Ebisuya Reopens as Japanese-Italian Eatery in Medford
The popular market returns as a hybrid restaurant featuring itameshi cuisine at a new High Street location.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Japanese Food
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Ebisuya has officially reopened in Medford at 24 High St., transitioning from a market into a full-service Japanese-Italian restaurant. The new establishment combines traditional sushi and bento offerings with itameshi comfort dishes.
Why it matters
The restaurant revives a local staple that shuttered last year, utilizing an inherited pizza oven to expand its menu into Japanese-style Italian cuisine. Owners hope the new space will serve as a community hub that hosts live music.
The menu features itameshi dishes ranging from $19 to $24 for pasta and doria, while pizzas are priced between $17 and $30. Desserts at the new Medford location are available for $8 to $12.50.
The players
Ryuichi Douglas Gray
He is a chef who has joined the management team to oversee the culinary direction of the new restaurant.
Ebisuya
This is a long-standing Japanese food business that operated as a market for 15 years before closing in 2025.
The details
The new kitchen integrates a pizza oven left behind by the site's previous operator to serve items like katsu pizza and Napolitan spaghetti. Chef Ryuichi Douglas Gray has joined the management team to help curate the expanded menu, which also includes the signature shokupan milk bread first introduced in 2020.
Timeline
2020: Ebisuya began making shokupan milk bread.
2025: The original Ebisuya market closed due to a faulty foundation.
October 2026: The new restaurant location officially reopens.
2027: Whole Foods predicts a surge of interest in Japanese comfort food.
Culture Shift
The reopening aligns with the Whole Foods 2027 prediction for Japanese comfort food, placing the brand ahead of expected market trends. This pivot captures a broader move toward fusion dining that blends traditional heritage with modern convenience.
Residents can visit the new location at 24 High St. to sample the expanded menu including pizza and classic bento boxes. The addition of live music provides a new dining option for the community following the closure of the original market.
The takeaway
The transformation of Ebisuya into a hybrid restaurant demonstrates how businesses can adapt to structural challenges by repurposing existing infrastructure. Diners looking to experience new trends in Japanese comfort food can find a variety of fusion dishes at the new High Street location.
Further reading
Learn more about the local culinary scene in our Japanese Food section.
More information
View the full menu and operating details on the Ebisuya restaurant website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Boston Globe.
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