Former Deputy Sheriff Breathes New Life into Teddy’s Kitchen

There’s a new sheriff in town in Cushing Square.

At the corner of Common Street and Trapelo Road, a Deputy Dawg-like cartoon figure — holding hot dogs instead of revolvers — welcomes visitors to Teddy’s Kitchen. The new logo comes with the longtime diner’s third owner: Nicholas Faggas, Jr., a former Suffolk County deputy sheriff.

Faggas bought the restaurant this summer. In addition to his work in law enforcement, he’s been in the food industry for 25 years as the owner of Metro Boston Vending, an outfit of pushcarts that sells sausages and hot dogs at Boston events.

But Teddy’s Kitchen is his first restaurant.

“It’s gonna be great,” Faggas told The Belmont Voice. “Every week we have more customers.” 

The longtime customers keep returning, Faggas says, in part because he keeps serving the traditional menu items the restaurant is known for. 

“We make the omelets the same way [Teddy did],” he said. “They’re really big, they’re thick, nice omelets. All fresh ingredients.” 

He also continues to serve Teddy’s popular egg lemon soup. Faggas ditched some items: the liver and onions are no more. And he drew on his experience with pushcarts to add jumbo sausages and hot dogs to the lunch menu, plus waffles and the Hungry Man Special (pancakes, three eggs, and double meat) for breakfast. 

Teddy himself, the original owner, has dined there four or five times since Faggas took it over. Teddy’s granddaughter Melenia waits tables, and Teddy’s daughter-in-law Lisa, who teaches school full-time, helps out some weekends. 

Faggas made another change customers will notice. He increased prices 20 to 25 percent across the board. He says the prices hadn’t changed since 2011. 

“To be honest with you, I don’t know how the previous owners survived,” he said. 

Even so, Faggas says Teddy’s remains one of the cheaper food options in Cushing. 

“My main issue,” he says, “is we need to figure out a way to get the food out to the people quicker.” 

He added a flat grill, but he needs to reconfigure the kitchen to create more space. Meanwhile, he’s looking to add daily lunch specials, like lasagna or a turkey dinner. In the long term, he hopes to ask the town for permission to have sidewalk seating. 

Teddy’s Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays.