Varin’s Sweet Shop has opened at 315 Robert Rose Dr., Suite A, serving ice cream, waffles, Thai tea and bubble tea, cakes and other sweet treats.
Located in the same shopping center as The Bangkok Thai Cuisine, Varin’s is another local business related to longtime Bangkok proprietor Jack Butchareon, who is the uncle of the Varin’s Sweet Shop owner.
“We’ll have to make the food extra spicy at Bangkok so customers come here for ice cream after,” Mr. Jack jokes.
Varin’s is open Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
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Oscar’s has opened an Oscar’s Taqueria Express at 1741 S. Rutherford Blvd. near Publix and Papa John’s.
The eatery serves all of the Oscar’s favorites—burritos, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas and queso—to go, with limited seating available in-store.
To place an order, call 615-203-3844.
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Jaffa Restaurant has opened at 206 N. Thompson Ln., Suite D (the former home of Your Burger), featuring “flavors from all around the Mediterranean region.”
Selections include chicken and beef shawarma, lamb chops, hummus, salads, baklava and shish kabob.
Find the full menu and more information at jaffarestaurants.com.
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Officials with Texas-based Whataburger have announced that the fast food chain plans to re-enter the Nashville market.
The company plans an initial store on Old Hickory Boulevard in Hermitage, with others, including a Murfreeboro location, soon following, reports indicate.
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The Rodeo Bar & Grill has taken over the longtime home of the Smyrna Ruby Tuesday’s, just off of the Sam Ridley Parkway exit.
Find burgers, steaks, pasta, tacos, crawfish bites and gumbo on the menu, which incorporates Cajun and Southwestern flavors. The former owner-operator of the Blue Cactus in Murfreesboro brings boudin stuffed chicken, shrimp po boys, a cumin-rubbed steak sandwich, rattlesnake pepper fettuccine and other dishes to the new establishment.
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The space in the shopping center at 206 N. Thompson Ln. that housed Royal Indian Cuisine for a brief time has changed approaches and is now Royal Beer and Tobacco.
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Catfeine Cat Cafe, where humans can enjoy the company of cats and a cup of coffee, has found a new home on Cason Lane. A post by owners Curtis and Taura Byrd on Catfeine social media in November announced the signing of the new lease.
“If all goes as planned we will reopen early January,” according to the post.
Catfeine has helped find homes for over 250 rescue cats since it opened.
“We’re just as much about providing a loving therapeutic space for you sweet people as we are for finding homes for kitties in need,” the post continued.
The Byrds said they had plans to relocate their business to a higher traffic area eventually, but this move out of Georgetown Park came rather suddenly.
“We were informed that a [lease] renewal was no longer going to be an option as a new tenant offered higher rent and a longer term for our current space . . . this was unexpected and devastating news that has sent us into quite a panic.”
But Catfeine will soon continue at its new home, located at 505 Cason Ln., near Sabaidee Cafe.
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City Cafe gave its customers a scare in November when the long-established restaurant announced that it would be closing.
“After a long hard battle, we have no choice but to close our doors due to the Covid 19 pandemic,” according to a post City Cafe made on Nov. 11. “We tried so hard to push through and we just can’t continue our journey. We appreciate and love every single one of you who have made an impact and supported us for all of these years.”
However, after an outpouring of support from the Murfreesboro community, just days later the restaurant ownership announced that they would remain open. The oldest restaurant in Tennessee launched a GoFundMe campaign and had an increased influx of customers over the ensuing days, and staff said that they had decided to continue operating.
“You are the heart of Murfreesboro,” Diane Zaker Johnson told the City Cafe team. “I have some wonderful memories from there. I couldn’t imagine our city without you in it. I for one will continue to support you. Love to you and all of the amazing workers at the cafe.”
Miller’s Cafe in Christiana even joined the cause to save City Cafe, pledging to donate a portion of its own sales to its downtown Murfreesboro cafe friends—a gift that equaled $1,200.
“I want to thank God for saving City Cafe. He was working through each and every one of you. I truly believe that angels walk among us and you are those angels. We love our community, we love our customers! With your loving and continuous support will live on!” said City Cafe owner Teresa Kellogg.
“We came into this business with the intentions of carrying on the amazing history of this establishment. . . . Saying ‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem like enough because you have changed our lives forever. Our part of the history of City Cafe will be how this little cafe was able to bring a community together during a pandemic. Keep supporting us, y’all, We still need you to keep this going.”
Upon hearing the news that the restaurant would remain open, local resident Dennis Barnett said the place remains “an iconic institution in the city of Murfreesboro.”
“Looking forward to another great meal from City Cafe,” he said.
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Primrose Table has navigated a bizarre year for the service industry in its first year of operation and owner Jason Matheson said the restaurant has begun to see sales staying at a steady level and is keeping an optimistic outlook and continuing to serve excellent food to its customers.
The restaurant now offers brunch service on Sundays, with beignets, biscuits, shrimp and grits, steak and eggs, frittata, French toast, cocktails, a Dutch baby pancake with ham and cheese, and more. Brunch is available at Primrose Table from 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. each Sunday.
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A spokesperson with State Farm Insurance said that the company plans to close its Murfreesboro Operations Center and have the 1,200 employees who formerly reported to work there continue to work from home on a permanent basis.
The company will make similar changes at other large office spaces around the country.
In related news, a very large office space is now available on Memorial Boulevard at Dejarnette Lane.
