Axios Boston

April 24, 2026
It's Friday.
- Today, we look at some of the biggest restaurants opening this year, and new photos of Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini surface.
βοΈ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 55 and a low of 39.
π Happy birthday to Axios Boston member Caitlin Tompkins!
Today's newsletter is 998 words β a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Buzzworthy restaurant openings
From a beachfront tiki bar to a Michelin-recommended expansion, Greater Boston can expect several new openings this season.
Why it matters: A wave of high-profile concepts is slated to debut in the spring or summer.
- The cluster of openings is a mix of established local veterans expanding their footprints and new places hoping to make an impact.
π΅πͺ Rosa y Marigold - Back Bay
- The couple behind Celeste in Somerville is looking to create a dinner party experience with their new spot at the Lyrik.
- It has traditional Peruvian classics like ceviche alongside Peruvian-Chinese options.
π¦ͺ Urban Hearth - Inman Square
- An expansion for chef Erin Miller's Michelin-recommended, but tiny, farm-to-table Mass. Ave. gem.
- The new space, at the old Bukowski's in Inman Square, will feature a six-seat chef's counter, a new full-service bar and a lot more seats compared to the original space.
πΉ Kowloon Tiki on the Beach - Revere Beach
- The iconic Chinese palace wants to build a beachfront sibling to its Saugus landmark.
- Think tropical cocktails and pupu platters, but instead of being trapped on Rt. 1, you have an ocean view.
π΅πΉ Agosto and Baby Sister - Boston, South End
- Boston's Portuguese fine dining explosion continues at Agosto with a 45-seat chef's table that will be next door to bakery and cafΓ© Baby Sister.
- Baby Sister will offer house-made baked goods and casual cafe fare while chef George Mendes brings Portuguese tasting menus to the sit-down Agosto.
π½οΈ Celine - Fort Point
- A MontrΓ©al-inspired neighborhood spot from an established restaurant group in the old Blue Dragon space on Melcher St.
- Coda Restaurant Group promises a strong bar program with a French-Canadian twist.
- The menu's not nailed down, but steak tartare and chicken liver mousse could be winners.
πΆ Uptown Social - South End
- Star restaurateur Nia Grace resurrects the old Darryl's Corner with a rebranded celebration of soul food, music and Southern classics.
- The space, which reopened yesterday, has been a community cornerstone since it was Bob the Chef's in 1957.
2. Vrabel, Russini face scrutiny
Photos published by Page Six appear to show Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and journalist Dianna Russini kissing in 2020.
Why it matters: The scandal raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and professional boundaries in NFL coverage.
Catch up quick: A Page Six story earlier this month showed Russini and Vrabel holding hands and hugging at an adults-only luxury resort in Arizona.
- Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, said they were at the hotel separately with friends and denied any inappropriate behavior.
- The Athletic and its parent company The New York Times, initially defended Russini but has since launched its own investigation.
- Russini resigned April 14 amid the investigation, ESPN reported.
The latest: Page Six reported that Vrabel and Russini sat close to each other at the Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
- One of the photos appears to show Vrabel and Russini at the bar, while another is a blurry photo of what appears to be a kiss.
- The story dropped hours after Vrabel, who called the initial Post story laughable, announced plans to skip the third day of the NFL Draft for counseling.
- "As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them," he said, per NBC News.
- The Patriots did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment about the photos.
3. BTMU: Tree House's Boston plans
πΊ Charlton-based Tree House Brewery applied for brewery and distillery licenses at Faneuil Hall. (Globe)
Police charged Jeffrey MacDonald, a chef at UMass Amherst, with beating his wife to death at Hotel UMass on Wednesday night. (MassLive)
Derrick Todd pleaded not guilty yesterday to 81 new counts of sexually assaulting female patients while working as a rheumatologist. (CBS Boston)
Lesley University Janet Steinmayer plans to step down June 30 amid protests about restructuring and a recent vote by core faculty authorizing a strike. (Cambridge Day)
π¦ ICYMI: Little Joe, the gorilla who made headlines in 2003 for escaping, is leaving the Franklin Park Zoo to participate in a breeding program. (JP News)
4. β½οΈ Get used to higher gas prices
Even if the Iran conflict ended now and the Strait of Hormuz fully opened, don't look for a quick return to pre-war gas prices.
Why it matters: Costlier fill-ups are the most direct and visible economic effect of the war for many Americans, and could sway midterm election races.
Catch up quick: Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN Sunday that gas might not drop all the way down to the pre-war level β averaging just under $3 per gallon in the U.S. β until next year.
- President Trump appeared to contradict him in comments to The Hill on Monday, seeing a faster drop.
State of play: Researchers and the analysts project slower price drops β pretty close to Wright's prediction.
- The Iran war β and threats to oil supplies β remain so unpredictable that the country could even face more spikes.
What they're saying: S&P Global has modeled three near-term price outlooks, given the "extreme uncertainty" associated with the conflict.
- "Even in the most optimistic of these scenarios ... U.S. retail gasoline prices are likely to face an uphill battle to return to pre-war levels until 2027," Rob Smith, the firm's director of refining and marketing, said via email.
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This newsletter was edited by Mike Szvetitz.
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