It looks like the proprietor of a longtime Jamaica Plain pub is planning to open a cafe next door.
Michel Soltani, owner of the Brendan Behan Pub at 378 Centre Street, has applied for a 7-day all-alcohol license to open Behan Caffe at 380 Centre Street, according to Boston Restaurant Talk. The address sits directly beside the longtime Irish watering hole.
While Soltani could not be reached for comment, license documents note that the proposed cafe would span approximately 1,300 square feet on the ground level, laid out as a single room with main dining and bar seating. A 1 a.m. closing time is also listed—the same as the pub—suggesting the new concept could function less like a daytime-only coffee shop and more like a cafe-bar extension of the Behan.
Founded in 1988 by Gerry Brennan and Finbar “Butch” Murray and named after the famed Irish poet and playwright, The Brendan Behan Pub has been a neighborhood staple for decades, beloved for its regular live music and easygoing charm. Soltani took over in 2007, continuing its legacy as a lively gathering place for locals.
Notably, the pub does not have a kitchen, instead hosting local food pop-ups. If approved, the new cafe could introduce a more permanent food program to the block, potentially offering coffee and light fare during the day before shifting to beer, wine, cocktails, and heartier bites in the evening.
Menu details and an opening timeline have not yet been released. For now, the proposal signals a possible new chapter for one of Jamaica Plain’s most enduring institutions.
