The August Hit List: Pinky’s, Prima, Hobgoblin, and More

Newbury Street may be thronged with shoppers during the daytime, but it’s strangely quiet at night. Now newcomer Pinky’s is trying to change that, one espresso martini at a time. Aside from serving two iterations of the reigning cocktail du jour (one with vodka and espresso, the other Irish whiskey and cold brew), the new nightlife spot is building a scene with a glitzy, chandelier-strewn space and a menu that includes the serves-two Gone Shelling with rum, coconut, passion fruit, lemon, pineapple, and curacao. Meanwhile, a chef with experience at Post 390 and Boston Chops is on hand to dish out Argentinian-style beef empanadas and mushroom pot stickers.

If Frank Sinatra himself were handed the keys to 10 City Square, he might open something a lot like Prima. The latest occupant of the Charlestown space once inhabited by Olives is the Italian steakhouse experience at its uninhibited best, complete with red velvet curtains, hand-rolled pasta, and a formidable selection of steaks and chops. A typical evening might start with black truffle arancini, advance to rigatoni carbonara with house lardons, and climax at 20-ounce bone-in rib eye served with bone marrow au jus and brown butter mashed potatoes on the side.

Call 617-804-7400 for reservations.

If Downtown Boston was missing one thing, it was a medieval magic-concept gastropub with potion-themed cocktails, Asian small plates, and a downstairs bar with a regularly played grand piano. Well, it now has all of those things in the form of Hobgoblin, which has taken over the old Stoddard’s space and preserved its gaslight charms (and 20 draft lines) while adding such newness as a radish and cucumber-infused Hobgoblin Martini, Tom Yum Milk Punch made with cilantro-infused Tequila, and such edibles as braised lamb shank massaman or raspberry lobster Rangoon dip.

The sandwich geniuses behind Mike & Patty’s continue their love affair with protein stuffed between pieces of bread (and ampersands) with their newest venture, Up & Down. Only this time, they’ve moved on from capital-S sandwiches to smashburgers like Savage, which stacks two flattened beef patties with American cheese, caramelized onions, and chile sauce on a milk roll. Also, on deck are fried chicken sandwiches such as the Spicy Clucker with spicy chile and kewpie mayo.

Walk-ins only.

Woods Hill Pier 4 is the latest inductee to that rarest of clubs: restaurants that have received a four-star review from the Boston Globe. We expect to see a sudden surge in reservation requests, so you might want to get on that to find what all the fuss over house-farmed pork shoulder with cippolini onions and sassafras is about.

There is, sadly, one month of proper summer left (no, September doesn’t count). Some are making the most of that time, Coppa included. The teeny enoteca has debuted its latest summer menu, stacked with the likes of roasted swordfish with charred lemon vinaigrette and soppressata, squid ink linguini with Rhode Island calamari and breadcrumbs, and a white pie crowned by roasted corn, summer squash, scamorza cheese, and sweet pepper aioli.

High Street Place has a brand-new tenant in the form of Sugar Skulls Treats, a modern ice cream stand from the taco brain trust behind fellow High Street occupant North East of the Border. As such, the emphasis is on south-of-the-border-influenced sweets, with churro ice cream sandwiches and ice cream tacos filled by flavors including s’mores, birthday cake, and strawberry shortcake. Sweet tooth-havers of a certain age may also indulge in frozen piña coladas or buttered rum ice cream floats.

Walk-ins only. Find more info on Instagram.

Lest all the attention fall on its recently opened Cambridge sibling, the original Chinatown Shōjō has refreshed its menu. While longtime fan-favorites like the Wu-Tang tiger-style ribs and “shadowless” duck fat fries aren’t going anywhere, they’re now joined by rib eye bao with Sichuan-fried onions, roasted bone marrow with scallion pancakes, and a lion’s head meatball sandwich on a baguette with banh mi fixings and cilantro chili crunch.

 Walk-ins only.

The local dining scene can never have too many patios. Particularly when said patios can play host to long lunches spent lingering over Aperol spritzes and plates of rigatoni carbonara or shrimp picatta, as is the case with Parm’s freshly opened patio on the outside of the Copley Place mall.

South End dining establishment Petit Robert Bistro has extended its reach in the neighborhood with the opening of a PRB Boulangerie on Harrison Avenue, attached to its sister restaurant Marseille. Like the existing PRB Boulangerie in Somerville, the South End location will serve pain au chocolat and buttery croissants throughout the morning and afternoon, as well as vend breads, specialty French groceries, and take-home meals.

Walk-ins only. Find more info here.