The landmark will be renamed the Cambridge Kiosk to be a “cultural incubator, community gathering space, and visitor information center.”

By Molly Farrar October 31, 2024

The Harvard Square Kiosk, which has sat in the heart of the square at the mouth of the MBTA stop for nearly 100 years, is set to reopen early next year, the City of Cambridge announced Thursday. 

The Kiosk, which has been “recently restored,” will open in partnership with the Cambridge Office for Tourism and Somerville-based nonprofit CultureHouse, the city announced. The landmark will be renamed the Cambridge Kiosk to be a “cultural incubator, community gathering space, and visitor information center.”

“The activation of the Cambridge Kiosk represents a significant milestone for our community,” Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang said in a statement. “By transforming this historic landmark into a dynamic public space, we will provide greater opportunities for creativity, connection, and collaboration in the center of Harvard Square.”

The historic kiosk has been vacant since before the pandemic, when longtime Cambridge landmark Out of Town News closed in 2019. The newsstand was the natural center of the square, providing global news since 1978, when the Kiosk was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was registered as a Cambridge Landmark in 2017.

Since 2019, the kiosk has been under seemingly perpetual construction, surrounded by a chain link fence, in the middle of Cambridge’s biggest tourist spot. The Boston Globe reported last week that the construction cost $3.3 million, or about $6,600 per square foot.

Now, Cambridge is looking for community members to join the Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee and for local partners to host events at the Kiosk. CultureHouse will hold community meetings and do surveys to discuss how to use the space moving forward.

“Programming at the Cambridge Kiosk will continuously evolve to meet the needs of the community and turn the space into a dynamic hub where people from all places and backgrounds can come together to experience culture and to build relationships,” said Aaron Greiner, the executive director of CultureHouse.

Massachusetts romance readers will soon have a meeting place for all things literary love and lust in Cambridge: Lovestruck Books. The brick-and-mortar store dedicated to romance of all subgenres and a selection of general fiction will open at 44 Brattle St. in Harvard Square this winter.

Owner Rachel Kanter plans to spotlight works by women, people of color and LGBTQIA+ authors. “We’re seeing publishers taking notice of authors that maybe traditionally would not have been published by a big five publisher, so that’s really exciting, because it means that more and more stories are getting out and being celebrated,” said Kanter. “That’s one of the things that has always attracted me to the romance genre, and I really wanted that to be reflected in our store.”

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To get potential visitors excited, the bookstore is hosting events leading up to its opening, including a night celebrating “Practical Magic” at The Brattle Theatre on Oct. 29.

The 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman was turned into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters Gillian and Sally Owens. After their parents die, the girls grow up with their eccentric witch aunts in a small town in Massachusetts. The Owens sisters are outcasts — the townspeople avoid them in fear of the girls cursing them. Still, Gillian and Sally have each other until Gillian runs away and Sally gets married. But they rekindle their connection after Sally has two girls of her own.

The event will kick off with a conversation between Hoffman and Shelf Love Podcast creator Andrea Martucci. Then audience members will settle in for a screening of the cult classic film. Each ticket includes a Lovestruck Books tote bag, a signed copy of the book, a drink ticket and surprise goodies. (The event is already sold out.)

By Spencer Buell Globe Staff,Updated October 23, 2024, 6:10 a.m.

CAMBRIDGE — It may not look like much, this 500-square-foot kiosk in the heart of Harvard Square.

Visible through chain-link fencing, which has hemmed it in for years now, the small structure has the shape and feel of an oversized bus shelter, albeit one with handsomely restored brickwork and an ornate copper roof.

It had been the longtime home of Out of Town News, which closed in 2019, but then languished in construction purgatory. That journey is set — allegedly, at least — to wrap up early next year and cost $3.3 million, which would put it in the ballpark of an eye-popping $6,600 per square foot.

There has been jubilation at this news among those who live and work in the square. But also, exasperation at what has transpired as the city has tried to reopen this beleaguered little landmark.

“This project has been dragging on for way too long. It is painfully slow, frustrating, and expensive,” said Denise Jillson, head of the neighborhood’s business association. “With all this money that we have and the resources, and the brain trust that we have, these things should be — it shouldn’t be this difficult.”

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Kathy Watkins, the city’s public works commissioner, has heard that very criticism many times over the (many) years the project has crawled along.

“I know people are frustrated about how long these things take,” Watkins said. But “we are super excited to see this coming to a conclusion, have it be open and usable, celebrate the community, and have people embrace and enjoy this building.”

She said refurbishing even a modest rectangular building — the kind of thing that would be a breeze just about anywhere else in the country — is not so simple. Not in Harvard Square, at least.

The kiosk’s story begins in 1928, when it was the headhouse for the transit stop beneath it. The original Out of Town News opened next door in 1954 as a separate newsstand, then moved into the structure in 1984.

In either location, Out of Town News, which specialized in selling periodicals from around the world to the neighborhood’s globally minded residents, was treated as a landmark. It was for more than half a century an intellectual hub and informal meeting place, and a touchstone for anyone who lived, visited, or studied in Cambridge during its heyday.

Julia Child browsed for recipes there, student protesters routinely rallied near its steps (and sometimes on its roof), and a young Bill Gates is said to have been inspired to explore the potential of computers after reading about them in a magazine bought on its shelves.

In its latter years, even as it increasingly served as a convenience store, the Out of Town brand was a reminder of a simpler time, when people needed to seek out news from far away rather than having it arrive at all hours via smartphone.

