We know Swampscott residents don’t just stay in Swampscott when they want a night out and a break from cooking.

Restaurant comings and goings, new business and the best dishes and recipes are among the items that have appeared on area Patch sites over the past month.

Below is a look at the restaurant and food stories local Patch sites have covered over the past month. Read through our round up for the latest food news in the area.

Snack: Fans of Salem's Gulu Cafe: If you liked the Upper Crust, which closed in February, we have some good news. If you're also fan of the Gulu Gulu Cafe, we have even better news. The Gulu family has plans to bring pizza back to Upper Crust with the Flying Saucer Pizza Company, a brand new gourmet pizza place scheduled to land by the summer. To follow the story, check out Salem Patch.

Marblehead residents can expect Captn's Bakery to open for business on June 1, according to Marblehead Patch.

The bakery is being opened in the Washington Street space formerly occupied by the Sea Gull Gift Shop by owners Jocelyn Flowers; her husband, Chad Flowers; and her father, Lynn Weekley.

Earlier this spring, Jocelyn Flowers said the trio was hoping Captn's would be "an old-school bakery" and added that she plans on offering a wide variety of baked goods, including artisan bread, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and brownies.

Wondering how Marblehead could get any sweeter? It's been just under a month since Candy Pop Sweet Shoppe owner Traci Teague opened in the Washington Street storefront formerly occupied by Bliss Home and she said the response from the community has been excellent. The shelves of the candy store, located at 152 Washington St., are already stocked with an assortment of dessert and cake pops, flavored popcorns, penny candy, organic candy, vegan candy, sugar-free candy, pre-packaged bags of assorted candies, brownies, fudge and cookies.

Dinner: Marblehead’s restaurant scene is heating up. It was recently announced Joey D’s will be taking over the former site of Hooked Seafood.

Also new to Marblehead this summer, will be Mexican restaurant Casa Corona Restaurant on Smith Street. Felix Bracamontes will be opening Marblehead's new authentic Mexican restaurant with his brother, Jose Bracamontes, who spent five years working as a chef at Mexico Lindo in Melrose.

Vegetarians have a new spot to dine in Salem. Life Alive opened its doors this month. The organic oasis has other locations in Cambridge and Lowell. Marblehead native Heidi Feinstein owns the Salem restaurant.

Peabody's newest restaurant has been creating a buzz for years really, with fans of the original Salem establishment closely following the latest tidbits on the Route 1 development ever since it was first announced two summers ago.

And now those fans' long-suffering is at an end -- Red's Kitchen & Tavern finally opens its doors today at 131 Newbury St.

Dessert: Hood Ice Cream, based in Lynnfield, announced some new flavors this month, just in time for summer.

The new flavors include introductions to the Hood Classic and New England Creamery Ice Cream lines as well as new Red Sox Novelties and Ice Cream Sandwich items. Hood's New England Creamery flavors continue the company's tradition of paying homage to its New England roots with locally inspired premium flavors such as Down East Double Fudge Brownie and Mt. Washington Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. The new ice cream flavors are available in stores now, with the exception of New England Creamery Limited Edition Whoopie Pie, which makes its debut in June.

HP Hood and Brigham’s Ice Cream will serve 2,400 gallons of ice cream at the 30th annual all-you-can-eat ice cream festival, presented by FedEx, on June 5, 6 and 7 at Boston’s City Hall Plaza. One hundred percent of the ice cream, labor and scoopers are donated.

Orange Leaf Yogurt will be opening soon in Salem. The same man who brought Orange Leaf to Andover will be opening at the corner of Lafayette and New Derby streets. Pierre received unanimous support from the Licensing Board, which granted him a Common Victuallers License to operate from the Lafayette Street location, which was formerly the site of West Coast Video

After Dinner: Entertainment will be coming to Maple Street Tavern in Danvers. Dean Borders, owner and manager of the newly opened downtown eatery, appealed to the Selectmen for a five-day entertainment license that would allow for a three-piece band or DJ.  

Borders said he hopes to have bands and an occasional DJ at night, as well as a possible jazz brunch on Sunday mornings.