Posts Tagged ‘food history’
Nick’s Beef and Beer House
Years 1971 – 1998 Location 1688 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard/Porter Square History The fact that it was more identifiably called “Nick’s eef and eer Ho”, or “Nick’s Bee and Beer Hose,” depending on which letters were missing from its sign, kind of says it all. Nick’s had a loyal following, despite (or because of) its unabashed,…
Read MoreJoyce Chen Restaurant
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Locations 617 Concord Ave, 1958-1971 The Joyce Chen Small Eating Place (1967-1988) 302 Massachusetts Avenue Joyce Chen Restaurant (1969-1974) 500 Memorial Drive Website: https://joycechenfoods.com/legacy/ History Joyce Chen was Boston’s first real celebrity restaurateur and holds indisputable importance in American culinary history. In the same era Julia Child was changing America’s…
Read MoreCambridge School of Culinary Arts
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1974 – present Location 2020 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square Website: https://cambridgeculinary.com/ History In 1974, Roberta L. Dowling began teaching classes on European cooking in her home, an endeavor whose popularity precipitated the opening of an established school of culinary arts. Roberta graduated from Madeleine Kaman’s Modern Gourmet cooking school…
Read MoreIndia Pavilion
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1979 – present Location 17 Central Square, Western Ave. Website: https://indiapavilion.com/ History Indian food in New England was born here. In 1979, Mohan Singh bought a Central Square pizza house and turned it into an Indian restaurant – something not found anywhere else in Boston at the time. Not…
Read MoreCulinary History Hub
Culinary History of Cambridge By Rain Robertson, and revised by Deb Mandel, 2022 Cambridge holds a rich and distinctive culinary history. It gave America ice, the Porterhouse steak, Peking ravioli, its first star chef in Julia Child, and a hankering for Indian food. This is a survey of 20th century markets, delis, cafeterias, and local…
Read MoreLegal Seafoods
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2002 Years 1950 – Cambridge Locations 237 Hampshire St., Inman Square 1950 -1980 5 Cambridge St., Kendall Square 1982- present Charles Square, Harvard Square 2003-2020 Website: https://www.legalseafoods.com/about-us History The original “Legal’s” thrived in Inman Square for a generation. This was where locals, including the loyal Julia Child, ate clam…
Read MoreJulia Child’s Kitchen
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1961 – 2004 Location (Julia’s home) 103 Irving St., Cambridge History Julia moved from Europe to Cambridge in 1961, where husband Paul accepted a job. They settled into a cozy house on tree-lined Irving St., nestled into her soon-to-be-famous blue and green kitchen. Paul stirred up “upside down martinis”…
Read MoreSimeone’s
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1949-1976 Locations 41 Pearl St. (1946-1949) 21 Brookline St. (1949-1976) History Simeone’s, whose motto was, “choice foods skillfully prepared served promptly and courteously,” opened on February 24, 1949 on Brookline street in Central Square, after moving from its original 60-seat 41 Pearl St. location. Its menu included pizza, popular…
Read MoreWursthaus
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1917 – 1996 Locations 4 JFK St., Harvard Square (Formerly Boylston St.) 11 Prospect Street, Central Square History Located in the heart of Harvard Square, the Wursthaus was a popular gathering spot. In 1927, it advertised “palate ticklers,” such as “fancy stuffed fruit, imported German gingerbread, fancy imported…
Read MoreThe Tasty Sandwich Shop
Compiled by Deb Mandel, 2022 Years 1916 – 1997 Location 2a JFK St., Harvard Square History The 24-hour/day Tasty Sandwich Shop, a beloved character in the heart of Harvard Square, was located in the demolished Read Block building, former site of Colonial poet Anne Bradstreet’s home. The Tasty was a no-frills, 300 square foot, 12-seat…
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