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Sunrise Cafe opens in former Papa Gino's space in Hyde Park

Sunrise Cafe opens in former Papa Gino's space in Hyde Park

Built World Boston, MA local

Breakfast spot is licensed and open, as the Cleary Square rezoning heads to a November 18 Zoning Commission hearing

October 27th, 2026: Wu proposes restaurant zoning changes and names licensing chair

Overview

Updated Oct 30

Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner opened in the former Papa Gino's space at Hyde Park Avenue and River Street in Hyde Park, keeping the old pizza oven. The Boston Licensing Board approved its plans in August 2026, and the 34-seat restaurant opens at 6 a.m. The menu includes eggs, pancakes, waffles, bagels and breakfast tacos, with lunch tacos also offered.

The Cleary Square Squares+Streets rezoning cleared a key step on October 15, when the Planning Board adopted the area plan and asked the Zoning Commission to change the map. The Zoning Commission has the text and map amendments on its November 18 hearing calendar. Until it acts, the current Hyde Park zoning still controls every parcel. The October map caps the tallest proposed buildings at six stories, down from seven in the March draft. Residents have raised concerns about parking, traffic and displacement of minority-owned businesses.

Why it matters

A new independent breakfast spot has opened in Cleary Square while the city weighs rezoning the business district around it.

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Key Indicators

1
New restaurant in Cleary Square
Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner opened in the former Papa Gino's space at Hyde Park Avenue and River Street.
6
Maximum building stories in proposed rezoning
The October 2026 Cleary Square map allows up to six stories on Hyde Park Avenue. The March draft had allowed seven.

Voices

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People Involved

Michelle Wu
Michelle Wu
Mayor of Boston
Overseeing the Squares+Streets rezoning process
 Enrique Pepen
Enrique Pepen
Boston City Councilor, District 5
Advocating for compromise on Cleary Square rezoning

Organizations Involved

SC
Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner
Restaurant
Open in former Papa Gino's space in Cleary Square; Boston Licensing Board approved its plans in August 2026

Counter-service breakfast and lunch spot in Hyde Park's Cleary Square.
Boston Planning Department
Boston Planning Department
City agency
Proposing Squares+Streets rezoning for Cleary Square

Boston's planning agency, leading the Squares+Streets rezoning effort for Cleary Square.

Timeline

December 2023 October 2026

9 events Latest: October 27th, 2026 · 2 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Wu proposes restaurant zoning changes and names licensing chair

    Latest Policy

    Mayor Michelle Wu proposed changes so takeout-only reviews no longer delay a restaurant changing hands. She also named Ava Callender Concepcion to lead the licensing office, starting Nov. 4. The proposals are not yet in effect.

  2. Planning Board adopts Cleary Square plan and asks for map change

    Policy

    The board adopted the Cleary Square Squares + Streets Small Area Plan and asked the Zoning Commission to amend Zoning Map 12 and Article 69. The neighborhood business subdistricts would be replaced.

  3. Universal Hub reports Sunrise Cafe open in former Papa Gino's space

    Business opening

    Universal Hub reports Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner has recently opened in the former Papa Gino's space in Cleary Square.

  4. Planning Department issues October revision of Cleary Square map

    Policy

    The revision lowers River Street parcels to four stories and sets Hyde Park Avenue between Winthrop and Everett streets to six stories. The housing estimate for the Hyde Park Avenue and River Street site falls to 150 to 200 units.

  5. Licensing Board approves Sunrise Cafe plans

    Licensing

    The Boston Licensing Board approved a Dedham couple's plans to open Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner at the former Papa Gino's site.

  6. Planning Department releases revised Cleary Square draft plan and zoning map

    Policy

    The revised draft responds to public comments collected March 17 to May 15, 2026. The department also held an in-person plan update meeting that evening.

  7. Planning Department hosts Cleary Square rezoning meeting

    Public meeting

    Planning Department hosts Cleary Square Squares+Streets public meeting; residents raise concerns.

  8. Zoning Commission codifies Squares+Streets districts

    Policy

    Boston Zoning Commission codifies six original Squares+Streets districts.

  9. Boston releases Squares+Streets zoning framework

    Policy

    Boston Planning and Development Agency releases Article 26, introducing Squares+Streets zoning districts.

Scenarios

1

Sunrise Cafe becomes a Cleary Square staple

Possible Resolves by Oct 11, 2027

Discussed by: Universal Hub, which reported the opening

The restaurant builds a regular customer base and remains open through its first year. The square's summer concert series and new riverfront projects could draw steady foot traffic.

2

Sunrise Cafe closes within a year

Unlikely Resolves by Oct 11, 2027

Discussed by: Restaurant industry observers

The spot struggles to build a customer base and closes, following the pattern of the Papa Gino's that preceded it. Small restaurants face high failure rates in their first year.

3

Cleary Square rezoning approved

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Boston Planning Department, District 5 Councilor Enrique Pepén

The Boston Zoning Commission approves the Cleary Square Squares+Streets map, allowing up to six stories on Hyde Park Avenue and four on River Street. The approval would reshape the district's development potential and could bring new residential buildings to the square.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2018

Papa Gino's bankruptcy (2018)

Papa Gino's, a New England pizza chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018 and closed dozens of locations across the region. The chain had been a fixture in many New England neighborhoods for decades.

Then

Dozens of storefronts went vacant across New England as the chain shrank.

Now

Independent restaurants and other businesses have since filled many former Papa Gino's spaces.

Why this matters now

The Hyde Park location on Hyde Park Avenue was one of the chain's former sites. Its vacancy created the space Sunrise Cafe now occupies.

2009

The High Line (2009)

New York City converted an abandoned elevated rail line on Manhattan's West Side into a public park. The first section opened in 2009, and the park drew millions of visitors.

Then

Property values and commercial development surged in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Now

The High Line became a model for using public space to anchor neighborhood revitalization.

Why this matters now

Cleary Square is trying a smaller version of this dynamic: the River Street Bridge closure created a plaza for a summer concert series, and new riverfront projects aim to draw people to the square.

Sources

(8)
+2
Universal Hub Bulletin Newspapers The Preserve at Olmsted Green boston.com bostonplans.org BMN Boston The Boston Report universalhub.com