But by 2012, its best days clearly behind it, Jillson’s Harvard Square Business Association was calling for the kiosk to be patched up, restored, and put to some other use than what it had become: a place, Jillson said, to buy scratch tickets and a pack of smokes.

Still, ideas are one thing. Plans are another. When it came time to do something about it, the city moved cautiously, and slowly. Many community meetings were held. Working groups formed. Consultants were consulted. Neighborhood groups coalesced.

Meanwhile, the kiosk restoration was lumped into the broader project of renovating the plaza surrounding it, which was due for a refresh, bringing it up to modern accessibility standards. (Included in the $3.3 million price tag for the kiosk, officials said, are some modifications to the nearby T stop headhouse that were needed so it could support new accessible grading on the plaza. Renovations for the kiosk and plaza combined are budgeted at about $11.5 million, the city said last week).

By the time Cambridge was ready to break ground, COVID had struck. Supply chain issues slowed progress from there.

Even as construction began in May 2021, the nature of the work itself was an obstacle: a historic structure, in a historic locale, at one of the densest corners of one of the state’s densest cities, at one of its busiest crossings for cars, bikes, and pedestrian traffic.

A contractor to fix up the kiosk would need to specialize in historic preservation, and on obscure design elements like the structure’s artisan-crafted roof. Workers updating the plaza, meanwhile, would need to be willing to use smaller and lighter equipment than is typical, and to operate in phases so the area can remain open to the millions of people who pass through each year.

“The heart of the square is an extremely challenging place to do construction,” said Watkins.

Related: Readers recall their halcyon Harvard Square days

To make matters more complicated, the plaza sits directly atop the age-worn Harvard MBTA station, in some places just a foot-and-a-half above its ceiling. So every step of the project has needed to be reviewed and approved by the T, a laborious and time consuming affair.

“That has been one of the big delays, to be honest,” Watkins said.

The T has certainly had good reason to be extra cautious. Just last year, a Harvard student was injured when a decrepit piece of equipment clattered on top of her inside the stop — an incident that came just two months after a chunk crashed down, nearly hitting a passenger.

A T spokesperson said the agency has “worked diligently” to “review and refine designs” for the project “to ensure that the renovations do not compromise the safety or convenience of riders.”

Despite the challenges, work on the kiosk is itself almost done.

When it opens, it will be a very different space than the landmark people remember.

Where there were once racks of newspapers and magazines along its walls, there are now wide windows, some of which swing open, so passersby can see straight through it. The interior is sparse, and will stay that way, so furniture can be arranged and re-arranged to fit various purposes.

It will, as needed, be used by the city’s Office for Tourism whose staff guide visitors around the square. The city also envisions other uses for its 500square feet, and hopes to use it for temporary attractions like art galleries and historical exhibits, musical performances, lectures, and other events.

Melissa Peters, chief of planning strategy for the city’s Community Development Department, said officials hope the tight space will feel like the beating heart of Harvard Square: “Active and alive and open.”

In this next iteration, the city said it hopes in the near future to publicize a form that various groups — artists, nonprofits, cultural institutions, businesses — can use to pitch ideas for the space. It has tapped the Somerville firm Culture House to direct programming there when it opens.

For most Harvard College students, it will be the first time they encounter the structure from the other side of the fence.

Related: The fast-casual Mexican restaurant that became a Cambridge nightlife hub

Frankie Freeman, a junior and president of a group of student-run businesses in the square called Harvard Student Agencies, said the new structure will be a step — finally — in the right direction.

“It’s kind of just an eyesore currently,” said Freeman, of Rhode Island, who oversees the student-led tours that kick off right next to the long-dormant kiosk, and the Harvard Shop, which is located next door. “It’s a little saddening to have to talk to tourists who are coming in and want to see this beautiful landscape, but all they get to see as they leave the T is the construction right outside the station.”

Freeman, 20, said he is too young to have ever been to Out of Town News, so has no personal connection to it. “I just hope that they can work efficiently and quickly, and have the construction done so that we can present Harvard as it should be presented.”

Museums, great eateries, unique stores, and of course, Harvard Yard make this a must-visit destination

Harvard Square (the area around the convergence of Massachusetts Avenue and Brattle, Mount Auburn, and John F. Kennedy Streets) is a commercial center for Harvard students, Cambridge residents, and tourists. Photo by Chynna Benson (CGS’18, COM’20)

According to historian Charles Sullivan, an area that includes the present-day Harvard Square was founded in 1630 as the Puritan village of Newtowne, which would become Cambridge in 1638. Many of the original streets still exist, including parts of Church, Story, Eliot, Arrow, and Mount Auburn Streets. And a few early 18th-century wood-frame houses on Winthrop, Dunster, and South Streets remain, as well.

The name Harvard Square did not become popular until the middle of the 19th century. Today the square (the area around the convergence of Massachusetts Avenue and Brattle, Mount Auburn, and John F. Kennedy Streets) is a commercial center for Harvard students, Cambridge residents, and tourists. It’s no surprise, given the disposable income passing through, that regional and national chains have moved in—yet the square retains many long-standing locally owned and operated businesses.

No amount of economic evolution can remove the area’s fascinating blend of characters. A sunken region next to the MBTA subway entrance (“the pit”) is a prime venue for political activists, panhandlers, skateboarders, and street performers, who also provide a festive atmosphere one block away, on Brattle Street. (Tracy Chapman and Martin Sexton both performed as Harvard Square buskers.) Nearby, on Mass Ave, chess aficionados challenge one and all for kicks and cash. 

