SOUNDS of MALDEN: Farewell Floramo’s, we hardly knew you!

‘The restaurant falls off… the entire local and area scene’

By Steve Freker

First it was one, then it was two… and now it is none. That is the story of Floramo’s arrival, expansion and now, ultimate departure from the local and area restaurant scene.

For the better part of the last 40 years – since it opened in Chelsea near the Everett line at 213 Everett Ave. in 1984 – Floramo’s Restaurant has been one of the most popular eateries in the Greater Boston area. Known for its signature barbecue ribs and Italian fare, it went by the saying “Where meat falls off the bone!” With recent and unanticipated developments, it could now be said, “Where the restaurant falls off… the entire local and area scene.”

Without much notice, in September 2022, Floramo’s announced it was closing its longtime Chelsea establishment. Immediately, the rumors flew around that the well-known restaurant would be taking its talents to downtown Malden. Well, the rumors quickly became fact when Floramo’s opened in Malden at the site of the former Dockside Restaurant, 220 Centre St. (Rt. 60). The first ribs, angel hair pasta and meatballs were served in the new Malden restaurant on October 7, 2022, 29 days after the Chelsea Floramo’s closed. Shortly after, the second Floramo’s materialized at the former second Dockside on Main Street in Wakefield.

“Foodies” were suddenly flush in Floramo’s restaurants, not just one, but two of them. Using the “eye test,” the heralded arrival of the Floramo’s brand was a big success. The 45-window side view along Route 60 frequently showed a packed house at the Malden Floramo’s. Similar reports came out of Wakefield for the past year and a half.

Then, just after the first of the year, came reports the Wakefield Floramo’s had closed its doors. Less than two weeks ago came a real shocker: Malden’s Floramo’s had abruptly locked its doors and ceased operations, literally overnight on April 9.

Details have been scarce, but unsubstantiated reports have indicated that Floramo’s would be returning to reopen again in a yet-to-be-named location at or near its original spot in the Chelsea-Everett area. Last week, large trucks were viewed in the back of the former Dockside Restaurant loading tables, chairs and other restaurant items and hauling them away.

Goodbye, Floramo’s, we hardly knew you in the brief 17 1/2 months you served your tasty menu in Malden.

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Two other new restaurants are ready to open at Malden-Medford city line

In other local restaurant news, two other well-known area restaurant sites appear ready to open under new names and styles soon.

The former John Brewer’s Tavern – 7 Highland Ave. at the Malden-Medford line – closed with no notice on July 24, 2023, after 15 years of operation at the site. According to sources, issues with the rent at the site caused the operators of the establishment to decide to close that location and concentrate on its two other restaurant pubs in Waltham and Oak Bluffs. It has been vacant since that time, but now new signs announce that a new restaurant will be opening soon, called K-Pot, which will feature all you can eat Asian Barbeque and other dishes.

About 500 yards down the street and across the Malden-Medford border, the former longtime Tiki Island Restaurant – 269 Middlesex Ave., Medford – closed in September 2023 after 40 years of operation. Serving Chinese and Polynesian fare, Tiki Island was a well-known stop for generations of residents of Malden, Medford and other places since it opened in the early 1980s. Within the past several months, it was announced that the longtime Everett restaurant, Ho Win Palace on Everett Street, would be opening a new restaurant of the same name at the site of the former Tiki Island. In addition to the restaurant, the new Ho Win Palace will be offering a function room for rentals at that site, it was announced.