More international culinary offerings planned for Quincy. Here's what's coming
QUINCY − More international culinary options are planned for Quincy, including a milk tea shop and an Italian coffee/dessert shop.
The milk tea shop, called The Alley, is set to open at 1515 Hancock St. It would be the Taiwanese chain's second East Coast location. The Alley has 10 locations in the U.S. and dozens of others on three continents.
Franchise owner Brian Nguyen told the board of license commissioners that he and his wife plan to open several milk tea shops, starting with The Alley. He said he hopes to start construction next month.
The shop would be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Nguyen’s common victualer license, which allows him to sell food and drinks, was unanimously approved pending health and fire inspections.
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Milk tea is typically made of black tea, milk, ice and tapioca pearls. The Alley makes cane sugar syrup in-house as well as fresh tapioca pearls that are slow-cooked in black sugar and called “Deerioca,” a play on words referencing the company’s deer logo.
The Alley would join tea shops in downtown Quincy and North Quincy.
A taste of Italy in Marina Bay
The Italian coffee and desserts are planned at a Marina Bay shop.
Terre D’Italia, owned by Denise Hajjar-Casamassima and husband Mario Casamassima, received approval to sell coffees and desserts from Italy. The imported goods shop on the boardwalk is steps away from their other ventures at 304 Victory Road: Denise Hajjar Clothing Boutique and Marina Bay Living, which offers coastal gifts.
For about a year, the Casamassimas have been selling pasta, sauces, capers, olives, balsamic vinaigrette, artichoke hearts and more delicacies at the Marina Bay Living shop. But customers said something was missing.
“People were begging for cappuccinos and lattes,” Denise told The Patriot Ledger.
Ask, and they shall receive. Soon – possibly by Labor Day weekend, pending a fire inspection, Denise said – customers will be able to sit under a pergola with coffee and desserts from Italy. The store opens at noon and closes at 6 p.m. most days (later on Friday and Saturday) and is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Some of the imported desserts will include tiramisu, panna cotta, and pistachio or limoncello bombe, which are cakes with cream inside. Other offerings will include cookies with almonds and Mario’s homemade focaccia.
The expansion of products at the store is particularly special for Mario, who owns a software business and whose family hails from the Puglia region of Italy.
“This is really a passion of mine,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do this and offer real authentic coffee and these desserts.”
Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Milk tea, Italian treats planned in Quincy