Below are some jumping-off points for exploring the square—destinations that lead to other destinations.

Bar Enza
1 Bennett St.

One of Harvard Square’s go-to spots for delicious Italian cuisine, Bar Enza, which opened inside the Charles Hotel in 2021, is a carb-lover’s dream. Be sure to try the restaurant’s delicious potato gnocchi with braised rabbit, favas, and pecorino. The restaurant’s spinach tagliatelle and baked rotolo with braised short rib ragu are among the other standouts. And don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The tiramisu and the affogato are worth every calorie. The restaurant is open for dinner only.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
1 Bow St.

This Japanese ramen chain first opened in New England in 2015 in Harvard Square and has earned a devoted following. The signature dish is shio ramen, a mild and creamy soup flavored with salt and topped with pickled plum. Another favorite is the robustly flavored tokusen toroniku ramen, with pork. In all, there are six ramens to choose from, each of them delicious.

The Attic
1218 Massachusetts Ave.

The Attic feels like a well-kept secret in Harvard Square. The light pink and powder blue walls are adorned with vintage artwork and hanging bags. Hats and accessories rest neatly on wall-mounted shelves, while a pink couch and wooden furnishings make the space feel like stepping into your grandmother’s living room. Racks are filled with a carefully curated mix of clothing: cozy sweaters, unique pants, and an array of jackets. Open daily from 11 am to 6 pm, and until 7 pm on Saturdays, the store’s ever-changing selection ensures that no two visits are ever quite the same. The store offers a 15 percent off discount for students every Monday. Be sure to check out their $10 and under vintage room, as well. Follow the Attic on Instagram for updates on new arrivals and store highlights.

Hong Kong
1238 Massachusetts Ave.

From its modest beginnings in 1954, this Chinese restaurant has become a Harvard Square fixture and has expanded to three floors, with a restaurant, a lounge, and the area’s largest dance floor. The menu is nothing remarkable, but you’ll find the biggest scorpion bowl in town: nine alcohols (mostly rums) and pineapple and orange juices. With exotic drinks like that, who needs food? That said, you’ll find plenty of entrees to choose from, including BBQ spare ribs, Peking ravioli, crispy salted pepper calamari, and kung pao shredded beef.

Mr. Bartley’s Gourmet Burgers
1246 Massachusetts Ave.

Americans love two things: burgers and snark. At Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage, a Harvard Square institution since 1960, diners can have both: every seven-ounce burger comes with a free side of sarcasm. The restaurant has been featured in the New York Times and on the Food Network, among other media. Some menu items are a nod to our current political zeitgeist: there’s the Kamala Harris (a burger with habanero ghost pepper cheese, bacon, jalapeños, crispy fried onions, and ranch), and the Trump (a double burger with American cheese, BBQ sauce, and crispy fried onions). And, yes, the restaurant also features a Coach Walz and J.D. Vance burgers. If you don’t have an appetite for politics, try the Boston University sandwich (featuring breaded chicken, mozzarella cheese, homemade marinara sauce, and shaved Parmesan). For an authentic Mr. Bartley’s experience, add an extra-thick frappe or malt—but only if you wear your stretch pants

Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Ave.

In 1932, Mark S. Kramer borrowed $300 from his parents to open a small store for used and remaindered books (books a publisher is trying to quickly get rid of). Today, the store is still independent: Mark’s son, Frank, sold it in 2008 to longtime customers Jeff Mayersohn and Linda Seamonson, who have expanded it to 100,000 new and used titles. The award-winning author event series presents readings, signings, and lectures by established and emerging authors. True bibliophiles will want to check out the store’s updated Frequent-Buyer Program: the more you buy, the more you save.

Clover Food Lab
1326 Massachusetts Ave.

Local vegetarian chain Clover Food Lab aims to convert carnivores. And with a rotating menu of unique pita sandwiches and other items, the fast food chain may indeed claim some converts. Staple sandwiches include the chickpea fritter (a take on falafel)—with homemade hummus, cucumber tomato salad, pickled veggies, and tahini—and the Impossible Meatball (wheat and potato protein, coconut oil, and heme), featuring garlic, parsley, a red sauce, provolone, and pecorino. Another favorite? The Mediterranean bowl, with homemade hummus, farro lemon dill, chickpea eggplant pepper salad, cucumber tomato salad, pickled cabbage, and falafel balls, drizzled with green tahini. Clover is constantly experimenting with new food technologies and introducing new flavor-packed vegetarian dishes.

Harvard Coop
1400 Massachusetts Ave.

Founded in 1882 by a group of Harvard students, the Harvard Coop (pronounced like coupe, not co-op) is one of the country’s largest bookstores. Now run in partnership with Barnes & Noble College, the multilevel, multibuilding retailer sells textbooks, school supplies, and dorm necessities, as well as Harvard merchandise. The membership fee is only $1 per year, just as it was back in 1882. But membership is selective: only students, faculty, alumni, and employees of Harvard, MIT, and affiliated hospitals of Harvard Medical School can join. Members receive an instant 10 percent discount on all purchases.

Pokéworks
1440 Massachusetts Ave.

