Daily Provisions, the all-day cafe from Union Square Hospitality Group — a well-known NYC restaurant group founded by famed restaurateur Danny Meyer — is set to debut in Harvard Square, at 1 Brattle Square, on Monday, July 21. It’ll have all the hits that put the restaurant on the map in New York, including fluffy, sweet crullers in flavors like maple and cinnamon, as well as bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, plus salads, sandwiches, and juicy roast chickens later in the day. The first 100 customers at the Harvard Square shop on opening day will receive a free cruller, per a press release. Going forward, the cafe will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
This debut marks the 10th Daily Provisions location for the company, and the first outside of New York and New Jersey. Another Boston-area Daily Provisions, plus a second location of USHG’s upscale Italian restaurant Ci Siamo, are slated to open in the Seaport in spring 2026.
Harvard Square has a rich history of live music, largely thanks to the diverse population of students who live and learn in the area, and a new restaurant, lounge, and live music venue is set to continue that tradition. Lou’s is set to open on Saturday, July 26, in the former Beat Brasserie/Beat Hotel space on 13 Brattle Street, in Cambridge. Lou’s plans to have live music and DJs spinning nightly.
“We’ll host local DJs who all have different styles, but also showcasing newer artists, whether that’s someone from Berklee (College of Music) or someone that just moved to Boston, that’s our goal to kind of get a little bit of everything, and long term, you can expect to probably see some surprises too,” says general manager Allison Finney, who previously managed the high-profile Brighton music venue Roadrunner.
In addition to live music, Lou’s is bringing back some classic restaurant dishes to Harvard Square, says Finney. Executive chef Jason Bond (Bondir) has been researching local favorites, and is doing his take on the historic former Boston restaurant Locke Ober’s Baked Oysters a la Gino, which has bacon, crab, and bread crumbs. “That’s really cool to me that he’s just doing the research and really getting that classic, classic feel,” Finney says. The oysters will be available by the half-dozen, and you can also get them raw.
Other starters to get the night going include Milwaukee shrimp cocktail (where the shrimp is cooked in beer and onions like a bratwurst), locally fished ceviche with pickled shallots (the fish will change with the tides), and beef tartare served with salt and malt vinegar potato chips. Look for mains like the Lou’s Burger on a potato roll with Vermont cheddar, a flatiron steak with fries and a watercress salad, roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, linguine with clams, and a rutabaga steak with rye berries. Lou’s Burger can also be made with a veggie burger.
Bond will also be making bread in-house from a 20-year-old starter — which he has named Schmutzy — and for a sweet ending, the restaurant will offer baked-to-order chocolate chip cookies served with warm malted milk. Lou’s will serve a midday menu with snacks and sandwiches from 4 to 5 p.m., and dinner will be served until 10 p.m.
For cocktails, Lou’s will have a seasonal rotating menu heavy on housemade syrups and fresh juices, such as the Run Rabbit, with carrot juice, lime, coffee, and pineapple rum, which sounds like it would perk anyone up. Finney’s a martini enthusiast, and tells Eater that the restaurant will offer a full martini service. That includes the Born to Lou’s, which is made with an olive oil-washed gin that incorporates leftover parmesan rinds, and lots of pepper.
In a sweet touch, Lou’s is named after co-owner (along with Tom Keane and Harry DiLeo, owners of American Flatbread) John DiGiovanni’s late father, Louis “Lou” DiGiovanni, a longtime fixture in and supporter of the Harvard Square neighborhood.
Currently, Harvard Square is host to two prominent music venues, The Sinclair and Club Passim. Other spaces, like the Charles Hotel’s Regattabar, also feature live music, but Lou’s, with its 289 seats, full-service restaurant, and cocktail bar, will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Finney says the family name sets a tone for how they’ll treat guests at Lou’s. “We want everyone to come here, and we’re gonna offer everything. Drinks, food, entertainment, you’ll always find something new going on at Lou’s.”
Devoted foodies and restaurant newbies love The Feed. Sign-up now for our twice weekly newsletter.
Blueberry buttermilk crullers (the special flavor for July 2025) at Daily Provisions. / Photo by Peter Garritano
Cruller fans, rejoice: Daily Provisions is now open in Harvard Square. The casual, all-day chain from New York’s Union Square Hospitality Group aims to be “the extension to your daily routine,” says Daily Provisions president Zach Koff. That might mean kicking off the day with a breakfast sandwich on an everything croissant alongside a cup of orange cinnamon cold brew, or grabbing a dozen light and airy cinnamon crullers to bring to the office. Or perhaps you’re swinging by for a hearty salad for lunch, or snagging a roast chicken dinner to bring home.
