The Mexican restaurant, formerly in Grampy's gas station on Cambridge Street, is still working on finding a Beacon Hill home, but in the meantime is offering their food at this one-day pop-up in Somerville.
The redevelopment of the Cambridge Street spot that houses Villa Mexico will begin next month.
Below is an email sent Monday by Julie King, the owner of Villa Mexico Cafe, to her customers about the cafe's impending move from the Grampy's gas station at the end of the month: Hello my dear friends, Well, even though we knew the day would come, it is still very sad to give you this news. On Monday, January 7th, we returned to work from our annual holiday break to receive a message from the land owner. Unfortunately for us, they want to begin their construction next month. This means that we need to leave our little gas station spot by January 31st. Like I mentioned, I knew this would happen. But as many of you know I still hoped to stay here until I could move into a new home and not have a day off. The hardest part for me will be …
This is the fourth year Julie King has visited the Advent School to talk about Dia de Los Muertos.
For the fourth year in a row, Villa Mexico Cafe owner Julie King has helped children at the Advent School celebrate a real Mexican Dia de Los Muertos. Last Friday, Nov. 2, King talked to Polly Pfau's kindergarten class about how the meaning of Day of the Dead and helped them the traditional create arts and crafts. As in years past, Pfau's class will thank King walking to Villa Mexico Cafe, in Grampy's gas station on Cambridge Street, and presenting her with a special collage of the day.
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The restaurant is working with the mayor and Councilor Michael Ross to find a new home.
Although the city's zoning board put an end to Villa Mexico Cafe's quest to move to Grove Street, the popular Mexican restaurant in Grampy's gas station isn't giving up its effort to stay in business. "Right now we are starting all over again. Using the help of [City Councilor] Mr. Mike Ross and the Mayor's office, we are seeking opportunities and figuring out where there could be a space for us. It will take us a little time clearly, but we will be in the gas station meanwhile," Julie King wrote in an email to supporters and friends Tuesday. Villa Mexico Cafe tried for months to move into a ground-level space at 12 Grove St. but was unsuccessful because of opposition from some immediate abutters. The cafe needed a zoning variance to open …
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8:38 am on Friday, June 1, 2012
Keep the Hill residential. Go away Villa Mexico:) more ›
Take our poll or comment below to let neighbors know how you feel.
Early Tuesday afternoon the city's Board of Appeals voted against a variance that would have allowed Villa Mexico Cafe to relocate from Grampy's gas station to 12 Grove St. See the full story here. What do you think of the decision? Let us know in the poll or comment section below.
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The city's zoning board ruled against the applicants today.
The city's zoning board decided today to oppose a request by the owners of 12 Grove St. that would have allowed Villa Mexico Cafe to relocate there from Grampy's gas station on Cambridge Street. The ruling ends the restaurant's effort to open on Grove Street. "Zoning forbids this use. It’s not a personal thing," Robert Shortsleeve, the chairman of the city board, said. The space lies in a zone in which properties revert to residential use if they have not been housing a business for more than two years. This address has not been in commercial use for at least 15 years. The owner of Villa Mexico Cafe, Julie King, was asking for a variance to this statute. But opponents to the application said that a restaurant at 12 Grove St. would …
7:55 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Its about time for this place to go its employeys are crooks and not loyal to there customers. I found a cockroach in a buritto I ordered there recently grossest thing I ever had. Not even close to real mexican food. Let's finally get this garbage out of beacon hill. more ›
The restaurant will have its last appearance before a city board on May 8.
Editor's note: below is a letter from Julie King, the owner of Villa Mexico Cafe. As I told you in my last email, I was going to let you know what happened in the meeting with the abbutter's lawyer, Mrs. Sandra Steele. This was held on Tuesday, April 17th, at City Hall. Well my friends, the meeting was set up by recommendation of our city's mayor. As you may recall an aide from the Office of Neighborhood Services helped us organize it. Due to the fact that the abbutter hired a lawyer, we had to speak with her legal representative and try to get a consensus. That was the purpose of meeting. Our prospective landlords, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, attended along with our lawyer, Richard Lynds, Bessie and I. We were all very happy because we finally …
If Villa Mexico doesn't move to Grove Street it could out of business, but neighbors are currently blocking the move due to fears about noise, smells, rodents, and a decline in property values. What do you think?
Faced with eviction from their current location due to redevelopment, Villa Mexico Cafe wants to move to from its current location inside Grampy's Gas Station at 296 Cambridge St. to a location around the corner at 12 Grove St., but neighbors are against the move. At a recent meeting that Patch covered, neighbors cited worries as diverse as an increase in strangers sitting and eating on front stoops, a permeating smell, and the encroachment of commercial properties into residential areas, and neighborhood's Zoning and Licensing Committee voted 12-3 against supporting the move. Other neighbors came to the meeting in support of Villa Mexico, like David Nincic, who called them "fantastic neighbors." Villa Mexico owner Julie King also wrote …
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During a three-hour zoning committee meeting, the Beacon Hill Civic Association voted to support a variance for JP Licks but oppose variances for Villa Mexico Cafe and DeLuca's Market.
During a long and sometimes emotional meeting Wednesday night, the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Zoning and Licensing Committee heard and voted on requests from JP Licks, Villa Mexico Cafe and DeLuca's Market. All three establishments were asking the board not to oppose variances they need to open restaurants. Although the zoning committee does not have the power to grant or deny these variances, it can oppose them when they go before the city. Any opposition from the neighborhood board carries significant influence at the city level. The board voted unanimously not to oppose a variance request by JP Licks, the popular Jamaica Plain-based ice cream shop that is looking to set up a branch at 150 Charles St. But the board's support comes …
10:29 am on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
So ice cream is OK, "tacos" bring riff-raff? The more things change ... more ›
Beacon Hill's holiday stroll is tonight; The Federal becomes Griddler's; deteriorating lampposts on the Hill; and the mercury continues to drop.
1. It was a big night at the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Zoning and Licensing Committee meeting Wednesday. The group considered requests from JP Licks, Villa Mexico Cafe and Deluca's Market. JP Licks had its request that the committee support a variance approved; Villa Mexico and Deluca's each had its request denied. Check back on Beacon Hill Patch today for the full story. 2. The 6th annual Beacon Hill Holiday Stroll is tonight from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Charles Street will be closed for the festivities so that neighbors can roam freely, enjoying carols and popping into area businesses for treats and sales. Want a preview? See this video of last year's events. 3. The Cambridge Street deli formerly known as The Federal is opening Monday …
KRISTIE X. DONOVAN
2:28 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Great salsa! more ›