Bringing a little taste of Hawaii to Harvard Square, Pokéworks launched in 2015 by founders who were inspired by frequent trips to the island. The menu features signature bowls, with options like spicy ahi (ahi tuna, cucumber, sweet onion, edamame, sriracha aioli, masago, green onion, sesame seeds, onion crisps, and shredded nori) and sweet sesame chicken (all-natural chicken breast, cucumber, sweet onion, edamame, mandarin orange, cilantro, Pokéworks classic sauce, seaweed salad, green onion, sesame, wonton crisps). You can also build your own bowl. Pair your meal with some hot miso soup, spicy edamame, or seaweed salad. The eatery offers a rewards program: spend $99 and you earn a $9 credit.

Grolier Poetry Bookshop
6 Plympton St.

Tucked into a sliver of Plympton Street and resembling a small hallway closet is Grolier, the oldest continuously operated poetry bookshop in America. Established in 1927, this nook of a bookstore now stocks over 15,000 volumes of trade, small press, and university publications devoted to poetry, prosody, and poetry markets. It also offers regular author readings and book signings. T. S. Eliot, Allen Ginsberg, Marianne Moore, and e.e. cummings are among the many legendary writers who visited Grolier, and their black-and-white portraits gaze down from above the shop’s many shelves. The store is open 11 am to 7pm three days a week, Wednesday to Friday, and on the first Saturday of each month. You can also place delivery orders online.

Club Passim
47 Palmer St.

Before she became a poster child for the antiwar movement in the 1960s, Joan Baez gave her first concert at a small Cambridge music venue called Club 47. Now, more than half a century later, Club 47—now Club Passim—remains a cornerstone of local and legendary folk music. Noted performers—among them Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin, and Joni Mitchell—made some of their first public appearances here. Among recent performers are progressive folk duo Honeysuckle, Richard Shindell, Janet Feld, and Bernice Lewis. The club’s intimate setting invites audience and artist interaction. The venue also offers membership tiers, including a free student membership that grants access to ticket presales, free concert live streams, and many other benefits. It’s a great way to support the local folk scene, so be sure to check out all the perks here.

SOURCE Restaurants
27 Church St.

This trendy, upscale gastro pub is known for its high-end take on a classic dish: pizza. Here, you’re encouraged to eat it with…gasp…a fork and knife! SOURCE serves up delicious pies, such as the SOURCE Margherita—with Maplebrook Farm mozzarella, roasted tomato, and basil—and a seasonal pizza—featuring truffle smoked ricotta, roasted mushrooms, red onions, and arugula. You’ll also find an excellent selection of cocktails, including seasonal drinks like their Autumn spritz, and an assortment of entrees, pasta dishes, small plates, and delicious desserts. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and serves a weekend brunch featuring French toast, and a variety of egg dishes, in addition to pasta and pizza.

The Sinclair
52 Church St.

This live music venue, which opened in 2012, has helped revive Harvard Square’s nightlife scene. Rebecca Black, Field Medic, and Rico Nasty are among the numerous acts that have appeared. The space can hold 500, but it has an intimate feel. Best of all, there isn’t a bad view of the stage from anywhere (the balconies have the best vantage point).

Cambridge Artists Cooperative
59A Church St.

Established in 1988, the Cambridge Artists Cooperative is the area’s only year-round, artist-owned and artist-managed crafts cooperative. With work from more than 100 artists from across the country, this 2,000-square-foot gallery has contemporary crafts, paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry, clothing, and sculptures. New work is displayed every month. Online shopping is also available.

Wholesome Fresh
60 Church St.

Wholesome Fresh is like a mini upscale grocery store in the middle of all the Harvard Square action. In addition to groceries, it sells deli sandwiches and fresh self-serve options that steer clear of artificial ingredients. Stop in to grab a bite to eat, or place a pickup order online.

Fjällräven
63 Church St.

This Swedish-based retailer specializes in outdoor gear and is particularly popular for its backpacks, which can be seen all over Boston. The backpacks, along with the company’s jackets, pants, and other outdoor equipment, are made with its signature “G-1000” hard-wearing and versatile fabric—engineered to be durable and breathable, good for both mountain climbing and a stroll down Comm Ave. Though Fjällräven’s products are on the more expensive side, they’re popular for their high quality.

Bosso Ramen Tavern
24 Holyoke St.

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Ramen places are popping up all over the Boston area, but few can top this one. Bosso Ramen Tavern opened its doors in March 2022 and drew an immediate crowd of devoted patrons. The rotating, ocean-inspired menu offers several delicious rice bowl and sushi options—and they are best known for their ramen dishes. The umami ramen is particularly flavorful and comes with flavored egg and kikurage, a type of mushroom. Umami means “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese, and this dish fully lives up to that description. Whether you choose to go for lunch or dinner, this place never disappoints. Delivery is also available here.

Black Sheep Bagel Cafe
56 John F. Kennedy St.

This mom-and-pop cafe, open for takeout, has a fun and fresh spin on traditional bagels—or, as they call them, “baaagels.” The bagels are made in-house with creative pairings. Try the caprese toast (served with tomato, mozzarella, and pesto), the breakfast BLT sandwich (served with maple bacon cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, and bacon bits), and the classic avocado toast. The cafe also serves coffee and offers catering for bulk orders with advanced notice.

Menya Jiro
57 John F. Kennedy St.

