It looks like a new restaurant is headed to Brookline, and it could bring a sweet, traditional Chinese treat to the area.
Bingtanghulu is slated to take over the former home of BE Pasta Bar at 1026 Commonwealth Avenue, according to a recent report from Brookline News. The restaurant was recently approved for an entertainment and outdoor dining license, although the team does not currently plan to offer outdoor seating.
What Now Boston recently spoke with owner Xiaomei Xing and the Bingtanghulu team, who declined to share additional details about the upcoming restaurant at this time but indicated that more information will be announced soon.
In the meantime, permitting documents offer a glimpse at what’s in store. The approximately 1,500-square-foot restaurant is expected to have 12 seats indoors, with a maximum occupancy of 17. Parking will be available in lots behind the building, and the restaurant plans to serve liquor. Proposed hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
While a menu has not yet been released, the restaurant’s name offers a hint about what diners may find on the menu. Bingtanghulu will likely specialize in bing tanghulu, or tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack made by skewering fruit—often Chinese hawthorn—and coating it in hot sugar syrup. Once the sugar hardens, it creates the snack’s signature glossy, crunchy shell. The treat gets its name from its resemblance to the double-bulb Chinese gourd, or calabash.
Online records suggest that the team behind Bingtanghulu may have previously operated Dong Dong Asian Foods in Lawrence. The restaurant, which closed a few years ago, was known for its authentic Northern Chinese cuisine.
BE Pasta Bar opened in the spring of 2024 and appears to have quietly shuttered earlier this year. The fast-casual eatery allowed guests to build their own pasta cups made with ingredients imported from Greece and Italy.
An online presence for Bingtanghulu does not appear to be available at this time, but What Now Boston will share updates as more details about the restaurant become available.
