The Milton Cinema originally opened as the State Theater in the mid-1920s, and was part of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios circuit. It became a second run theater in the 1980s.

It closed for the first time in September 1987, after a dispute between the landlord and the theater operator. The theater reopened with new management a few months later, mixing live comedy performances and movies. However, this new format didn’t last long, and the theater closed again on December 31, 1988. The last movie shown was “Everyone’s All- American” starring Dennis Quaid and Jessica Lange. There were plans to reopen it as a dance and comedy club, but they never came to pass because of neighborhood opposition. 

The seats were removed, and the theater was used as storage space for almost 30 years. In 2015, the building was purchased by Falconi Companies, a Milton Real Estate firm, and was renovated into a restaurant space. Novara, an Italian restaurant, opened in the former theater space in 2016. The interior of the building features some movie themed decorations as a nod to its former use.