It’s the first of (at least) two Greater Boston locations from the restaurant group founded by hospitality guru Danny Meyer (also behind Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, and more), with a Seaport location slated for 2026. (The group will also open a full-service Italian restaurant, Ci Siamo, alongside the Seaport Daily Provisions.) As Daily Provisions’ first foray beyond New York and New Jersey, to be followed soon by D.C., a Massachusetts expansion felt like a natural fit, says Koff. “We like Boston for the same reasons we love and are successful in New York City: It’s a ‘walk-work-live’ town. Everyone’s got a routine, and you’re constantly in your triangle.”
Breakfast sandwiches at Daily Provisions. / Photo by Peter Garritano
While the menu is mostly consistent from location to location, the Daily Provisions team does like to come up with some location-specific offerings meaningful to their neighborhoods, so don’t be surprised eventually to find some Boston-y things on this menu. (We’re angling for a steak tip cruller.) For now, the menu centers around breakfast sandwiches, crullers, breakfast sandwiches on crullers, lunch sandwiches and salads, and roast chicken dinners, plus various café beverages and a concise selection of beer, wine, and brunchy cocktails (espresso martinis, mimosas, bloody marys).
Boston’s already pretty enthusiastic about roast chicken dinners—who among us hasn’t grabbed a Market Basket rotisserie chicken for $5 for an easy weeknight meal? “More for Your Dollar,” indeed. Or, for something a little fancier, local restaurants like Amba (this year’s Best of Boston winner for “Best Reason to Stay in and Eat”) and Shy Bird highlight takeout-friendly whole birds with tasty sides. So, it’s easy to imagine that Daily Provisions will fit right into our prime poultry landscape with its half and whole chickens, flanked by such sides as crispy potatoes or snap peas with quinoa.
The BLT at Daily Provisions. / Photo by Peter Garritano
The Daily Provisions team isn’t dismissing the possibility of more Boston-area locations beyond Harvard and Seaport, although they’re approaching it strategically, says Koff, carefully putting down roots. “We definitely want to be the neighborhood place before we are everywhere,” he says of the eight-year-old chain, which now has 10 locations. “But Boston is fortunate to have a number of really great neighborhoods that I think could benefit from a little addition to their routine, so we’ve got our sights on a lot.”
Major growth doesn’t feel out of the realm of possibility; founder Danny Meyer is also behind the international burger mega-chain Shake Shack, after all. He’s respected in the industry for his philosophy of “enlightened hospitality,” which is built on teamwork, generosity, and passion. Translating that ethos from Union Square Hospitality’s fine-dining restaurants to the decidedly more casual Daily Provisions is what differentiates it from other places where you could grab a cup of coffee or sandwich, says Koff. “We take the care, passion, and sensibility that fine-dining applies to their people, guests, and food, but for a different kind of experience—very easy, very fun, very non-fussy. Our company tries to teach the team [how to make customers] feel like someone special, someone rock star-y.”
Roast chicken and sides at Daily Provisions. / Photo by Peter Garritano
The sentiment is the same from the back of the house. Daily Provisions’ executive culinary director Claudia Fleming, a James Beard Award winner who also comes from a fine-dining background, tries to impart that high-level hospitality to her kitchen team. “I tell [the staff] all the time that the way people who work in the kitchen show hospitality is by serving delicious, beautiful food,” she says. “We don’t get to make regulars the same way the front of house does, but people know that you care by the way that you prepare the food.”
Her day-to-day routine is quite different now compared to her fine-dining days, when she could stop by the farmers market in the morning and have a new dish on the menu that same evening, she says. Now, it’s a months-long process to develop dishes and train the increasingly far-flung teams on them. But it’s a change she’s relishing. “I had my day [in fine-dining],” she says. Casual food feels “more democratic, like good food is for everybody, and that really appeals to me.”
Maple crullers at Daily Provisions. / Photo by Peter Garritano
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and currently selling limited-edition t-shirts and hats, a collaboration with Boston’s Project Paulie, with 20% of proceeds benefiting Community Servings, a local nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals to those in need. 1 Brattle Sq. Suite A1, Harvard Square, Cambridge, dailyprovisions.co.
By Matt Juul Globe Staff,Updated July 24, 2025, 8:00 a.m.
A look inside Lou’s, a new restaurant and live music venue, in Harvard Square.Alyssa Blumstein
Live music has a new home in Harvard Square.
Lou’s, a bar and restaurant meets music venue, opens its doors on Saturday afternoon, setting up shop in Cambridge at 13 Brattle St. The 5,600-square-foot space was previously occupied by the popular jazz lounge Beat Brasserie, which rebranded as Beat Brew Hall in 2018. COVID-19 forced Beat Brew Hall to temporarily close in 2020, with the venue briefly returning from its hiatus in May 2022, before closing for good later that year.
