Openings: Birds of Paradise opens on Friday at The Charles River Speedway in Brighton (525 Western Ave.), a transportive drinking experience from the cocktail mavens behind Woburn’s Baldwin Bar and Brookline’s Blossom Bar and Ivory Pearl Bar.
“The whole concept behind Birds of Paradise is traveling and escapism. The menu is going to be based on plane tickets. Think of Pan-Am. You’re going from Brazil to Japan, right? Each cocktail is going to be based off of plane tickets from one location to the other, and the cocktail’s ingredients are going to be inspired by those two locations,” owner and mixologist Ran Duan told the Globe in April.
On the menu: a San Juan to Hanoi cocktail made with Bacardi, buttered cold brew, and lime; and a Lima to Dubai, incorporating acidified cantaloupe and cardamom. What pairs with acidified cantaloupe, you ask? Cheeses, charcuterie, Japanese hand rolls, and snacks inspired by airline bars.
Coming soon: In Inman Square, Puritan Oyster Bar (1164 Cambridge St.) will open on Tuesday, Jan. 10, new from chef Will Gilson. It’s adjacent to Gilson’s Puritan & Company restaurant, with a 12-seat oyster bar and a small dining room. On the menu: crudo, lobster rolls, and caviar pie. Many cocktails will arrive in a gurgling cod pitcher, known here as the “Glug Jug.” Visit daily from 5 p.m.
Pop-ups: Visit Deck 12 at YOTEL Boston (65 Seaport Blvd.) for a frosty weather pop-up featuring fondues and seasonal drinks, 12 floors above the city. Sink into a gondola and try duck pot pie, four-cheese fondue, S’mores dip, and brie tartlets. Visit from 5 p.m. nightly or for brunch from 10 a.m. on the weekends.
Brunch: Porter Square’s Colette (1924 Massachusetts Ave.) launches brunch on Saturday, Dec. 17. Enjoy a morning of mushroom buckwheat crepes, French onion soup, and eggs Benedict from 10 a.m. every weekend.
Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com. Follow her @kcbaskin.