This award-winning ramen chain takes pride in its origin story, with its first few locations taking Japan by storm in 2010. The first American flagship restaurant opened in New York City in 2017. In July 2021, they opened their first local eatery in Harvard Square (they also now have locations in the Seaport and at Legacy Place in Dedham). Check out the famous Ibusuki ramen (mixed broth made from pork and chicken, and paired with garlic and soy sauce, pork chashu, scallions, bean sprouts, and fried garlic), named after the Japanese city where the chain launched. Menu offerings include vegetarian options, such as the veggie miso bowl (miso flavored vegetable stock soup, jiro vegetable mix, tomato, sweet corn, and tofu). Not in the mood for ramen? Check out the udon, takoyaki, or gyoza.

Cardullo’s Gourmet Shoppe 
6 Brattle St.

Walking into Cardullo’s feels like stepping back 70 years, to a time when specialty shops like this were at the heart of every neighborhood. The walls are jam-packed with shelves of imported pastas, olive oils, and other pantry staples, while the deli counter hums with activity, offering freshly made sandwiches and an array of fine cheeses and charcuterie. In between, you’ll find artisanal chocolates, gift baskets, craft beers, and a thoughtfully curated selection of wines and spirits. The shop has been a Harvard Square staple since 1950, balancing old-world charm with an ever-changing selection that reflects tastes from around the world.

Felipe’s Taqueria
21 Brattle St.

Hands down, Felipe’s is the best destination for Mexican food in Harvard Square. Their tacos are a must-try, made with fresh corn tortillas, chopped onions, and a generous topping of guacamolillo. You pick the meat and toppings. If you’re not a taco fan, try the quesadilla or the chimichanga. The festive environment is one of a kind and only improves as the late-night crowd rolls in. There’s a rooftop bar that is open during warm-weather months. Felipe’s is famous for its fresh key lime margaritas. Stop by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. On their website, Felipe’s sums up their dining experience in three words: fresh, fast, and friendly. Trust us—you can take them at their word.

Bob Slate Stationers
30 Brattle St.

This store is a must for anyone who appreciates quality stationery, fine pens, office products, diaries and calendars, and a wonderful selection of gift and holiday cards and wrapping paper. The knowledgeable staff has been serving Boston-area residents since 1930 and can provide help with everything from selecting the perfect fountain pen to finding the right kind of personalized stationery.

Brattle Theatre
40 Brattle St.

Fans of the silver screen have been catching flicks at the Brattle since 1953, when Bryant Haliday and Cyrus Harvey, Jr., premiered the German film Der Hauptmann von Köpenick. Showing classic, independent, foreign, and art-house films, this nonprofit theater—one of a vanishing breed—is best known for its eclectic and repertory format. Housed in a barnlike meeting hall, it is one of the few remaining movie theaters to use rear projection—the projector is behind the screen rather than behind the audience—which reduces shadows on the screen and can give better contrast and saturation.

Alden and Harlow
40 Brattle St.

When chef Michael Scelfo opened Alden & Harlow in 2014, he wanted to serve “honest American food, bold and flavor forward in taste.” And he does, with dishes like chicken-fried local rabbit topped with chili oil, radish, and blue cheese, and grilled bluefish with celery root, remoulade, and house pickles. There’s also a weekend brunch featuring such yummy items as pickled corn pancakes with tarragon aioli, fermented ramp greens, and burnt cherry hot sauce; avocado toast with green garlic oil, whipped feta, marinated cucumbers, and sesame chili crisp; and French toast with roasted strawberry and rhubarb, whipped cream cheese, and vanilla honey. Scelfo also has another eatery, Waypoint, across the square at 1030 Massachusetts Ave., offering coastally inspired fare.

L. A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates
52 Brattle St.

When the Aztecs drank chocolate thousands of years ago, this “drink of the gods” was so rare and sacred that only the richest could afford it. At L.A. Burdick, “richest” is a culinary reference: a mug of hot chocolate here beats that watery instant stuff any day. The secret? It’s made from chocolate—and only chocolate—hand-shaved and warmed in milk. If that’s not rich enough for you, try the “Harvard Square,” a dense chocolate and walnut cake topped with velvety ganache. L.A. Burdick also sells a wide selection of chocolate confectionery. Of special note are its whimsical chocolate mice and penguins, beloved by L.A. Burdick patrons for more than 25 years, individually handcrafted in 12 steps over three days.

Brattle Square Florist
52 Brattle St.

This eye-catching local flower shop, opened in 1973, recently moved around the corner next to L.A. Burdick. It’s famous for providing the freshest flowers and stellar customer service. The knowledgeable staff will help you put together the perfect arrangement or select the perfect houseplant. The shop offers delivery to Cambridge, Boston, and nearby areas. It’s open daily (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day).

American Repertory Theater
64 Brattle St.

Founded in 1980, the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) has garnered many of the nation’s most distinguished awards: a Tony Award for best regional theater, a Jujamcyn Theaters Award, and the National Theatre Conference’s Outstanding Achievement Award. Housed in the Loeb Drama Center, the A.R.T. has seen a number of its productions transfer to Broadway, among them All the Way, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Pippin, The Glass Menagerie, Waitress, and Life of Pi. The company has staged dozens of American and world premieres. In late 2026, A.R.T. is slated to relocate to the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance at 175 N. Harvard St. in Allston, near Harvard’s athletics facilities, business school, and science complex. Accessible by foot, bike, public transit, and car, the new venue will feature two performance spaces, studios, a public lobby, and an outdoor event yard, with performances beginning there in early 2027. A.R.T. will continue producing at the Loeb Drama Center until the move.

Longfellow House—Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site
105 Brattle St.

Rich in history, this landmark building was the home of one of America’s most renowned 19th-century poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Prior to that, the house was George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War siege of Boston (July 1775 to April 1776). Today, the museum is administered by the National Park Service and houses a collection of 19th-century documentary material and papers belonging to the Longfellow family, as well as clothing, fine arts, tools, and toys. The house, which sits on just under two acres, has a carriage barn and a pergola and is surrounded by lush lawns and formal gardens. Join the likes of Charles Dickens and Ralph Waldo Emerson as one of many visitors to the house. The site is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, but virtual visits are available.

The Garage
36 John F. Kennedy St.

Follow the smell of pizza, incense, and Vietnamese food, and you’ll end up at the Garage, definitely one of Harvard Square’s oddities. This multistory mini shopping mall—a neighborhood landmark for more than 50 years—is in fact a converted parking garage, with even its original car ramp preserved. It houses an eclectic variety of eateries and shops, notably Newbury Comics, with one of the region’s largest collections of new-wave and alternative music. There are plans to redevelop the mall to offer expanded retail, restaurant, and office space, as well as six outdoor terraces. The current building, which dates back to 1860, was originally a horse stable.

Amorino
50 John F. Kennedy St.

This Parisian-based gelato maker opened in Harvard Square in summer 2018, its second Boston-area location. It specializes in shaping different flavors of gelato into a multicolored rose, usually complemented by a macaron placed in the center. We dare you to find a more presentable dessert anywhere in the Boston area. Flavors range from hazelnut to passion fruit. They also serve milkshakes, granita, and sorbet drinks.

Peet’s Coffee
100 Mt. Auburn St.

This cozy cafe, part of the Peet’s Coffee chain, is a popular spot for students and locals alike to unwind with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, crafted espresso drinks, or herbal teas. With ample seating and a laid-back atmosphere, Peet’s is perfect for catching up on reading, studying, or meeting with friends. The outdoor seating overlooks Winthrop Square, offering a pleasant spot to enjoy menu highlights like the chicken and waffles sandwich, made with warm maple waffles and melted Gouda, or the spiced maple cold brew oat latte, a fall favorite.

Grendel’s Den
89 Winthrop St.

The sign outside this enduring dyed-in-the-wool Harvard Square watering hole announces that it was established in 1271. It’s a typo, and should have read 1971. But the owners kept the sign because Grendel’s Den is named after the antagonist from Beowulf, and the medieval date evokes the epic poem’s period. The bar circumvents the state’s no-happy-hour mandate by offering half-price food between 5 and 7:30 pm daily. The justice system okayed such defiance: Grendel’s famously fought a 1982 legal battle over its liquor license all the way to the US Supreme Court and won—separation of church and state was at the heart of it, believe it or not. That’s worth celebrating with a sandwich and microbrew—or two.

Charlie’s Kitchen
10 Eliot St.

This family-friendly, multilevel bar-restaurant and self-proclaimed “double cheeseburger king” has been a mainstay of Harvard Square for more than 65 years, and is a popular spot for college students. The wide-ranging menu includes cheeseburgers, fried chicken, grilled lobster melt sandwiches, and veggie items, like the homemade black bean and veggie cheeseburger with salsa, guacamole, and chips. They’re also known for their incredible grilled cheese sandwiches. The ground floor is reminiscent of a 1950s-style diner, with several HD TVs turned to local news and sports channels. There’s also a sidewalk patio, an upstairs lounge boasting “the best jukebox in Cambridge,” and a hopping beer garden featuring 22 draught beers. The beer garden stays open year-round thanks to the fire pits Charlie’s turns on during the cold months. Charlie’s traditionally hosts trivia quizzes on Wednesday nights, and they are also dog-friendly!

Harvard Yard

The “Yahd” defines one side of the square. Lined by Harvard’s freshman dorms, it’s the epitome of a New England college campus: red brick buildings under a canopy of hardwood trees, ablaze in color each fall. Presiding over the Yard is a statue of 17th-century English clergyman John Harvard, the college’s first benefactor. The sculpture is often called the “statue of three lies”: the inscription reads “John Harvard, Founder, 1638,” but the university was founded in 1636, Harvard was not the founder (although his library and fortune helped sustain the school through its early years), and no one knows what the actual John Harvard looked like. Sculptor Daniel Chester French (best known for the Lincoln Memorial) had a student model for the statue in 1884. When you look at the statue, note how brightly polished one shoe is. Tour guides say that it’s good luck to rub Harvard’s left foot. Nearby is Harvard’s main library, the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, with 57 miles of bookshelves and more than three million volumes, including one of the world’s few existing copies of the Gutenberg Bible.

Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford St.

A trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History is an evolutionary experience. Visit prehistoric creatures, such as fossil invertebrates, reptiles, and the world’s only mounted Kronosaurus. Wander through a garden of more than 3,000 handcrafted glass flowers or admire a 1,600-pound amethyst geode. The museum is open daily and offers student discounts to non-Harvard students.

Harvard Art Museums
32 Quincy St.

Among the things Harvard University is renowned for are its three art museums—the Fogg (Western art from the Middle Ages to the present), the Busch-Reisinger (works from northern and central Europe, with an emphasis on German-speaking countries), and the Sackler (Asian, ancient Mediterranean and Byzantine, Islamic, and Indian art). In a project that took six years to complete at a reported cost of $250 million, all three were united under one roof for the first time in 2014 as the Harvard Art Museums. The facility, designed by noted architect Renzo Piano, is an expansion of the original 1927 Fogg Museum building. The museums house more than 250,000 works of art and are home to four separate research centers. The renovation incorporated galleries to feature special exhibitions. The best part? Thanks to a contribution from the estate of David Rockefeller and support from the Office of the President of Harvard University, the Harvard Art Museums are free for all visitors.