Bringing live entertainment back to the space means a lot to general manager Allison Finney, who has a long history with the local music scene. Prior to Lou’s, she worked as the general manager for Roadrunner and House of Blues Boston, and “was part of the opening team at the Sinclair in 2012,” she told the Globe in a recent phone interview. However, Finney said she “truly fell in love with music” and met “lifelong friends” while going to shows at Cambridge staples like the Middle East.
“I just remember going to Zuzu or Plough and Stars and just really loving the local Cambridge music scene,” said Finney. “So getting to do something like that again means the world to me.”
She added, “And it’s just really exciting to get to hopefully revive something that has been missing in the Square.”
Lou’s boasts 289 seats, a DJ booth, and “a pretty killer state-of-the-art sound system,” according to Finney. Believing music fans are yearning for venues like Allston’s soon-to-be revived Great Scott, Finney hopes Lou’s will be a place where fans can grab a bite after work and “always catch a good band.”
“That’s kind of the vibe that we’re going to try to set here,” said Finney.
Lou’s opens its doors on Saturday in Cambridge.Alyssa Blumstein
Berklee College of Music student Su Yavuz, a jazz singer and pianist who performed at Boston Calling this spring, will serve as the first act to take the stage at Lou’s when it opens on Saturday. Additional upcoming acts include Boston-based jazz musician Andrew Sue Wing on July 31; South African-born drummer Lumanyano Mzi and his trio on Aug. 1; and Greg Piccolo and Heavy Juice on Aug. 2 for a Saturday “blues bash.”
In addition to jazz and blues performers, Lou’s will feature an eclectic mix of shows, ranging from reggae to Brazilian nights, with Finney striving to create a space where people can go “and discover something.”
“It might not be something you’re familiar with, but we really want to be a place of discovery for people as well,” said Finney.
Beyond the music, Lou’s features a diverse menu of bites from executive chef Jason Bond, chef and owner of Bondir. According to Finney, the venue offers a “speakeasy” vibe as well, with an interior design crafted by firm Elder & Ash.
“From the music side, we want to bring every different genre we can, but also on the food side,” said Finney. “We have a little bit of everything for everyone.”
Print
Danny Meyer’s First Boston-Area Restaurant Is Opening in Harvard Square Next Week
Daily Provisions, the all-day cafe from Union Square Hospitality Group — a well-known NYC restaurant group founded by famed restaurateur Danny Meyer — is set to debut in Harvard Square, at 1 Brattle Square, on Monday, July 21. It’ll have all the hits that put Daily Provisions on the map in New York, including fluffy, sweet crullers in flavors like maple and cinnamon, as well as bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, plus salads, sandwiches, and juicy roast chicken later in the day. The first 100 customers at the Harvard Square shop on July 21 will receive a free cruller, per a press release on the opening. Going forward, the cafe will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
This debut marks the 10th Daily Provisions location for the company, and the first outside of New York and New Jersey. Another Boston-area Daily Provisions, plus a second location of USHG’s upscale Italian restaurant Ci Siamo, are slated to open in the Seaport in spring 2026.
Head to the (Haverhill) vineyard this
Print
Housewarming’ event at new Daily Provisions shows an appealing addition to Harvard Square
Marc LevySteve Kurland, once of Evoo and Za, welcomes guests to the “housewarming” held Tuesday to introduce the Daily Provisions restaurant in Cambridge’s Harvard Square.
Harvard Square’s Daily Provisions is expected to open Monday with some soft-opening hours starting Saturday, said the chain’s regional director at a Tuesday “housewarming” event with food samples, wine and a DJ. It’s the first location for the esteemed quick-service all-day cafe outside of New York and New Jersey.
And that regional director? Steve Kurland, of the also-esteemed Evoo and Za restaurants that wound down in Kendall Square in 2024 after serving 14 years. “They wanted a local guy to run it,” Kurland said of Union Square Hospitality Group, parent company to Daily Provisions. The group next opens a location in 2026 in Boston’s Seaport with the second of its Ci Siamo Italian restaurants.
“They had already picked this spot” at 1 Brattle Square when he came aboard, Kurland said – but Union Square chose well. “This is such an obvious spot, we have the residences and the small businesses” around to take advantage of both aspects of the menu: the ready-made sandwiches, salads and pastry for lunch and dinner dine-in crowds, and to-go entrees such as roast chicken and seared salmon for people looking to bring home a family meal. (The address was once Spyce, the MIT robot-kitchen startup that closed soon after launch in 2021 after being acquired by the Sweetgreen chain.)
“We have super high standards,” Kurland said, and all food is made on the spot following the model of executive culinary director Claudia Fleming, who was also at the Cambridge housewarming event.
Marc LevyA tray of Chickpea & Veggie sandwiches is offered Tuesday at Daily Provisions in Harvard Square.
