Archives: Media Room

By Autumn Swiers Oct. 17, 2025 10:00 am EST

Rick Friedman/Getty Images
Despite never owning a restaurant herself, Julia Child built a transcendental career in the food world — and patronized her own favorite restaurants off-screen. Harvest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was no doubt one of her most beloved restaurants. At Harvest, the legendary chef was known to sit at the same table every time she visited. According to a Facebook post by Boston Magazine, Harvest restaurant has dedicated Table 102 to Child, a cozy, secluded spot lovingly titled “Julia’s Corner” in her honor.

Harvest is located in the Harvard Square area at 44 Brattle St., a convenient seven-minute drive from Child’s longtime residence at 103 Irving Street on Professor’s Row. The chef and her husband moved into the five-bedroom home in 1961, where she would live and film three television shows over the next 40 years until 2001. Outside, Harvest juts up against a cobblestone pathway, somewhat obscured from view. Inside, earth tones, dark wood accents, and a fireplace set a cozy, inviting scene befitting the vibe of the “French Chef” star’s own television shows.

Harvest is an upscale contemporary American dining concept showcasing rotating seasonal menus and locally-sourced ingredients. The menu even features a nod to the famed chef — the Julia Burger — which comprises beef from Savenor’s Butchery, baby watercress, a brandy caramelized onion marmalade, and creamy, crumbly, rich French Boursin cheese. The offering appears on the lunch menu for $25.

As the stars of the show, these bagels have to make a good impression

PopUp Bagels

Bagels, $$

1440 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138

Open daily 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Already a fixture in Somerville and Seaport, the social-media famous — or as they would say, “known” — franchise PopUp Bagels has opened a new location in the heart of Harvard Square, just a minute’s walk away from the Harvard T Station. 

Originally made in a “backyard pickup window” store founded by Adam Goldberg and Jeff Lewis during the COVID-19 pandemic, the bagels quickly became a neighborhood favorite. Their success in New York City in 2022 and 2023 led to a Seaport debut in February 2025, followed by a second shop in Somerville in July 2025.

PopUp Bagels serves freshly toasted bagels in batches of three, six, or twelve, along with a rotating set of schmears; this week, they partnered with Kraft Mac & Cheese to create “Mac & Cream Cheese.” Available bagel varieties include plain, salt, sesame, poppy, and everything, while regular schmears include cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, and butter.

The Tech was invited to participate in a VIP bagel drop. Here’s what we thought.

Bagels

As the stars of the show, these bagels have to make a good impression — and they did! While we found them to be on the saltier side (especially the everything bagel), they weren’t to the point of being unpleasant. Even though they were delivered, the bagels were still warm and fresh, which was a major plus.

There was a large contrast between the fluffiness of the inside and the hardness of the outside. At times, the bagels were difficult to cut because of their tough exterior. On the bright side, the firmness of the crust paired nicely with the light interior, the latter of which set these bagels apart from their competition. 

Out of the different types of bagels we were offered (plain, salt, sesame, everything), we loved plain and sesame the most. The plain bagel is always a classic, and it was the best out of all the bagels in terms of saltiness. The sesame bagel offered a really satisfying crunch to match the chewy, fluffy interior; the lightly toasted sesame seeds also added a light aroma that made this bagel particularly appealing. 

The everything bagel was salty as aforementioned, and it had so many poppy seeds that we almost confused it for a poppy bagel. However, the taste and texture were still appealing. Finally, the salt bagel was about just as salty as the everything bagel, but given that it’s named a salt bagel, this bagel ranks a little higher for us. 

Schmears

Of the three schmears we received (plain cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, and butter), our favorite was by far the scallion cream cheese. Both cream cheeses were smooth, creamy, and easy to spread, but the scallions added a sharpness that paired incredibly well with the bagels. As for the butter, we found that it had a strong milky flavor that clashed with the bagels themselves. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try any of their specialty schmears, but we suggest stopping by to sample them yourself!

Overall

Compared to the existing Seaport location, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference in the quality of bagels; they seem just as good. Since we got our bagels delivered, we can’t comment on the ambience or in-store experience at the Harvard Square spot, so you’ll have to check it out on your own. If the service is anything like their bagels, though, it’s bound to be satisfying! And although we can’t make any guarantees, if the setup is similar to the Seaport store, you’ll be able to get some aesthetic photos too.

Claire Chung

10.16.25: Down by the River, Arts

It’s 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and the Square is bustling with people proudly holding distinctive brown bags and sporting hats that read, “Not Famous, But Known.” Music pulses from speakers, mixing with the chatter of Harvard students and curious passersby who turn their heads to get a glimpse of the unfamiliar storefront. A DJ bops his head up and down to the beat as he mixes, smiling behind his set. The smell of freshly baked bagels floats through the air, an open invitation on the brisk fall morning. 

I move towards the door as eager as every other customer to get my hands on a freshly baked and controversially unsliced bagel. The occasion? Grip, Rip and Dip®. PopUp Bagels, the bagel and schmear shop that has gone viral for its menu and branding, has made its new home right here in Harvard Square and received a warm welcome. 

PopUp Bagels is unique for its weekly rotating menu and style of serving bagels. Rather than having the same selection of schmears, PopUp Bagels introduces new, limited-edition flavors every week, creating a small, focused menu. PopUp Bagels are also meant to be eaten in a nontraditional way: instead of being toasted or cut as part of sandwiches, they are served hot and whole. Customers rip into them and dip them into the schmears, butters, or cream cheese. 

Located at 1440 Massachusetts Ave., the PopUp Bagels Harvard Square location is the 15th store in the franchise, and its opening has been highly anticipated by locals and students. “Cambridge is such a vibrant community with so much to do, and being home to Harvard University didn’t hurt either,” Boston franchisee Brian Harrington said in an interview with the Harvard Independent. “We think PopUp Bagels is a perfect addition to the neighborhood.” 

Harrington’s focus on community reflects one of the brand’s core values. PopUp Bagels started as a way for founder Adam Goldberg to keep a Connecticut neighborhood together in 2020, a time when people were forced to be apart. Goldberg opened the first official store in Westport, Conn. Since then, the brand has spread across the East Coast, from New York to Massachusetts, gaining popularity through its focus on quality and its clever marketing techniques. 

“The product always comes first,” Harrington said. “We focus on making incredible bagels and schmears, and the social buzz naturally follows because people love sharing what they enjoy.” 

There’s no shortage of buzz surrounding the brand. PopUp Bagels boasts a fan base of celebrities such as actor Paul Rudd and former All-Pro NFL defensive end J.J. Watt. Its marketing leans into the brand’s social media presence, with opportunities for photographs in every part of the store, from their menu to their slogan, “Not Famous, But Known,” plastered across a mirror that customers can take selfies in. 

PopUp Bagels also embraces partnerships with other companies to bring limited-edition schmears to their stores—this month, they dropped a “Kraft Mac & Cream Cheese” schmear. These limited-edition “drops” generate hype and exclusivity surrounding the brand, making customers desperate to try PopUp’s newest concoction before the schmear is taken off the market. The brand’s attention to marketing is as clear in person as it is in its online presence.

The moment I stepped inside the Cambridge location, I found myself surrounded by the countless photographable moments around the store. The space was brightly lit and playfully decorated. A large “HARVARD SQUARE” sign reaches across one wall, and a collage of customer photos adorns another. Right by the window, a display of PopUp Bagels merchandise invites customers to represent the brand. White hats and t-shirts that sport their famous slogan lined the shelves.

 “We took the traditional PopUp decor and added a few Harvard and Cambridge elements,” Harrington explained. “It’s cool, clean, and we think it turned out great.”

After taking in the decor of the store, I turned to the menu, which is simple and straightforward. PopUp Bagels offers a choice of five bagels: plain, sesame, salt, poppyseed, and everything. The shop has a selection of limited-edition butters and cream cheeses, as well as three classic cream cheeses they always stock: scallion, plain, and vegan scallion. Rather than ordering a single bagel, customers must order in packs of three, six, or 12, though each bagel is still full-sized. By setting up the menu this way, PopUp Bagels seems to encourage its customers to share and connect over food. In a place like Harvard, where it’s hard to find time between classes and extracurriculars, this Rip-and-Dip ritual could force students to slow down and take time to catch up over a meal. 

