Boston-based vegetarian eatery Clover Food Lab is going out of business. The company is closing all of its remaining locations in Massachusetts after today, Thursday, May 28.
Clover ran brick-and-mortar restaurants, kiosks inside Whole Foods locations, a catering business, and a meal-box delivery service. It has about a dozen locations.
The company was founded by MIT grad Ayr Muir in 2008, first as a food truck parked near MIT’s campus in Cambridge.
Known for its farm-fresh ingredients and locally sourced menu, the fast-casual eatery had built a following across the greater Boston area over 17 years.
The menu featured vegetarian fare like chickpea fritters, crispy Brussels sprouts, and mushroom popper sandwiches.
Closure had been in the works
Clover filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice on March 30, 2026. According to the notice, 182 employees will be affected by the restaurant’s closure, effective May 29.
The federal government requires companies with 50 or more employees to submit a WARN notice at least 60 days before a layoff or closure. Massachusetts requires businesses with 50 or more employees to file a WARN notice.
Clover had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2023. However, the company emerged from bankruptcy in 2024 after restructuring and closing some of its restaurants.
On March 31, Boston.com reported that Clover was seeking a buyer and had filed the WARN notice to comply with state law in case a sale fell through.
“We are optimistic that Clover will continue to serve our locally sourced farm-to-table fast food in our company’s next chapter,” the company said.
Clover’s CEO cites rising costs
In a message posted on the company’s website, CEO Julia Wrin Piper announced that Thursday would be Clover’s final day of both restaurant service and meal-box delivery.
“We have some difficult news to share: Clover will be closing our doors this week,” she wrote.
“For 17 years, we have championed local farms and served tens of thousands across Greater Boston,” the statement continued. “We’re deeply saddened to share this news—for our employees, New England farmers, and you, our guests and supporters.”
Piper attributed the closure to financial pressures stemming from COVID-19’s aftermath and inflation throughout its supply chain.
She noted that the local farmers with whom the restaurant partnered were navigating similar pressures. The company said ingredient costs have risen 30 to 50% over the past two years alone.
To offset rising costs, Clover raised prices but acknowledged there was a limit to how much it could charge customers.
“Every one of you is likely thinking about how you save and spend right now, too,” Piper wrote.
A number of smaller retail chains have abruptly closed in recent months, including Painted Tree Boutiques, a craft and home decor retailer modeled in the style of Etsy, which shut down all of its locations in April. Late last year, the founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes, known for its cupcake ATMs, announced that all locations would shutter.
