Located downtown Westborough in Baysate Commons rests the empty building of the previous family-run restaurant, Tavolinos. Tavolinos opened in 2009, and has been a family favorite since. Most commonly known for their pasta and drinks, Tavolinos will be deeply missed by the Westborough community.
In 2020, things started to go downhill. Mice were seen in their kitchen and seating area. Therefore, Tavolinos had to temporarily close and take precautions. This was detrimental to the business overall, because this also took place during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which pushed Tavolinos closer and closer to bankruptcy. Since they were not making money from customers while having to pay off exterminators, Tavolinos began to slowly crumble. Tavolinos re-opened in 2021, hoping for a fresh start.
However, that was not the outcome the restaurant received. A flood ruined the entire interior of Tavolinos, forcing them to close temporarily yet again. A previous WHS student who was employed at Tavolinos at this time stated that “the flood was absolutely brutal for the business and all of the employees. Over 100 staff were out of jobs.” The flood was extremely hard on the business, pushing them further and further to closing permanently.
After getting back up and running in 2024, people were sure this would be the last of the restaurant’s bad luck. Things began to look up, as many families were often seen enjoying a meal outside in the nice seating area. The restaurant was doing well until inspections came around.
There were some complications with the inspection, which left Tavolinos forced to renovate. However, Tavaolinos could not complete the needed renovations, which left the restaurant how it is today; closed and empty.
The closing of this beloved restaurant struck many by surprise since things seemed to be on the up for the establishment. Tavolinos was a town favorite, and many Westborough residents are saddened that they will no longer be able to enjoy the food and environment of the restaurant. There is not yet a plan for what will be done with the restaurant space after the closing, but we can only hope that there will be a new exciting restaurant or business for Westborough residents to enjoy.
