Birthplace Of Hoodsies, Friendly's Gets Ice Cream Museum: MA Food Week

MASSACHUSETTS — Welcome to Patch's weekly round up of food and restaurant news in Massachusetts, where we review openings, closings and more in the state's dining scene.

This week, we learned that a museum of ice cream is coming to Boston. Although the Museum of Ice Cream is a chain, it's setting up shop in a state that has made some major contributions to the world of frozen dairy treats.

The Friendly's chain, beleaguered as it is, was born with a single location in Springfield, and is now based in nearby Wilbraham. Charlestown gave the world the iconic Hoodsie cup — those tiny cups of vanilla and chocolate that exist somewhere between soft and hard ice cream. And while we're at it, we might as well claim credit for discovering the divine pairing of ice cream and fried food thanks to Sullivan's at Castle Island.

Blank Street Expands

Also opening this month in Harvard Square is the state's fourth location of Blank Street Coffee, the international chain's first on the other side of the Charles. The new location will have treats from Salem's A&J King bakery, and will sell drinks for $2 during the first two days after opening on Nov. 16.

Here's what else was cooking this week in Patch communities across Massachusetts:

• New Italian Market Coming In Tewksbury
• Worcester's Only Bagel Deli Moving
• First MA Clean Eatz Café Opens In Danvers
• Tewksbury Welcomes Mexican Restaurant's Second Location
• MA Plaza Azteca Workers Will Get $534K In Multistate Wage Theft Case
• West Falmouth Harbor Opens To Recreational Shellfishing
• Longtime Stoughton Pizza Place Closing [Boston Restaurant Talk]

Have dining news to announce? Email [email protected] with tips and press releases.