An updated guide to popular restaurants and unique bars you can visit in the Cambridge neighborhood.

Triple D burger from Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage in Cambridge. Handout/Silvia Domanoski

By Nia Harmon and Shira Laucharoen
October 17, 2024

In Harvard Square, you will find a neighborhood bustling with students, neighbors, and first-time visitors. But the area is also home to a number of restaurants and bars, whether you’re looking for a burger with fries or a cocktail to sip on with brunch.

To help you navigate a host of enjoyable options, we’ve updated our guide to some of the most popular eateries and bars in the Cambridge neighborhood. Between browsing for books at the local shops or attending the Head of the Charles Regatta, you’re sure to find a new favorite spot.

Where to eat

Alden & Harlow

Beneath the Brattle Theater, you’ll find this hip, subterranean New American restaurant that’s perfect for a night out. While you’re browsing the menu, think of ordering the basil pasta served with carrot bolognese, the Secret Burger on a housemade roll, or the Ora King salmon served with ratatouille. Don’t miss out on dessert—the smoked chocolate bread pudding is a winner in our book.

40 Brattle St., Cambridge

Bosso Ramen Tavern

This izakaya opened last year, and since then, it’s become a neighborhood fixture. Bosso Ramen Tavern serves sushi, sake, and ramen, made with a homemade broth. For those who don’t eat meat, the vegan ramen includes soy meat, cashews, walnuts, and red chili oil. After a flavorful entree, cleanse your palate with the black sesame ice cream. The restaurant expanded to Newbury Street in Back Bay with Sushi by Bosso Ramen Tavern earlier this summer.

• Your guide to the 2023 Head of the Charles Regatta: schedule, where to watch, top stories, and more
• Joe’s Pizza, an iconic New York City spot, opens in Harvard Square

24 Holyoke St., Cambridge

Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria

A casual spot on Brattle Street, Felipe’s is the place to go when you need a Mexican food fix. Order the Baja-style tacos, made with a choice of lightly breaded shrimp or fish, or enjoy nachos made with extra melted cheese, refried beans, and more. Reader Elaine S. from Belmont said, “A lot has changed in Harvard Square. Felipe’s is still a great and affordable social space with a limited but authentic selection of Mexican food… Best margaritas in Camberville.”

21 Brattle St., Cambridge

Henrietta’s Table

Inside the Charles Hotel, you may stumble upon Henrietta’s Table, a homey farm-to-table spot that sources produce from local purveyors and serves up classic New England cuisine. If you’re sitting down to brunch, you may want to order the salmon burger, served with spicy tartar sauce and mixed greens. For supper, you can dig into a Yankee pot roast, served with crispy shallots and gravy.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Warm up at this popular ramen restaurant, serving traditional Japanese staples since 2015. For starters, try the karaage, a Japanese-style deep fried chicken or the octopus takoyaki, a deep fried octopus ball topped with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, and bonito flakes. Following your appetizer, enjoy a bowl of their signature tonkotsu shio ramen made with tonkotsu broth that is simmered to perfection for 20 hours. For those who don’t eat meat, a vegetarian ramen option is available. 

1 Bow St., Cambridge

Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage

Students love this joint, where you can build your own burger or choose from one of their creatively named options, like the Kamala Harris or The Ozempic. Reader Gene D. from Waltham called the spot “a local landmark,” adding that “the service is always friendly and fast, the campus ambiance is strong, and most importantly, the food is tasty! I’ve been dining there for years, and Mr. Bartley’s burgers are the best in the Boston area!”

1246 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge

Orinoco Kitchen

For quality Venezuelan dining, visit Orinoco Kitchen. Try one of their many arepa options or the empanadas, which can be ordered with fillings like shredded beef or forest mushrooms, piquillo peppers, and cheese. The restaurant also serves a marinated chicken adobo that you can choose to eat with malanga gnocchi. The molten chocolate cake, made with pure dark chocolate, is a decadent finish. Orinoco also has a location in Brookline Village.

56 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge

Pronto

Looking to grab a quick bite before the races start? If so, Pronto has a hearty list of soups, sweets, and handheld options for breakfast and lunch. Try a sandwich named after famous landmarks and beloved cities, like the Big Ben on sourdough or the Cairo on French bread.

20 University Rd., Cambridge

Source Restaurant

Craving a slice of pizza? Head over to Source, which features “rustic yet refined food.” Neapolitan pies are cooked in a wood-fired oven, and you can choose from a variety of flavors: the classic margherita, the Tuscan kale, pepperoni, New York style, and more. You’ll also find pasta dishes on their menu, from the bucatini in a carbonara sauce to tagliatelli with bolognese sauce. Cocktails, wine, and beer round out their offerings.

27 Church St., Cambridge

The Friendly Toast

Enjoy a slow paced morning before the competitive races on the river at this funky retro brunch spot with an extensive list of options and an even cooler bar. Signature brunch choices include soulful favorites like chicken and waffles, breakfast tacos, and hash quiche. For a fun cocktail, try the Harvard Square made up of elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, and bubbles. 

1230 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge

The Hourly Oyster House

If you’re looking to dine on seafood from New England and beyond, visit The Hourly Oyster House on Dunster Street. Order a seafood tower for your party, or fill up on blackened swordfish tacos, lobster rolls, or crusted halibut. A reader from Watertown said they have a great vibe and offer the best oysters in Boston. “It was better before COVID, but when we want oysters and can’t drive to the South Shore, we always come here,” she said.

15 Dunster St., Cambridge

Where to drink

Grafton Street Pub & Grill

Get a drink at Grafton Street, an Irish gastropub that is both contemporary and inviting. You’ll discover draft beers here, such as Mighty Squirrel Oktoberfest and Exhibit ‘A’ Goody Two Shoes, as well as ciders and spirits. To celebrate the fall, try a cocktail like the Fig Mule, composed of fig vodka, blueberry cordial, ginger beer, and lime.

59 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge

Grendel’s Den Restaurant & Bar

Students frequent Grendel’s, a neighborhood tavern with beer on draft, sangria by the pitcher, and a range of cocktails like the Naked and Famous, a mix of mezcal, Aperol, Chartreuse, and lime. The spot also offers “horoscope drinks,” a rotating selection of beverages based on the astrological charts. Grendel’s hosts live events, from music, to storytelling and poetry. Having been in the Square for over 50 years, they’re a classic haunt.

89 Winthrop St., Cambridge

Noir Bar

Noir Bar is a chic late-night lounge inside the Charles Hotel. Look out for craft cocktails like the Fleur de Lys, made with vodka, lime, herbes de Provence, and pear. Try the Monte Carlo Flip, which incorporates Italian amaro Averna, Amaro Sibilla, super cacao, and a whole egg. If you’re still wishing you had a bite to accompany your drink, request a flatbread, painted burrata, or a croque-monsieur. Noir promises to be an enjoyable night out with friends.

1 Bennett St., Cambridge

Russell House Tavern

A lively and comfortable spot, Russell House Tavern is a great place to sip drinks after work, boasting an extensive beer, wine, and cocktail list. You may be drawn in by the More Passion, which combines Leblon cachaça, passion fruit liqueur, agave, lime, grapefruit, and mint. To go with your beverages, order the local oysters, Harvard Square fries, or try a Tavern pizza.

14 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge

Wusong Road Tiki Bar

Hidden away in “the outskirts of Harvard Square,” Wusong Road marries Asian American cuisine and tropical Tiki escapism. Drinks include the Scorpion Bowl, made with Appleton Estate rum, brandy, gin, lemon, organge, pineapple, and hibiscus grenadine, as well as the Singapore Sling, made with Roku gin, cherry brandy, curacao, Benedictine, pineapple, and lime. You’ll find some bites on the menu here too, such as the coconut spareribs and Aloha sliders.

112 Mt Auburn St., Cambridge

STUDS newly opened a Harvard Square studio at 1 Brattle Square. By Elyse C. Goncalves

By Jackson M. Deutch, Bradford D. Kimball, and Claire L. Simon, Contributing Writers

Yesterday

STUDS, a national piercing and jewelry chain, recently opened its newest branch in Harvard Square, hoping to pierce the area’s student market.

According to the company’s social media, STUDS offers needle ear piercings and “high-quality” jewelry. The opening of the Harvard Square store marks the company’s fourth Massachusetts location, joining stores in Back Bay, Seaport, and Chestnut Hill.

The new studio, located at One Brattle Square, opened on Aug. 24. But according to Brianna C. Wright, the store’s assistant manager, the location has not gotten the traction they expected.

“Business has been pretty okay. Definitely not what we expected it to be,” Wright said. “We thought that we would be hitting it straight out the gate – super busy. It’s fairly quiet here.”

Wright said the store’s location may contribute to the slow business.

“Our neighboring stores, they told us that we’re kind of in a more hidden part of the Square,” she said.

One Brattle Square is the former home of Spyce, a robotic-powered restaurant that shuttered in 2022. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is set to open there in the near future.

STUDS Co-Founder Anna S. Harmon said the company was born as a solution to a problem she encountered in her 30s.

“Where do you go, if you’re me — and I was probably 34 at the time I was doing this — and you want to get another piercing, but you obviously have outgrown Claire’s and some of the other mall brands,” Harmon said. “The answer was nowhere, and so that is how STUDS was born.”

Harmon said while the company serves customers as young as 13, their “core audience” is ages 18 to 35.

“For me, Harvard Square epitomizes that demographic,” she said.

According to Harmon, STUDS hopes to attract more students to their location by offering a 10 percent student discount.

“Your parents can’t say anything to you about getting piercings. You should go live your life,” Harmon said.

STUDS emphasized that it uses needles for piercings rather than piercing guns, advertising on Instagram that they “only pierce with single-use piercing needles and implant-grade piercing jewelry (with titanium posts) for better precision, safety, and healing.”

Jess E. Perez, a senior piercer at the Harvard Square location, said Cambridge regulations have added hurdles to the process, including requiring exams for piercers.

“Boston is definitely the Wild West when it comes to piercings. Literally, you can really do anything in Boston, but here, you have to have certain criterias,” she said. “I had basically an expedited version of an eight-week course for skin and anatomy.”

Wright, who previously worked at the Back Bay location, said some students still go to other locations in Boston despite the new opening in Cambridge.

“But we’re here. We’re open,” she said. “Please come to us.”