PHOTOS: New Cuban Restaurant Opens in Malden Center

Oyá Cuban Cafe brings authentic Cuban cuisine and culture to Exchange Street, as well as another upscale dining option to the city's growing restaurant scene.

Maybe you've walked past Oyá Cuban Cafe, a new Cuban restaurant in Malden Center that quietly held a soft opening last week – but there's a lot worth gawking at inside, too. Chef/Owner Roberto Niubo left his native Havana for the United States when he was 26, and studied the cuisine both in his homeland and at Boston's Le Cordon Bleu. After graduating from the latter, Niubo decided to bring some Cuban flair to the Boston area, finally settling on opening a business in Malden after 12 years in the business. “There aren't a lot of Cuban restaurants around here,” he said, noting the location's proximity to an MBTA station, local businesses and a growing downtown. "I think we have a pretty good chance to show people what we can do."   Cubano …

•  14 Comments
• Photos (10)
• Documents (1)

TELL US: Bring Back Happy Hour?

Should happy hour come back to Massachusetts?

Is happy hour coming back to the Bay State? The 28-year-old “happy hour law” now banning Massachusetts bars and restaurants from pouring free, discounted or two-for-one alcoholic beverages in area restaurants may be updated so restaurants can compete with casinos that may one day be in the state. As part of the ban, cities and towns now rule that a beverage must be priced the same for each calendar week and two drinks can only be served per person at a restaurant. In addition, pitchers of alcohol can only be served to two or more people, according to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. The ABCC will hold a hearing in Boston on Aug. 21. Four other hearings will be held throughout the state to gain public feedback.  According to an …

•  52 Comments
• Photos (1)

Ten Best Places to Eat Dinner in Greater Boston

Patch readers from around the Boston area chose their favorite dinner spots, and here are the results.

This week we asked Patch readers from around Greater Boston an important question: Where's the best place to eat dinner in your community? After five days of voting, here are the results: South End Union Bar & Grille, 1357 Washington St. Back Bay Parish Café and Bar, 361 Boylston St. Beacon Hill 75 Chestnut, 75 Chestnut St. Somerville Highland Kitchen, 150 Highland Ave. Charlestown Navy Yard Bistro and Wine Bar, 1 6th St # 199 Medford Pizzeria Regina, 44 Station Landing Melrose Turner's Seafood Grill & Market, 506 Main St. Malden All Seasons Table Restaurant, 64 Pleasant St. Stoneham Gaetano's, 271 Main St. Wakefield Caffe Italia, 21 Water St.

• Photos (1)

Best Place to Celebrate St. Paddy's Day in Malden?

Cast your vote for the Best of Patch Readers' Choice Award.

On Saint Patrick's Day, the pints of Guinness are poured with care and served at the right temperature. And those are real Irish accents you hear at the bar. March 17 falls on a Saturday this year, which means the celebrations will be vigorous. So, where's the best place to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in Malden? We narrowed the list down to a few places that have an ample beer and wine menu. If you celebrate somewhere else, leave a comment and tell us where. Vote for your favorite Saint Patrick's Day haunt by Friday at 9 a.m., and after that we'll take into consideration the final vote count along with comments left below and reviews posted to the listing pages to determine the winner. Click on the links below to see listing pages and …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

PHOTOS: 'You Are Here' Malden Maps Posted By The Train Station

A look at three new signs welcoming visitors at the Malden Center train station, with directions to local restaurants and other hot spots. Will they get more pedestrians to explore downtown hotspots?

The kiosk outside of the Malden Center train station is no longer blank. The city recently posted signs on the 3-sided kiosk. One lists the many different ethnic restaurants in Malden Square. 

•  2 Comments
• Photos (3)

Tivoli's Restaurant Closed As Owners Retire

The owners will seek a buyer for the bistro, according to a sign left in the eatery's door.

Tivoli's Restaurant, one of the first gourmet restaurants in the city, is out of business after opening 16 years ago, according to a note found on the front door. The husband and wife team announced that they are retiring and that the restaurant will be closed until they find someone to take over the business. A note on the front door of the restaurant at 121 Exchange Street said: After 16 wonderful years, we have decided to retire. The restaurant will be closed until we find the right person to take over the business. Thank you for all your patronage. The small bistro that featured gourmet mediterranean cuisine was a favorite of locals and also attracted loyal customers from the surrounding area. It received a 4 1/2 star rating (out of 5 …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (2)

Elaine Thomas

8:03 am on Friday, August 12, 2011

Tiviolis was a gem in the city of Malden.   more ›

5 Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need to Know Today, August 9

Salsa, restaurants and more

More of the same: It will be partly sunny today, with a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 70s with a chance of rain at about 50%, increasing to 70% later this evening. Strike!: A number of Verizon Communications employees are on strike, though the company says service should remain uninterrupted until the contract dispute is resolved. Turn this boat around: Councilor At-Large candidate David D'Arcangelo said “an overwhelming majority” of businesses that responded to his campaign's survey found that the city and state were heading in the wrong direction.  Oooh, fancy: Eileen Herman-Haase and Raul Nieves will be giving free salsa lessons from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Malden Public Library tonight. But only until …

• Photos (1)

Shop, Eat, and Think Local: Let’s Build a Patch Passport to Malden

Patch will help you become a tourist in your own town.

What do you love best about Malden? Share your ideas with Malden Patch as we build a guide to some of the most interesting and fun things to do in town. For one week, starting Monday July 25, we’ll feature stories, photos, and videos showing off the best of Malden. Tell us what you love about the city and we’ll include it as part of this project.  You can email us or leave a suggestion in the comment section below. Be sure to check out our Facebook page too for updates and discussions. What Do You Know? Do you know of any hidden gems? What about some fun kid activities or an interesting historical site? Is there a good day spa in town that helps you get away from it all? And what about ethnic restaurants that whisk you away to a foreign …

• Photos (1)

5 Things You Can't Do in Malden

There's plenty of things to do in Malden, but here are a few you can't.

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Regional News Round Up

Crowbar Defender, Kerrigan Trial and More

A look at the week's news from Malden's neighbors.

WARNING: Video contains explicit language. Every Sunday, Malden Patch will run a round-up with links to stories from surrounding communities that are of interest to Maldonians.

• Videos (1)