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Oh, sugar: Roslindale loses a restaurant

Sugar logo

Today's the last day for Sugar, 4174 Washington St., so hurry down if you think you'll miss the place.

Sugar opened in 2011 in the old A. Boschetto Bakery. A few months ago, Sugar shut its own bakery at the site.

Sugar's owner also owns the Real Deal outlets in West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Brighton, as well as the original Sugar bakery in West Roxbury.

Ed. note: Corrected to reflect actual owner.

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Comments

But the place was always packed?!

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The place was packed because the highly unprofessional waitstaff (often wearing pajamas or sweatsuits) could not understand/didn't care how to turn tables. The same people were dining for long periods of time (causing the place to appear packed) because the waitstaff was so inattentive to customers. Table turnover rate for breakfast needs to be high in order to satisfy the demand. There was never a time when we were out of there in less than an hour (sometimes up to 2). On numerous occasions, I observed people walk in to the packed restaurant, wait at the podium for someone to take their name for 15+ minutes, wait for another 15 minutes and then just walk out. That's lost revenue right there because tables aren't turning quick enough. There were times when it was impossible to get the check because the server just wasn't around (often just standing around, not helping anyone). Other people trying to get their check had made eye contact with me and rolled their eyes as well, meaning that, they too were annoyed at the lack of attention.

This is all such a shame too because the food was so good. They just needed a little extra business sense and to light a fire under the servers to get them moving faster and being attentive to customers. The prices were on the higher end for breakfast (well worth it), which should have incentivized the servers to provide good service because the larger checks mean larger tips, given that the service is good.

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So disappointing to hear that this was the reason the business couldn't pull it off. Seems ridiculous that the owners didn't notice that problem and work to correct it.

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I agree with you about the wait staff and will add that some are rather rude. They spend too much time chatting with each other, and I think talking about the patrons!. My friends and I were the first ones there one night during a snow storm. There was only 3 tables of diners plus us, and the wait staff were rushing us out the door! What the hell, nobody else was arriving due to the storm! We could tell that the 2 wait staff were PO-ed at us. I decided I didn't need that place.

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I never went back after my last experience with them...
I walked into an completely empty restaurant, waited fifteen minutes and was told they were completely booked and if I was smart, I would had known to make a reservation. Good food but not worth the attitude from the staff. No offer of takeout, did not look at the book for a later seating, just turned his heels and walked into the kitchen... Whatever.

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Maybe it was because they didn't want to be at work during a snowstorm? Would have been in a good mood if that was you and in addition to making no money, you had to risk driving home during it? I mean come on, use your head.

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The food at Sugar was so good that it made up for the absolutely horrendous service. My husband and I used to eat a snack before going to Sugar because we knew it would always be at least an hour before we got food. Their french toast and homemade jams were legendary. Some of the best I've ever had.

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I would have stopped by in the mornings to pick up coffee and something to eat on the go, but the coffee sucked and they had no scones or muffins or anything that was remotely appealing. Roslindale desperately needs something more on the level of Fiore's or Canto 6 or Ula or Flour - quick take-out (and interesting) bakery items with full-espresso coffee menu, and basic sandwiches for weekend lunch and dinner (and wifi) - you can't compete with Fornax in terms of bread, but their pastries are mediocre and there's not a lot of space to sit down for lunch. Diane's is good for what it is, but do I really have to go all the way to JP for a halfway decent scone?

I buy breakfast almost every morning, and I'd be doing it in Roslindale if there was someplace good.

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I honestly never had a problem with the service... Maybe since I was usually solo for my trips there. I even received a very special delivery from them when I lived around the corner and was too ill to go out.

I will miss them. And the best cheese grits this side of Alabama....

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We loved going there for brunch. I couldn't fathom why they were closing since the lines were often out the door. I was also disappointed when the bakery closed. Yes, service took a long time, but the food was worth it. Rozzie definitely needs a breakfast place that serves good pastries and very good coffee. A strong brunch service would be an added big plus. Fornax has excellent excellent bread that I could not live without, but its pastries are sometimes not up to par which has always surprised me. How can you make such good bread and the pastries are "meh". We need a Canto Six or a Flour that marries the combination of good coffee and good pastries. I know that the place would be packed.

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... Fornax did not make its own pastries.

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I think their bakery is sub-par and I really can't believe it passes for a bakery - it's unfortunate. As for the restuarant I only ate there a couple of times and it was ok. I think there are so many better options in the area.

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Like what?

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For food? Redd's, Sophia's, The Porter. As for bakeries - big hole in our area. No good bakeries.

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I was thinking brunchish stuff. Sophia's is great, but a whole different kind of food.

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Surely Adam you remember when the Square had perhaps too many breakfast places, in that there were no sit down places opened after 3 PM.

I've been to both Blue Star and Dernas, and while I prefer the latter- it's old school enough that the cook is the waiter and everyone is around the counter- I would imagine that the former will get what's left of the Sugar crowd that can't make it into Redd's.

Honestly, Sugar lost it for me when they closed the bakery. I'm a Diane's fan, but if I wanted cupcakes, or anything after 3 PM or on Sunday or Monday, Sugar was the place. The closing of the bakery was the beginning of the end overall. Eventually they cut the hours more and more, and the writing was one the wall by that point. It had so much potential, too.

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I think Redd's is better for brunch anyway and they have never had servers with attitude at Redd's. It's a shame about Sugar--there were only a couple of servers there who destroyed the place and are entirely to blame for its closing.

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they opened a new place in Newtonville, why not the next neighborhood over?

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I enjoy picking up a cookie or two from the Sugar Bakery in West Roxbury. But I, too, don't get the "warm fuzzies" from the clerks helping me.

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that a gym might be taking its place.

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Take it easy annonomously ripping the servers and blaming them for the decision to shut the place down. Sugar had some great and some bad servers. It also had an owner who apparently couldn't decide what he wanted the place to be. I wish they had stuck with breakfast and lunch and focused on improving the service and expanding seating into the bakery counter area as was the plan for a while. But the food was very good for breakfast and the place was hospitable for families. It is a loss for the neighborhood and that shouldn't be something celebrated. Lots of good restaurants are still in the square and nearby but Sugar was unique as a breakfast spot with quality ingredients and consistently tasty breakfast. It will be missed by many of its regulars and beyond.

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