That Friday morning, my friend and I ordered a three-pack with truffle butter, choosing plain, sesame, and everything as our bagel options. That week’s schmears were Kraft Mac & Cream Cheese, truffle butter, plain, and scallion. Ready to Rip-and-Dip, we opened the bag and found an extra bagel nestled in the bottom, a warm opening-day surprise. That morning, we broke bagels together over coffee and conversation, a comforting start to the long weekend that reflected the familiarity of connection between friends.

Personally, I’ve always been a fan of a bagel sandwich or a classic lox and cream cheese (with extra capers, of course), but PopUp won me over by promising something simple and new. So, although I’ll never give up a bagel sandwich, PopUp seems to be here to stay if I ever want a change of pace. 

PopUp Bagels is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Claire Chung ’29 (clairechung@college.harvard.edu) likes the everything bagel from PopUp.

By Ollie F. Ginnis

By Claire V. Miller, Crimson Opinion Writer

Claire V. Miller ’28, a Crimson Editorial editor, lives in Mather House.

Yesterday

As of Sunday, Sept. 28, the Starbucks located in the heart of Harvard Square is now closed. So long to the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, and the Strawberry Açai Lemon Refresher. You will not be missed.

Especially when Blank Street Coffee right across the street can do the trick. The truth is, Harvard Square is overrun with chain corporations crowding out possible storefronts of smaller, local businesses. In the midst of Starbucks’ absence, we would all benefit from something more local.

During my junior year of high school, I toured Harvard for the first time. Walking around the Square, I was initially enchanted by the quaint Cambridge businesses crowding the streets. But this all changed when I found out that Tatte Bakery, Blank Street Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Bluestone Lane were all chains. Behind the mystique, Harvard Square isn’t so different from any other affluent metro center replete with major chains.

The problem doesn’t just lie with the cafe scene. The Cava, Sweetgreen, Ben & Jerry’s, Le Macaron, Joe’s Pizza, Daily Provisions, and the recently arrived Pop-Up Bagels all occupy storefronts that might otherwise be filled by small businesses.

These massive chains undermine Harvard Square’s appeal. I can buy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s at CVS, a macaron from Le Macaron in my hometown, and a slice of Joe’s Pizza in Miami, Ann Arbor, New York City. If we can get these products basically anywhere, what makes our home special?

At the end of the day, small businesses are what make Harvard Square feel authentic and distinct. Small businesses not only provide unique products but also adjust their offerings to local needs. Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage sells the “Conan O’Brien” wrap, the “Alan Garber” burger, and the “Rent Control” veggie burger. Luxor Cafe sells the “Harvard Yard” and “Darwins Mt. Auburn” sandwiches. The apparel shop at Felipe’s Taqueria features Harvard’s “Veritas” logo emblazoned with “Burritos” instead. As silly or trivial it may seem, these products demonstrate tangible community and are only possible because these businesses are integrated into the neighborhood.

Not only are small businesses able to specialize to community needs — they can also thrive in Harvard Square. Take Berryline, our famed frozen yogurt and ice cream shop. Recently, Berryline went viral on TikTok, spawning lengthy lines. While the business has been operating in Harvard Square since 2007, they also had a location in Porter Square, though it closed in 2021. After suffering this setback, Berryline has clearly made a recovery and demonstrated the potential staying power of small businesses in Harvard Square.

Some people might raise the concern that a new local business will be more expensive than a chain. That might be true, but a typical Starbucks drink is hardly cheap. A slightly higher price is worth it to maintain an idiosyncratic community character.

So the next time you’re missing Starbucks, maybe instead try to go to a local coffee shop in the Square. Or if you really can’t live without your Pumpkin Spice Latte, there’s always the other Starbucks just around the corner.

