Joshua Smith Opening New Spots in Waltham

The person behind an award-winning deli and dining room on Waltham's "Restaurant Row" is expanding, taking over the two empty spaces next door.

According to an email sent from The Daily Lunch blog, Joshua Smith of the Moody's Deli and The Backroom is taking over the now-closed Santa Banta on Moody Street, while a phone called placed to Smith indicates that he is planning to open an oyster/ceviche bar within the Santa Banta space that will be accessed by an archway leading from The Backroom, while a taco and BBQ spot will open in a separate space next to the oyster bar that is accessed from Moody Street--and one which had been home to a Haitian market. This jibes with earlier information we had that stated Smith was planning to open a spot featuring smoked meats and more in the former Haitian market space, while also indicating he was looking to open an oyster bar somewhere on Moody Street as well. (Smith is also behind New England Charcuterie, a meat-processing plant that is near the Waltham/Belmont line.)

Santa Banta first opened in the fall of 2014, taking over the space where Bombay Mahal had been since the late 1980s.

The oyster bar from Moody's will be at 458 Moody Street while the taco and BBQ spot will be at 454 Moody Street.

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