Fleming’s choice of favorite Daily Provisions meal is almost disappointing (“the most recent is always the favorite”), but in this case is a very good Garden Quinoa Crunch Salad, with a nutty base of the grain accented with snap peas, chickpeas, radishes, dill, feta and jammy egg.
Kurland has a more distinct couple of preferred menu items, both sandwiches: In the comfort food area, the Chicken Milanese; when he wants something lighter, the Chickpea & Veggie.
They had to be tried, and the housewarming event offered trays of each, along with salads and pastry to sample in the store and take home.
Marc LevyA guest at the Daily Provisions event heads toward a Tomato & Green Bean Salad.
The Chicken Milanese is an example of why Daily Provisions enters the market with such a solid reputation: This is a substantial slab of chicken with a crisped breading present only to complement the breast and not to displace it as a flavor, and the melted mozzarella and red peppers are equally deferential – every ingredient is inviting every other ingredient to step forward to be the star, and each one in turn declines to hog the spotlight after doing just enough to be really satisfying.
The Chickpea & Veggie is, if anything, even more baffling in its accomplishment, because this is a simple sandwich you will approach assuming you know exactly what it will be: just some hummus and a thick layer of greens on a good, fresh sourdough bread. But there’s an alchemy among the pickled cucumber, crispy shallots and feta (with a little more of those roasted red peppers) that makes it almost so fulfilling it’s unsettling, the kind of thing that can make throwing together a sandwich at home a little frustrating: It’s basically the same, so why doesn’t it taste as good? Kurland gives credit to the whole chickpeas in Daily Provisions’ version of hummus; Fleming names the shallots first and ends with a nod to the feta.
The breakfast sandwiches – I had the simplest, an egg and cheese – include a yolk that bursts and soaks the seeded bun in an especially pleasing way. But watch out for your fingers, it can be messy. Daily Provisions is also famed for its crullers, and I had a heartbreakingly sweet portion of the cinnamon, with a flagrantly, unrepentantly sugared crust over a wonderfully eggy dough. Staff swore the maple cruller is even better.
There’s plenty of sitting space for dining in, and Harvard Square Business Association executive director Denise Jillson said Thursday that she found the handsome dark blue and wood decor a good reason to do so. Whether choosing from the for-here menus or the meals, sides and bottles of sauces and dressings to go, all become available Monday. The site was approved by the License Commission in February for hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays.
The Boston area has produced a long line of famous musicians — from New Edition to Aereosmith — so it’s no surprise our music clubs are overflowing with talent. From small community spaces spotlighting local musicians to hallowed halls of rock and hip-hop, there’s never a shortage of opportunities for those hunting for great live music (though if it’s nightclubs you’re looking for,The Globe has a list of those, too).
Brighton Music Hall
Brighton Music Hall. Sophie Park for The Boston Globe
Established in 2010 in the space long occupied by Harpers Ferry, Brighton Music Hall has been bringing rock, roots, hip-hop, and other acts to the heart of Allston since. The standing-room-only venue, with room for about 500 — large enough to make it lively, small enough that everyone has a view — is a sweet-spot stop for national performers who have outgrown more intimate spots and are on the way to bigger things.
Equal parts wine bar and concert venue, City Winery appeals to the taste buds and the ears. At this 300-seat venue, music is wide-ranging, encompassing R&B, jazz, alternative rock, hip-hop, and more. Enjoy shared plates of risotto balls and duck tacos as well as pizza during the show; table service means you never have to leave your seat to ask for another glass. It’s the best of both worlds for music-loving foodies.
Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre. Dylan Ladd
Opened in 2021, this recent addition to Somerville’s live music landscape occupies an upstairs corner of the Somerville Theater, which had served for years as two small movie theaters. With a fancy chandelier and a big, welcoming bar, the room has become a destination for indie rock, world music, and alternative comedy.
With a capacity of just 85, The Jungle’s footprint may be small, but its roar resounds far beyond Union Square. The independent Somerville club is an affordable gateway to Boston’s music scene for performers and patrons, with offerings ranging from monthly “Bars Over Bars 1st Sundays” hip-hop showcases to lineups stacked with staples from the area’s rock scene. Don’t miss the lively, free karaoke and open mic on Wednesdays.
More performance space than club, The Lilypad has a standing-room capacity of 80 (60 seated). But the mural-decorated space hosts some of the best jazz and cutting-edge improvisational music in the area, serving as home base to local masters such such as saxophonists George Garzone (with The Fringe) and Jerry Bergonzi; and hosting notable musicians from New York in addition to estimable locals.
Once the favored haunt of such Boston music luminaries as Billy Ruane and Morphine’s Mark Sandman, Central Square’s Middle East remains a hub of the region’s live music scene. There has been talk about demolishing the complex and building a hotel with performance spaces, but for now, it’s the same intimate Upstairs and larger Downstairs, and wide array of acts including rock and hip-hop.
Paradise Rock Club. Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe
The Police, R.E.M., and U2 all played at the Paradise before they hit the arenas. Its prominent marquee along the Green Line’s B branch has featured the names of thousands of beloved bands since, both indie and soon-to-be superstars. That this no-frills space is still thriving is a testament to the city of Boston’s continually replenishing fan base for rock ’n’ roll.
Part of the constellation of venues operated by Bowery Presents, the Sinclair can host about 500 music lovers of all stripes most nights of the week. Its wraparound balcony provides plenty of sightlines for a compact space. Since opening in Harvard Square in 2012, the club has hosted a steady stream of well-known acts from Yola to Yo La Tengo.
The history of Wally’s goes back to 1947, when Joseph “Wally” Walcott opened Wally’s Paradise across the street from the Jazz Club’s current location in the South End, then the epicenter of a thriving Boston jazz scene. Programming then included Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Wally’s, still owned by Walcott’s family, is a rarity today: a neighborhood bar with jazz, featuring local heavyweights as well as student stars of tomorrow.
We don’t make the rules. Everything — dancing, drinking, talking, eating — is better on a roof. Whether you’re looking for rooftop dining or just a cold margarita in the sun, these bars and restaurants will take you to a higher level. (And, this being Massachusetts, you’ll find some winter-friendly rooftop igloos, too.) If you prefer something closer to sea level, check out The Boston Globe’s Best of the Best picks for best cocktail bars.
Contessa
Contessa Vanessa Leroy/New York Times/File
This modern Italian restaurant, perched high atop The Newbury Hotel, is chic and stylish in a 1960s Hollywood kind of way: lots of mauve and jewel tones; plenty of gold accents and glamor. Plus, there are those jaw-dropping Back Bay views (try for a window table). The food, crafted by the Manhattan-based Major Food Group, the powerhouse behind New York icons such as Carbone and The Grill, is as sophisticated as the setting: twirl your fork through a plate of spicy lobster capellini, a crown of crustacean in peppery tomato sauce, and think: I’ve made it.
Felipe’s Taqueria Josh Reynolds for the Boston Globe
Don’t let the name fool you: Felipe’s is so much more than a taqueria. It’s also an evening hub that has a solution to three of Greater Boston’s biggest nightlife problems: drinks are relatively cheap, the kitchen stays open late, and there’s a roof deck bar with views of Harvard Square. The place has a real come-as-you-are feel. People are friendly, the music isn’t too loud, and conversations seem to flow better under the summer stars.
Long Bar & Terrace Josh Reynolds for the Boston Globe
Take the elevator up to the 17th floor of the Raffles hotel in the Back Bay: You’re here for an elevated experience. At Long Bar, there’s a swank indoor lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, but the view is best taken in from outdoors, on the black-and-cream-tiled terrace. Settle into comfy cushioned chairs and banquettes, sip one of the signature Singapore Slings (said to have been invented at the original Raffles), and gaze out over the beautiful city.
Seven floors up from the mouth of Fort Point Channel, the rooftop of the Seaport’s Envoy Hotel boasts a sweeping view of Boston Harbor — from the Tea Party ships past the Custom House Tower all the way to the Tobin Bridge. Reserve a table in the casual dining section or order at the bar and find your own seating on big striped sofas under broad umbrellas. Come winter, the rooftop even has “igloo” dining.
If your yoga practice is getting stale, bring your mat to free community yoga on the rooftop of the Revere Hotel on Saturday morning and enjoy the Theater District views. Change to chic-casual and return after noon for a build-your-own poke bowl lunch. After sundown, the 15,000-square-foot rooftop transforms into an elegant night spot with a fruit-oriented cocktail list, several bubblies and rosés, and tasty lobster rolls and Thai shrimp lettuce wraps. It’s open through October 1, as of this writing.
The rooftop above the Sonder 907 Main Hotel has struggled to find its proper tenant over the years. It was worth the wait for Saigon Babylon. From the team behind Cicada Coffee Bar in Cambridge and the Eaves Vietnamese restaurant in Somerville’s Bow Market, this Viet cuisine hotspot serves food as elevated as the restaurant’s perch overlooking Central and Kendall squares. It isn’t overcrowded like many other rooftops around town, the food and craft cocktails are mouthwatering, and the decor tasteful and eccentric at once.
What makes a good bookstore? A wide selection of titles, of course, a knowledgeable staff, a solid roster of literary events, that bookstore smell — all mandatory. But these shops, including some exceptional new players on the scene, made The Boston Globe‘s Best of the Best list because they offer something extra, whether it’s the serendipity of browsing through rows upon rows of worn titles, a special tie to the community, or an exceptionally cozy cafe. Bookmark away. (Afterward, grab a quick bite for $20 or less.)
Brattle Book Shop
Brattle Book Shop Carlin Stiehl for the Boston Globe/File
This 200-year-old antiquarian bookseller is crammed, top to bottom, with rare and secondhand titles. You could spend hours inside thumbing the creased spines of thrillers, romances, and classics, or in the adjoining alley outside the store, hunting for $1 and $3 deals on the shelves. The Brattle made a cameo in the Oscar-winning movie The Holdovers, starring Paul Giamatti as a classics teacher, filmed flipping through the stacks. Giamatti was apparently so enamored with the bookstore that he returned later to do some shopping off-camera.
No Boston book lover needs to be told about six-plus-decade-old Brookline Booksmith — it’s beloved for a reason. It’s huge, with more than 50,000 books including the used book cellar, and holds stellar events in-store or across the street at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Buy a book recommended by the veteran staff or a gift from the way-above-average bookstore tchotchke section. Then hit the cellar and join the people standing, heads cocked, scanning the classics bookcase for something they’ve been meaning to read.
In the heart of Roxbury, Frugal is the place to buy popular anti-racist titles, deep dives into the history of the African diaspora, and children’s books that feature characters of color. Come for the readings with poets and thinkers, then stay for the expansive clearance section. Frugal also regularly hosts clothing drives, library story times, and book club meetups for the community.
No, this 93-year-old stalwart is not affiliated with the Ivy League school across the street that shares its name. But the 5,500-square-foot shop — co-owned by John Henry, owner of the Globe — still has a hallowed, scholarly feel, thanks to floor-to-nearly-ceiling shelves packed with bestsellers, academic titles, and much more. For extra credit, catch a big-name author doing a reading near the sizable children’s section, or descend into the used book cellar, where the walls are festooned with bookmarks and other relics discovered inside pre-loved titles.
It’s easy to spend an afternoon in the cushioned window nooks at this Dorchester bookshop cafe, the brainchild of former Boston poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola. Its collection — a curated hodgepodge of fiction, philosophy, and children’s books — is a celebration of writers of color whose work “challenges political paradigms.” Not in the mood to read? Swing by for a poetry open mic that goes well into the evening.
Devoted to graphic design and typography, this bright and tiny bookstore/art space is curated by designer and proprietor Michael Russem, who brings an eye for the elegant to a selection of books you won’t find elsewhere — such as a gorgeous Soviet-era children’s book collection of typographic messages of protest, or a colorful look at the lunar cycle. It’s a singular jewel on the Boston bookstore scene.
The primary feeling sparked by Harvard Square’s Lovestruck Books is joy. The joy of a quiet patio, tucked under a cheerful floral trellis, offering space for conversation and coffee (or wine and charcuterie). The joy of a selection curated to both its core audience and general readers — there’s Emily Henry and Alice Walker on these shelves. Among romance’s core tenets is the HEA — happily ever after — and Lovestruck delivers.
Tucked near Chinatown, the industrial South End storefront is a treasure trove of leather-bound finds (in the back), carts of $1 used paperbacks (outside), and the usual slate of new releases (everywhere else). Each purchase benefits underprivileged youth from foster care or those coming out of the court system, who also help run and manage the $4 million enterprise. The shop has a second location in Waltham.
Behind Papercuts’ unmissable lavender front door is a nook piled high with feminist literature and buzzing with uber-friendly staff. The woman-owned bookshop in Jamaica Plain offers an unmatched lineup of events with female and queer authors. Plus, it runs the indie Cutlass Press (with several in-house titles available for purchase) and sells adorable merch emblazoned with the Orange Line and Papercuts’ signature chickadee.
We miss the slightly shabby old Porter Square Books location, but the newer, shinier store on the Lesley University campus is still a delight: a menagerie of trinkets, cards, and, of course, books. You’ll find handpicked reads, new releases, and themed sections that rotate regularly. Many of the staff are writers themselves and give fantastic recommendations. Oh, and the store offers complimentary gift wrapping. (PSB also has a second location in the Seaport.)
Jason Doo began preparing for trouble in November, almost as soon as he learned the outcome of the presidential election.
Doo, owner of Wusong Road Tiki Bar in Harvard Square, expected to see hits to the economy and began stockpiling cash, renegotiating vendor contracts to save money and lowering menu prices to retain a steady flow of customers. As inflation and other economic factors led people to cut down on excess spending, those measures proved to be justified.
But another change is also affecting businesses in Harvard Square.
As the federal government targets higher education institutions and international students, a key segment of their customer base could disappear.
Doo has heard from friends in the hospitality industry who have already taken financial hits. In particular, friends who own other Asian restaurants near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which has a high population of international students, have been struggling, he said. Even high-end establishments saw a decline during graduation season, usually one of the busiest times of year, he added.
For every three international students in the United States, one job is created and supported by spending in higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications and health insurance, according to NAFSA, a worldwide organization representing international educators. In Massachusetts, international students contributed nearly $4 billion and their spending supported more than 35,000 jobs in the 2023-2024 academic year.
“The hospitality industry right now, with prices going up and rents at sky-high rates … it then hurts even more when suddenly a large portion of our financial base is taken away without warning,” Doo said. “It can be devastating. One bad year will put you under in the restaurant industry.”
International students’ contributions to the economy
Despite its ranking as the 24th largest city in the U.S. by population, Boston has the fifth highest Gross Domestic Product per capita, according to a study by Metroverse, a program of the Center for International Development’s Harvard Growth Lab.
Moreover, the study found that the city’s largest economic sector is “Education and health services industries,” accounting for 23.02% of employees in the city.
“Boston is a cluster of the most dynamic activities … based around Harvard, MIT, Mass General Hospital [and the] financial sector,” said Ricardo Hausmann, director of the Harvard Growth Lab. “It’s a knowledge magnet that has been created with an enormous participation of foreign talent.”
“One of the secrets of American exceptionalism is not so much that the U.S. gives birth to talented people, it’s that the U.S. is a huge attractor of talented people,” Hausmann added.
Foreign students, in particular, bring a lot of free cash with them when they arrive in Boston. Because they are not eligible for many forms of financial aid, a large portion of international students come from families that can pay full tuition bills and living expenses out of pocket.
That means that, unlike many of their American counterparts who are scraping together change or working part-time jobs alongside their studies, a lot of international students are freer to splurge on shopping and eating out.
“There is a sense that there’s more expendable income that they’re willing to spend in restaurants and dress shops and chocolate shops or you name it. There’s just more to go around,” said Jessica Sculley, board chair of the Harvard Square Business Association. “And if you just reduce that amount of money, there’s going to be less to go around for all of the businesses.”
The top three colleges and universities in the state for economic contributions by international students in the 2023-2024 school year were all in Greater Boston, according to the NAFSA study:
Northeastern University contributed $828.8 million and supported 7,791 jobs;
Boston University contributed $765 million and 8,326 jobs;
Harvard University contributed $383.6 million and 3,910 jobs.
A loss of international students from the current and incoming classes would not only take away the economic activity they bring for their four years on campus, but also a whole lifetime of economic, cultural and intellectual contribution in their careers and beyond, Hausmann said.
Increases in international student enrollment leads to boosts in innovation and patent creation, according to research by the American Immigration Council. In Massachusetts, immigrants account for about 27% of entrepreneurs, or about 91,400, who contribute about $3.1 billion in business income, according to the AIC.
About 41.1% of foreign-born residents in Massachusetts have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“Universities are one of America’s largest exports. The million-plus foreign students that come to study to us [people living in the United States] represents a very significant export activity in which the U.S. has a very large surplus,” Hausmann said. “Now, one of the ingredients for that industry to exist, to survive and thrive, is for students to be allowed in. So, visas are an enabler of American exports.”
Fear deters some from studying in the U.S.
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has cracked down on immigration, primarily focusing on people living in the country illegally and those who have committed crimes. The Trump administration’s attacks on higher education institutions includes revoking student visas and pausing visa interviews for incoming students, often without warning or explicit reason.
Nonetheless, the administration’s actions have already deterred students, both foreign and domestic, from applying to or attending the university. Part of the reason is that the rules keep changing every day, as the federal government introduces new restrictions.
“There’s still so much uncertainty out there that even if things do kind of stay the same, people are still uncertain what’s going to happen a month from now, three months from now, six months from now,” Sarang Sekhavat, chief of staff at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said. “By the time spring or fall comes and it’s time for me to go back to school, I have no idea what the situation is going to be. So do I want to risk that, or should I just go ahead and transfer now?”
About 27% of Harvard’s undergraduate and graduate students are international, according to 2024 to 2025 data.
Earlier this year, the federal government revoked visas for students across the country, prompting more than 100 lawsuits nationwide before reversing course and reinstating them.
Matthew Maiona, an immigration attorney and managing partner at Maiona Ward Immigration Law in Boston, said that in the past, he would only see one or two revocations a year, usually because the student didn’t show up to school or wasn’t signed up for the minimum number of credits.
Now, Maiona said, it’s not clear why certain students are being targeted. Many had visas revoked through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, database after an interaction with law enforcement, even if it was just a traffic ticket or a minor charge that was dismissed.
“It’s about scaring people,” Maiona said. “Before, you had faith in a system, that you could bring your grievance and say, ‘Hey, there was a mistake. There was a mistake on my SEVIS, and you revoked it. And here’s the paperwork.’ Oh, OK, USCIS says, ‘We’ll put you back in the system and correct it.’ Now, forget about it.”
