Television

Feb 13, 2025

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. —

While you’ve still got time, don’t wait too long. All the shops WCVB heard from on Feb. 13 say they expect long lines on Friday, saying to get there the earlier – the better.

The patio and winter menu at Harvest in Harvard Square will warm you up so well that you’ll forget you’re outside

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Al fresco dining in the winter months? It exists! In the heart of Harvard Square, Cambridge, Harvest offers a unique outdoor dining experience that defies the frigid winter months. Its patio has heaters above nearly every table, a roaring fireplace, and blankets.

Harvest’s contemporary American cuisine has been a Cambridge mainstay for 50 years. In the chillier months, cold weather cocktails and a winter menu aim to warm the tummy, including classics like clam chowder, broccoli and cheddar bisque, and a classic cheeseburger, all made with locally sourced ingredients.

By Paul Burton

Updated on: January 12, 2025 / 1:43 PM EST / CBS Boston

CAMBRIDGE – As wildfires continue to cause destruction in California, people and businesses in Massachusetts are looking for ways to help victims. One restaurant in Cambridge is doing its part to support relief efforts by donating proceeds from part of their menu.

Donating to wildlife victims

Source Restaurants, located on Church Street in Harvard Square, is donating all the money from their Perfect Harmony Drink.

“We are going to be donating our proceeds from the Perfect Harmony to go out to the families and all of the people out in California to help get them back on their feet,” owner Brian Kavorkian said.   

The restaurant is partnering with World Central Kitchen, which provides hot food and cold drinks to first responders on the frontlines of the fires. 

Kavorkian says he’s happy to know their impact is now being felt and fed across the country. 

“Terrifying and one of the worst things I’ve ever seen, and I lived in California, so seeing that makes me feel so sad for all the people that I know out there,” he said.

Source Restaurants prides itself on supporting nearby communities by using products that are within 100 miles of their restaurant, so they said they are more than happy to help people who will need to rebuild in other communities.

“It means a lot to me to give back there, especially to the communities, because you know the struggles that the people are going through, and it’s going to be so hard to get your life back on track,” he said. 

Brian says Source Restaurants will be donating the proceeds from The Perfect Harmony Drink from now until the end of the month.

By Dana Gerber Globe Staff,Updated December 24, 2024, 9:03 a.m.

Would a 25-year-old reporter go to an arcade?Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%

1:00WATCH: Reporter Dana Gerber talks about her experience with arcades and their growing popularity

Decades out from their heyday, arcades are once again becoming space invaders.

From a 300-square-foot storefront in Somerville to a former pizza joint off Route 140 in Taunton, a spate of these electronic playgrounds have opened their doors across Greater Boston in the past few years.

Why the extra life? In the aftermath of the pandemic, operators found a public clamoring for experience-based brick-and-mortar spots, and communities hungry for businesses that could bring people out to play.

“Coming out of COVID, it was really clear that people had taken experiences for granted,” said Sean Hope, who got “good deals” on leases to open two locations of an arcade, called Dx, in Cambridge this year. “I felt that people really would be attracted to a curated experience that was something different than before.”

And though their inspiration may be retro, this new generation of arcades isn’t mere nostalgia bait. It’s more like a leveling-up,with these venuesoffering a mix of classic and high-tech games, modern pricing models, and on-site bars and restaurants.

One needs only step in the Dx location in Central Square to see that it’s playing a very different game than its grungy forebears. Gone are Frogger and his ilk, replaced by machines like a bunny-themed virtual reality experience and a two-person StepManiax dance floor. A small bar stocked with White Claws and Heinekens is nestled next to the prize selection — which includes stuffed animals, yes, but also grown-up novelties such as Bluetooth headphones and marbled water bottles. And there’s no need for pocketfuls of quarters; all machines accept only pre-loaded play cards.

It’s not the first arcade to arrive to the neighborhood; Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, which has an arcade bar in the back, is just a short walk away from Dx.

Michael Monestime, president of the Central Square Business Improvement District, was glad to see the all-ages hangout take over one of the neighborhood’s vacant storefronts.

“We have the foot traffic. They just need places to go and more reasons to stay, and this is one of them,” said Monestime. “That’s been a hard corner . . . now we have this great small business on a corner that sometimes feels hard, and now it will feel playful. I think that’s a big win for the Square.”

By Samantha Chaney

Updated on: December 20, 2024 / 7:02 PM EST / CBS Boston

CAMBRIDGE – A romance bookstore – the first in the Boston area – has opened its doors in Cambridge, giving fans of the genre the chance to revel in romantic reads.

A first for the Boston area

“We’re the first brick-and-mortar romance-focused bookstore in the Boston area,” Rachel Kanter, owner of Harvard Square’s new Lovestruck Books, said.

For customer Birukti Tsige, there’s no better feeling than cuddling up with a good romance novel.

“There’s just something comforting about it. I love the hallmarks of the genre,” she said. The twists and turns of a good love story are what keep her flipping through the pages. “I probably read, like, two or three a week sometimes.”

According to Kanter, the store is stocked with 10,000 books. “We have Romantasies; we’ve got sports, dark romance, historical books … I mean literally everything,” she said.   

Books aren’t the only thing available on the bookshelves. “We’ve got everything meant to enhance the reading experience: We’ve got tea; we’ve got things for a cozy night in. We’ve also got craft activities if you want to take a mental break from the things going on in your life.”   

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) – The historic Harvard Square Kiosk in Cambridge will soon reopen as a renovated pop-up community space.

In partnership with the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Office of Tourism, the landmark, which has been closed since 2019, Culture House will be operating and programming the kiosk beginning in 2025.

Cambridge KiOSK will be a brand new space for art, culture, and conversation.

The organization is seeking artists, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in and around Cambridge to help bring the KiOSK to life!

The city is looking for community members to join an advisory committee that will help determine what events and programming will be featured at the kiosk.