A crowd of thousands fills Harvard Square for its annual Oktoberfest. By Nika Imamberdieva

By Theresa Bartelme F., Adam Han, and Nylah R. Jordan, Contributing Writers

13 hours ago

Thousands of people gathered in Harvard Square this Sunday despite rainy weather for the 46th Oktoberfest, with activist performances, food, and cultural celebration.

The festival coincided with the Fourth Annual Harvard Square Filipino American Festival and the 20th annual HONK! Parade.

HONK!, which originated in Somerville in 2006, is an annual three-day festival that brings activists and brass bands from across the U.S. to perform in Boston and Cambridge.

Denise A. Jillson, the Executive Director of the Harvard Square Business Association, who has been involved with the parade since 2006, said HONK! provides the opportunity for local activists to gather in Cambridge and “take the street with horns, bikes, and feet.”

“We like to think of it as a toe-tapping, knee-banging, hips-swinging, hand-clapping, heart-pumping, mind-blowing spectacle,” Jillson said.

More than 30 activist organizations participated in the parade and held up signs with pro-Palestine and immigrant rights messages like “Protect Our Neighbors.”

Jen Zawatskas, who has been volunteering with HONK! for more than 15 years, said she feels the parade’s mission is particularly resonant now.

“We’re at a time period right now where we need to come together and have our voices be heard, Zawatskas said. “The messages that HONK! brings are really particularly salient right now, and so I think it’s really important that we get out and exercise our right to have a voice.”

While international bands have performed at the event in the past, this year HONK! also allowed international performances via livestream at another part of the parade amid concerns from some bands around an increase in visa rejections and visitor detainments at airports.

Sarah Pilzer, who played the mellophone in the Brass Balagan street band, said she was glad that international bands who had previously taken part were still able to do so this year.

“They were still able to be part of HONK! for their 20th celebration through a live stream on a big jumbotron in Davis Square — it was awesome,” Pilzer said.

The festival brought spectators from across the country back to Cambridge. Scott Langley, a brass musician who has attended HONK! more than 15 times, drove three hours from New York to take part in the cause. Susan Fauman, who attended the festival for the first time with him, said the event provided a sense of belonging to spectators in the crowd.

“You feel like you’re in this sort of protective space of sound and activism and art and it raises your spirits,” said Fauman.

The Filipino American Festival, which took place in celebration of Filipino American History Month, featured food vendors with traditional Filipino cuisine including lumpia and lechon. The crowd was dotted with red, white, and yellow Filipino flags that lined the street from Oktoberfest to the cultural festival.

Jay Rocka, the founder of Kuya Jay’s Ube Kafe in Boston, took part in the event for the second year and sold ube lattes and Filipino food. According to Rocka, the event is one of the largest that the cafe has participated in, partly for its pairing with Oktoberfest.

“Cambridge is a very diverse community, and now you’re platforming different parts of your community all at the same time,” Rocka said.

A number of singers, street performers, political candidates, and activists joined in the festivities, including famous Filipino-American singer and songwriter Jay R, who has just under four million monthly listeners on Spotify.

“We have our Filipinos who came out despite the rain that wanted to support and watch me sing, which I thought was so cool,” Jay R said.

By combining Sunday’s three festivals, Fauman said that Cambridge cultivated a fun environment for spectators to engage in different aspects of the city.

“I love that the city of Cambridge has brought together an Oktoberfest event focused on commercialism and drinking beer and all that with something that contains the spirit of activism and community,” Langley said.

“To have all that in one place on one day is a really beautiful blend for me of all the traditions and cultures that exist,” Fauman added.

A news-based journal on the Boston restaurant scene. The owner of this blog is also the founder of Boston’s Hidden Restaurants, a website that focuses on local dining spots.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

PopUp Bagels Is Opening in Cambridge’s Harvard Square

Earlier this year, it was reported that a growing group of bagel shops would be opening another Boston-area location, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to a press release, PopUp Bagels is now open in Cambridge, moving into a space at the corner of Mass. Ave. and Church Street in Harvard Square. As mentioned earlier, the new shop offers a variety of bagels and “schmears,” and it joins two others locally–in Boston’s Seaport District and in Somerville’s Assembly Row, while their bagels can also be purchased within Captain Mardens in Wellesley as well.