A student from Europe, who asked not to be named to avoid jeopardizing his visa, was admitted to Harvard in the spring and told MassLive and El Planeta that although he remained hopeful, the controversy surrounding Harvard was a common topic at the dinner table. After he was admitted, he excitedly accepted the offer, only for international headlines, canceled interviews and processing issues to make him question if he would actually be able to step on campus to realize his dream.
“I am waiting to receive a visa,” he explained, “but the portal does not let me pay the fee for the interview.”
Harvard has emailed him “almost every day” with updates and encouragement, making it clear that they are doing everything in their power for him and the rest of the international students to be on campus in the fall. This, he said, has been comforting and a reassuring provider of confidence.
Despite the challenges, he still very much hopes to study at Harvard. When asked about what would happen if troubles were to happen while he was at Harvard, he was open to the idea of taking a semester off, studying at another university, or even attending the university online.
Hausmann said he made offers to Ph.D students who dreamed of Harvard, only for them to turn him down. He joked that he spends more time worrying and working through “bureaucratic” visa problems than on research and teaching.
“They [students and researchers] cannot live with the anxiety of uncertainty, the existential angst of not knowing if their visa will be renewed or not renewed,” he said.
The Harvard University campus.Tréa Lavery/MassLive
Regardless of the school, many international students are hesitating, fearing their education will be cut short and their investment turned almost worthless. As the student from Europe noted, leaving home from abroad is already almost an insurmountable sacrifice. So to do it with the chance of their dream falling through is almost foolish and increases the stress and fear of coming to the U.S.
In April, Harvard said it was instituting a new admissions policy allowing international prospective students to accept a place on the Cambridge campus as well as a backup place at a foreign school to help those navigating the decision.
This month, the Harvard Kennedy School, where 52% of students are foreign, announced it would allow students to study online or at the University of Toronto as a contingency plan if they weren’t allowed into the U.S.
On the topic of going to school in another country, the European student said he “doesn’t want to think about it right now.” However, he mentioned that he had seen Hong Kong University opening its door to admitted Harvard students and when asked, he said he would consider the opportunity if the situation became dire.
Business owners wait to see what will happen
Sculley said that while she and other local business owners have not yet seen much of an impact on their bottom lines, as students have left for the summer anyway, there is a “tremendous uncertainty” about what things will look like come September.
“I’m not saying that every single Harvard student spends tons of money in Harvard Square every single day, but it is significant. It’s significant for the restaurants, the pubs, the coffee shops, the bookstores, the banks, even,” Sculley said, adding that with cuts to federal research funding, university staff may not be around to patronize local businesses, either. “I think it will be a major, major hurdle to overcome if we suddenly lose those bodies.”
Jeremy Herrera, whose father owns Felipe’s Taqueria, a popular fast-casual Mexican restaurant in Harvard Square, estimated that 30 to 40% of the establishment’s customer base are college students, and 15 to 20% are foreign students. He said they get customers visiting from all over the world, and he often has people tell him it’s their first time in the country.
The three-story-plus-rooftop restaurant and bar gets especially busy at lunchtime, when Herrera said the influx of students getting something to eat between classes is completely unpredictable day to day.
“It’s huge,” he said. “That’s what keeps the whole city running.”
Doo said that because of Wusong Road’s location next to the Harvard Kennedy School, he sees many graduate students coming in for a drink at night after class. He estimated that 5 to 10% of his customers are international students.
He said he has been expanding marketing efforts and making other investments in the restaurant, such as installing a buffet station so he can more easily host private events. And instead of trying to be a neighborhood hangout, Doo is marketing more and more to people coming to Harvard Square to visit, to make sure he isn’t relying on only one demographic.
“We’re shifting targets from filling the local need to a broader need, which isn’t as sustainable because you’re not down the street,” he said.
With the ever-changing landscape of immigration regulations, it’s hard to know whether to scale back to save money. Sculley said at her own business, Commonwealth Wine School, she’s planning to hold the same number of classes as usual for the fall — for now.
“But I’m also waiting for that shoe to drop when it comes time to register in July and August, to not see those numbers and to think, ‘oh, I have to scale back my business.’ What does that mean for my rent? What does that mean for my staff?” she said. “Right now, it’s like, all I can do is wait and see.”
Sculley said she wants lawmakers to understand that every business needs people, both to work and bring in money.
“So all of these decisions that seem to be both abrupt and changeable and then uncertain as to whether or not they’re going to last … they affect real people,” she said. “And not only those people’s lives, but their pocketbooks … It’s an automatic slowdown for all of us, and it’s a potential existential threat for many of us.”
