What’s hot and what’s happening now in the restaurant scene.

Do Italians play hockey? The Niche Hospitality Group will open a pizzeria inside the Canal District’s new hockey rink. The 120-seat Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta will also redefine how we look at Italian cuisine, with two-floors and a full liquor license. While eating at Nonna’s will be like Sunday dinner at grandma’s house, it will also cater to the fast-casual aspect of Italian cuisine with a to-go component.

Finding a new niche. Niche will own and run the Railers Tavern, scheduled to open in October when the Railers begin their season. Niche will work with Railers owner Cliff Rucker to make the tavern a gathering place for hockey fans before and after games

Now you don’t have to bring your own wine. Worcester’s Café Espresso, 395 Chandler St., will be serving alcohol shortly. The Italian eatery has given up its BYOB status in favor of having a full liquor license.

More wings. Wingstop, a national chain, will open its fourth New England store at 542 Southbridge St., Worcester, in the late spring. It will be located in the Price Rite Plaza, just a stone’s throw from The College of the Holy Cross.

Goodbye Jillian’s, hello Shooters. Shooters Bar and Billiards will soon open at the location of the former London Billiards, 70 James St. Jillian’s has long been a fixture on Worcester’s Grove Street, but owner Dan Nigro decided to give up the franchise and move across town. The new place comes with a parking lot that holds almost 300 cars. Now, that’s a bank shot that is easy.

The American dream. Two cousins, both Iraqi immigrants, will open a hookah lounge at 250 Commercial St. in downtown Worcester. The space was occupied for a long time by Eric’s LaPatissire. Habaibna Hookah Lounge will open in early summer.

More candles on the cake. A.J. Tomaiolo’s recently celebrated 30 years in business. Tony Tomaiolo first opened in Shrewsbury in 1987 in Fairlawn Plaza. The business moved to its current Northborough location some years ago, where Tony’s children still run the day-to-day operation.

New brewery in Milford. Craft Roots, a new brewery, recently opened in southern Worcester County’s Milford. The brewery is owned by Maureen Fabry and her wife, Ronin. According to the owners, Craft Roots is a play on the word “grassroots.” Fabry has had a long career in the brewing business, stretching back to the early 1990s. Her most recent job was at Berkshire Brewing in South Deerfield. The taproom is located on Industrial Way in Milford.

Beer with me. Worcester farm-to-table restaurant Armsby Abbey is the Top Beer Bar in Massachusetts, according to the website CraftBeer.com. The honor for the bar at 144 N. Main St., owned by husband-and-wife team Alec Lopez and Sherri Sadowski, came from readers who submitted votes to the site. CraftBeer.com said it asked readers to nominate their favorite craft beer bars in their state and fill out a short survey that included questions about atmosphere, staff, beer selection and special events. More than 7,000 votes were cast last November and December.

O’Connor’s comes in at 14. O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar on Worcester’s West Boylston Street was listed in the Top 25 Irish Pubs in America, according to Foursquare.com. In fact, the Worcester pub, owned by Brendan and Claire O’Connor, came in at 14. Now that is the luck of the Irish.

Paul Giorgio