PopUp Bagels was established in Westport, CT, in 2020, with founder Adam Goldberg selling bagels from a backyard pickup window at his house.

The address for PopUp Bagels in Harvard Square is 1430 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The website for the business is at https://www.popupbagels.com/

The Cambridge Historical Commission approved a proposal to redevelop the Harriet Jacobs House in a Thursday hearing, despite backlash over the size of the building.

The Jacobs House, which was run by Harriet Jacobs after she escaped from slavery, served as a boarding house for Harvard faculty and students in the late 1800s. The house has since been passed through multiple private owners and fallen into disrepair.

Developers proposed turning the property into a hotel and additional housing units, keeping a museum of Harriet Jacobs in the new building’s lobby. The proposed development would preserve the original house and add eight stories of residential property behind it.

The proposal has stalled in front of the Commission for nearly a year as residents repeatedly criticized the development for being too large. Many argued that the city should restore the house without the addition.

The house sits on the edge of the Harvard Square Conservation District, which has stricter guidelines on the allowed size of new construction and requires approval from the Commission before construction can begin.

Janet Jiang, who has owned the house for the last five years, said that Cambridge’s expensive real estate market posed a challenge to preserving the Jacobs House. Jiang hired CambridgeSeven, a local architecture firm, to begin redeveloping the property.

CambridgeSeven met with the Commission last month, and faced backlash from abutting residents who felt the development was too close to their property. The architects returned to the Commission on Thursday with a plan to increase the distance between the building and its property line.

A group of neighbors living on Hilliard Street, which is on the backside of the Jacobs House, have strongly opposed the redevelopment — asking the Commission to adopt a set of guidelines to limit the allowed size of the development.

“Dwarfing the Harriet Jacobs House under an eight-story building is not the best way to honor her legacy,” Nicole Bryant, a Hilliard Street resident who spoke on behalf of neighbors, said in the Thursday hearing.

CambridgeSeven has refused to consider lowering the height and size of the building further.

“If we’re coming back for a smaller building, we should probably not continue,” Patrick W. Barrett, Jiang’s lawyer, said.

Though the Commission unanimously approved the project on Thursday, they must meet with the developers again to review the final proposal before construction can begin.

“We want to try to see if we can find some way to find a path forward, because we have to get to work,” Barrett said, “and either we have a project or we don’t.”

Pop Up Bagels opened its Cambridge location on October 10. By Michelle L. Yang

By Sophia E. Alcacer and Christopher Schwarting, Contributing Writers

Yesterday

Even though Cambridge newcomer PopUp Bagels just opened in Harvard Square last Friday, students and Cambridge residents already see the store as a “staple” of the Square.

“They literally have a Harvard 2029 pennant hanging,” Taylor P. Beljon-Regen ’29 said. “I feel like it’s very integrated into the community already.”

The chain celebrated its grand opening to a welcoming crowd — after seven months of anticipation — when workers opened their doors early Friday morning. Customers streamed in and out of their 1440 Massachusetts Ave. storefront as a DJ blasted music from inside the store.

“We were listening to good music, and it was just delicious,” said Kimaya Bhangle, a resident of the suburbs of Cambridge who visited just for PopUp’s opening day.

Harvard Square is already home to multiple bagel stores, but PopUp differentiates itself through its sales model. Customers purchase bagels in packs of three, six, or 12 with accompanying tubs of schmear — but cannot purchase a traditional bagel sandwich.

“It’s definitely a good option, especially since it’s not filled with a lot of things,” Emily C. Stringer ’29 said. “It’s not a competitor for people who want a bagel sandwich as a meal, but for people who want just a bagel.”

Students also said the unique business model encouraged snacking and sharing.

“The bagels are smaller, but they sell them in three packs, which I think is great to have as a snack,” Beljon-Regen said. “I gave them to my roommates. I think it gave us a lot of community,” she added.

