspector on site and Eversource shutting off the gas. The same record notes live cockroach activity in the kitchen and bar and rodent droppings in the basement.
Many closures had nothing to do with cleanliness. Banyan Bar & Refuge, 537 Tremont St., closed Sept. 18 after an overnight kitchen fire. Caffe Nero, 1047 Commonwealth Ave., closed Sept. 20 after a broken pipe in the unit above caused water damage and the water was shut off. Hong Kong Eatery, 79 Harrison Ave., closed Sept. 27 after a water main break outside left it without water. On the evening of Sept. 4, a power outage led five neighboring businesses on Cambridge Street in Allston to close: Lone Star Taco Bar, Turco Market, Coffee Turco, Fries Before Guys and Lazuri Chicken N Pizza.
Establishments that closed more than once in the period include Dacoopa's Pizza, Sullivan's Tap, Bangkok Bento and Emmets/Roxanne's, according to the data. A voluntary closure means the business stopped operating until the problem was fixed. It is not a finding that anyone was harmed, and the data does not show which places have since reopened.
The city's dataset notes that inspections include routine visits and responses to complaints. Diners can look up any Boston restaurant's inspection history on Analyze Boston.
Watchman Report queried the City of Boston's Food Establishment Inspections dataset on Analyze Boston (last updated Oct. 18, 2026) for every result coded HE_VolClos (voluntary closure) dated July 1 through Oct. 16, 2026, the latest record available, and counted results and distinct license numbers. Descriptions are taken from the inspector comments in each record. Dates are converted to Eastern Time. Results coded HE_Hearing were not counted because the dataset does not define that code. Businesses that believe an entry is wrong can call (857) 520-3500 and we will review it.
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