FRAMINGHAM – The Cape Cod Coffee “coming soon” Nobscot location appears a lot closer to opening than it did a couple of weeks ago. I peeked in the window yesterday and it looks a lot more like a coffee shop than a mostly empty retail space.
A company marketing representative told me she didn’t have a specific opening date to share. “We’re hoping in a few weeks,” she said, perhaps by the end of the month.
What’s the holdup? She said changes are needed in the dining room because “it wasn’t up to our standards. We’re wanting to make sure it’s perfect.”
The store will be on Water Street near the Brass Tap.
Elsewhere, NAYA opened today at Shoppers World. If you want to stop by before they close today, “everyone gets a $5 bowl, roll, or salad.” (Sorry for the late notice! They’re open until 10 pm tonight.) And, kids can eat free all weekend, PR rep Karlie Reitano told me.
The “Middle Eastern fast-casual” brand has numerous locations in the New York metro area as well as several in Boston/Cambridge, Watertown, and Burlington.
I asked CEO & Founder Hady Kfoury how he sees NAYA’s place in Framingham, given that we already have restaurants such as Mediterranean Turkish Cuisine (formerly of Saxonville, now at 969 Concord St. near Stop & Shop) and Kous Kous (downtown takeout at 40 Hollis St.)
“I think there’s room for all of us, and I’m glad Framingham has places that celebrate this food,” he told me by email. “NAYA is a different kind of visit: a build-your-own counter where your meal is made in front of you in a few minutes, rooted in my family’s Lebanese recipes.” He sees NAYA as serving both people already visitng Shoppers World and those who live or work nearby making a special trip to eat there. Their other suburban locations have become “destinations in their own right,” he wrote. Like many restaurants these days, they deliver as well.
Also, Halal Eatz is on the License Commission public hearing agenda Monday for a new license at 341 Cochituate Road (near the New York Bagel Factory). Proposed hours are 11 am to 3 am, according to the posted agenda. They currently have restaurants in Burlington and Revere.
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