Boston Restaurants Get Greenlight to Serve Spirits as Part of New Liquor Licensing Scheme
In a move that's expected to shake up the city's bar and restaurant scene, Boston's Licensing Board has approved five restaurants to exchange their beer-and-wine licenses for all-alcohol licenses. This new scheme allows establishments with existing liquor permits to upgrade their licenses, enabling them to serve spirits or cocktails with liquor instead of just beer, wine, and cordials.
The five restaurants that received the greenlight are 89 Charles, Bebop, Carmelina's, New England Wicked Craft Company, and Serafina. These businesses will now be able to offer a wider range of beverages to their customers, with the added revenue potential to help offset rising costs.
State lawmakers have been instrumental in bringing this scheme about. Last year, Rep. Aaron Michlewitz inserted an item into the 2026 Massachusetts State Budget that allows municipalities to grant restaurants upgrades from beer and wine licenses to all-alcohol licenses. The city's City Council approved legislation introduced by Mayor Michelle Wu in September, but it wasn't until January that the Licensing Board finalized regulations.
The provision coincides with a major bill passed in 2024 that aims to add 225 liquor licenses to Boston. Most of these new licenses will be zip code-restricted, favoring underserved neighborhoods that already struggle to find restaurants serving alcohol due to the limit on licenses and high prices for private market licenses.
According to Kathleen Joyce, Chair of the Boston Licensing Board, the board is thrilled to approve the first five beer and wine upgrades. The business owners have been enthusiastic about this opportunity, and it's clear from the number of applications that there is a need for these upgrades. The board looks forward to approving additional applications and is committed to helping throughout the process.
With the new licenses in place, Boston restaurants will be able to tap into the lucrative market for cocktails and spirits. However, the upgrade comes with some caveats – the licenses are non-transferable, meaning they must be returned to the city instead of being sold on the private market, which is dominated by existing liquor license holders.
In a move that's expected to shake up the city's bar and restaurant scene, Boston's Licensing Board has approved five restaurants to exchange their beer-and-wine licenses for all-alcohol licenses. This new scheme allows establishments with existing liquor permits to upgrade their licenses, enabling them to serve spirits or cocktails with liquor instead of just beer, wine, and cordials.
The five restaurants that received the greenlight are 89 Charles, Bebop, Carmelina's, New England Wicked Craft Company, and Serafina. These businesses will now be able to offer a wider range of beverages to their customers, with the added revenue potential to help offset rising costs.
State lawmakers have been instrumental in bringing this scheme about. Last year, Rep. Aaron Michlewitz inserted an item into the 2026 Massachusetts State Budget that allows municipalities to grant restaurants upgrades from beer and wine licenses to all-alcohol licenses. The city's City Council approved legislation introduced by Mayor Michelle Wu in September, but it wasn't until January that the Licensing Board finalized regulations.
The provision coincides with a major bill passed in 2024 that aims to add 225 liquor licenses to Boston. Most of these new licenses will be zip code-restricted, favoring underserved neighborhoods that already struggle to find restaurants serving alcohol due to the limit on licenses and high prices for private market licenses.
According to Kathleen Joyce, Chair of the Boston Licensing Board, the board is thrilled to approve the first five beer and wine upgrades. The business owners have been enthusiastic about this opportunity, and it's clear from the number of applications that there is a need for these upgrades. The board looks forward to approving additional applications and is committed to helping throughout the process.
With the new licenses in place, Boston restaurants will be able to tap into the lucrative market for cocktails and spirits. However, the upgrade comes with some caveats – the licenses are non-transferable, meaning they must be returned to the city instead of being sold on the private market, which is dominated by existing liquor license holders.
. I mean, who doesn't love a good cocktail? But at the same time, I'm worried that some of these smaller, up-and-coming restaurants might struggle to keep up with the added costs and regulations 
. And what about all the extra noise and disruption from late-night patrons? My kids would be totally thrown off if they couldn't even get a decent cuppa after 10 pm 
. Still, I'm excited to see what new options come our way, especially in those underserved neighborhoods that really need it 
.
I think this is a great move for Boston's restaurants! It'll definitely boost their revenue and create new opportunities for them to innovate their menus. The non-transferable licenses might seem like a drawback, but it's actually a clever way to keep the city's spirit game fresh and prevent any monopolies on liquor licenses 
. I'm excited to see how this scheme plays out and which restaurants come up with the most creative cocktails! 
. I'm curious to see how the prices are gonna change - will it be more expensive or cheaper for customers? And what about the neighborhoods that aren't getting any new licenses? Will they still get access to drinks at their local spots? It's all good news, but also a bit complicated...
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. I mean, who doesn't love a good craft cocktail or a shot of spirits? But, I gotta wonder, will it be too much for some of these smaller establishments to handle? 
The non-transferable thing is a bit weird, but hey, at least the city's trying to help out those underserved neighborhoods 
. It shows they're thinking about the future of Boston's nightlife scene and how it can benefit all its residents. Fingers crossed we'll see more upgrades like this in the future 
. Now, I'm off to try out that new Serafina cocktail spot... anyone know what's on the menu? 
And it's awesome that the city is trying to help businesses with rising costs 
! It's like a whole new world opening up for them. I mean, think about it, five new restaurants are gonna get to offer those fancy cocktails and whatnot that we all love (but also kinda overpay for). And let me tell you, the extra revenue is gonna be a game-changer for these businesses.
for Boston restaurants, they'll get more money from serving cocktails and spirits... but I'm kinda worried about the non-transferable part... what if they can't sell their business? 
can't wait to see what kind of creative cocktails come out of there 
the Boston restaurant scene big time! 
Not sure how that affects existing liquor license holders or newbies trying to break in. Still, overall, this is a win-win for Boston's nightlife scene 
. Can't wait to see what kind of creative cocktails these restaurants come up with 
! I mean, who doesn't love a good cocktail or spirit after dinner? Now these restaurants are gonna be able to offer their customers so much more and make some serious cash