PopUp offers five bagel types and three schmears. The store also features two weekly schmears which change every Thursday.

“I see myself especially going back if they have good schmears of the week,” Stringer said.

But bagels were not the only thing on the menu during Friday’s grand opening. Store employees also distributed merchandise with the store’s motto, “Not Famous But Known,” at random moments from the early morning opening until PopUp’s 3:00 p.m. closing .

The bagel franchise got its start in Brooklyn, New York in 2020, and has quickly expanded in the five years since it opened. Now, the franchise operates 15 locations in New York, Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts.

“I loved it in New York, and it’s even better in Boston,” Sofiya Iovenko ’29 said. “It’s more of a community feel.”

Despite its national presence, students and residents said they appreciated the franchise’s attention to regional culture in the store’s first Cambridge location.

“It felt like I was walking home,” Nell A. Sparks ’29 said. “The music, people outside were very welcoming, very inviting.”

Beljon-Regen added that she looks forward to grabbing a bagel on a “sad Monday morning,” since the storefront is only a one-minute walk from her dorm.

“It feels like it’s going to be a staple in the neighborhood for years to come,” she added.

SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS: ‘Dr. Yes,’ plays his sousaphone as he marches with the Expandable Brass Band in the 20th annual Honk! Festival parade, on Oct. 12 2025. Over 30 bands from all over the United States, including Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh, took part in the annual parade with this year’s theme, ‘Reclaim the Streets for Horns, Bikes, and Feet’. (CJ Gunther/Boston Herald)

By Grace Zokovitch | gzokovitch@bostonherald.com

UPDATED: October 13, 2025 at 8:16 AM EDT

Over thirty bands took to the roads of Cambridge and Somerville Sunday for the annual HONK! festival, celebrating reclaiming the streets for “horns, bikes, and feet.”

“At full power, these bands create an irresistible spectacle of creative movement and sonic self-expression directed at making the world a better place,” the HONK! organizers stated. “This is the movement we call HONK!”

The colorful, musical march from Davis Square to Harvard Square in Cambridge, arriving to join the 46th annual Oktoberfest on Sunday. Thirty-two in-person bands were scheduled to join in the revelry Sunday, organizers said, with 11 from Massachusetts and others from Seattle to New Orleans to Minneapolis.

The annual parade wrapped up days of events, beginning Thursday with a new-to-the-festival free all-day HONK! U “Conference Celebrating 20 Years of Street Music Activism.” The first-time addition included presentations, workshops and more discussing the development of HONK!, organizers said.

The festival continued Friday and Saturday in Davis Square with street music, workshops and lantern parades.

The HONK! organizers noted that though international bands were not present, virtual performances would be broadcast from Brazil, Chile, Italy, England and more during Sunday’s celebrations.

PopUp Bagels, a rapidly expanding Connecticut-based chain famous for its “grip-rip-and-dip” interpretation of New York-style bagels, has opened its third Massachusetts location in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. The Cambridge store, at…

Michael Vyskocil
Published Oct 13, 2025 9:58 AM EDT

Photo: PopUp Bagels/Instagram

PopUp Bagels, a rapidly expanding Connecticut-based chain famous for its “grip-rip-and-dip” interpretation of New York-style bagels, has opened its third Massachusetts location in Cambridge’s Harvard Square.

The Cambridge store, at 1440 Massachusetts Ave., held a grand opening on Friday, Oct. 10. It operates daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

PopUp Bagels’ new Cambridge shop joins two existing Massachusetts locations. The first, which opened in January, is in Boston’s Seaport, 70 Pier 4 Blvd., Suite 330. The second, at 495 Revolution Drive in Somerville, opened in July. 

PopUp Bagels boasts a signature serving style. The company invites customers to rip apart the bagels and dip them into “schmears” like cream cheese or butter, without slicing or toasting them.

According to a WickedLocal.com report, the company’s menu is intentionally limited to five types of bagels —plain, salt, sesame, poppy seed, and everything.

Adam Goldberg of Westport, Connecticut, founded PopUp Bagels during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.