A diner on Bowdoin Street and a Jamaican restaurant on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan were among the establishments in Dorchester and Mattapan given new beer-and-wine and all-alcohol licenses last Thursday by the Boston Licensing Board as part of the 225 new licenses granted by the Legislature last year.

The permits, which are in addition to a smaller batch of licenses approved earlier this year, will now go to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) for its approval. A spokesman for the ABCC said its review could last about four or five weeks since these are new licenses, with the first ones likely put to use by late March.

One of the first to apply for and receive a license was Fresh Food Generation at 191 Talbot Ave., which came up empty on a license petition three years ago. Now, owner Cassandria Campbell said, they see Mezcal, mimosas, and margheritas in their future.

“It’s something we’ve been seeking for a long time, but it was something we didn’t know would be feasible for us,” Campbell said on Monday. “It seems like all the stars aligned and the hard work done by the activists to get this passed came together at the right moment for us.

“I’m really excited about Fridays and Saturdays. It’s important after a hard week of work to be able to enjoy a drink on a Friday and Saturday at the neighborhood spot. We look to be that place.”

Added General Manager Victor Medina: “I don’t want liquor to suddenly become the center of the existing business, but it will bring in people to our location and put eyes on us that will make our food shine. That’s what I’m excited about, how this will add to what we already do.”

Marcia Satchell and her son, Aaron Perry, of Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant in a new building at 1301 Blue Hill Avenue, have been busy since getting the news of their licenses. They even hosted Mayor Wu at their establishment on Tuesday evening. 

More than anything else, it will enhance a successful business that just two years ago was evicted from their Morton Street home to make way for a cannabis shop.

“It’s going to enhance the business with a liquor license by bringing in more revenue, more foot traffic and give us a competitive edge over other restaurants out there,” Satchell said. “It will attract the community to come in and dine in and relax with a drink or cocktail.”

Added Perry, “We want to create a good time here in all aspects, from the food to the music being played and now the drinks.”

Already they have attended consultant Nick Korn’s Bar Management Bootcamp and have a unique drink menu penciled in to fit with their food menu. They will certainly have Red Stripe Jamaican beer, but they have also created Blue Mountain espresso coffee martini – and are considering enhancing their gelato selections with some liquor-infused flavors.

“We’re not going into this blindly; we are training and getting involved with local distributors and putting together a drink menu that works with our food,” she said.

The law limits most of the licenses to the specific Zip Codes in which they are awarded. Unlike traditional licenses, which now sell for around $600,000 on the open market, the new licenses cannot be resold but have to be given back to the city for re-use should the restaurants close. Most of those first wave of licenses did not come in Dorchester or Mattapan, despite having the strongest voice and political support for adding new licenses last year. East Boston had the most awarded, with 11, while Jamaica Plain/Roslindale logged 10. Dorchester had seven, and Mattapan one.

With the first grouping, the board also awarded 4 of its 15 “community spaces” liquor licenses, one of which went to the Franklin Park Zoo.

“We are really excited that our liquor license was approved and are very appreciative of the support we have received throughout this process,” said John Linehan, CEO and president of Zoo New England. “We host events year-round at Franklin Park Zoo – from the popular Boston Lights lantern event to private parties, corporate events, and evening beer and wine tasting events. This license improves operational efficiency as we will no longer have to apply for one-day licenses.”

As announced in January, the board took no action on the 15 “golden ticket” unrestricted licenses – which can be resold, used as loan collateral, and set up anywhere in the city – in an attempt to broaden a pool that now consists of 14 applications, most from neighborhoods that already have significant numbers of liquor licenses like the North End.

Said Mayor Wu: “Each of these 37 local businesses brings vitality, jobs, and community to our neighborhoods. I look forward to celebrating each of these restaurants and community spaces as we build opportunity in our neighborhoods.”

Fresh Food Generation Co-Founder Cassandria Campbell, right, and Morning Manager Julisa Hernandez.

State and local leaders who were dedicated champions of the legislation to expand the numbers of licenses included Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Councillor Brian Worrell, state Rep. Chris Worrell, and state Sen. Liz Miranda.

“They are making these licenses and new small businesses come to life in our communities,” said Miranda. “Although many barriers remain, enabling our current and prospective small business owners to secure neighborhood-restricted liquor licenses will help us tackle the racial wealth gap and support generational wealth building in our neighborhoods.”

Local winners by Zip Code:
•02121– The only applicant was the Franklin Park Zoo, which got the citywide “community spaces” license.

•02122 – One Family Diner, 260 Bowdoin St., beer and wine; Minina Cafe, 432 Geneva Ave., beer and wine; justBook-ish, 1463 Dorchester Ave., beer and wine (awarded earlier).

•02124 – Murl’s Kitchen, 10-18 Bowdoin St., all alcohol; Fresh Food Generation, 191 Talbot Ave., all alcohol.

•02125 – Mofongo Factory, 299 Hancock St. (awarded earlier), beer and wine.

•02126 – Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant, 1301 Blue Hill Ave., all alcohol.

The board had little trouble awarding most of the new Zip Code licenses because it received fewer applicants than it had licenses to award. The remaining permits will go into a pool from which the board can now grant new licenses.

A new, second round of liquor license awards will have an application deadline of Fri., May 23, at 11:59 p.m., but hopefuls are encouraged to start the process as soon as possible. When reviewing the second round of applications, the Board will continue to factor in evolving neighborhood needs, market realities, and the strength of an establishment’s business plan.

“By phasing the process, we aim to give applicants the time they need to present strong proposals, ensuring those granted licenses are set up for long-term success,” said License Board Chair Kathleen Joyce. “We look forward to reviewing the next round of applications and encourage all applicants to engage with the Licensing Board as a valuable resource throughout the process.”

Staff from the Mayor’s Office of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the Office of Neighborhood Services, and Office of Small Business will continue to support potential applicants through bi-weekly office hours, info sessions, and drop-in appointments with the Boston Licensing Board at City Hall, Room 809. An information session will take place in Dorchester on Thursday of this week from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Codman Square Health Center, 637 Washington St.