Chef-owner: René Becker · Opened 1996
Founded 1996 by René Becker, who started baking bread as a University of Michigan student and delivering it to Zingerman's in Ann Arbor. Former Brattle Street outpost (in the historic Blacksmith House) closed in 2011; Hi-Rise Sweets opened as a pastry-focused second location in 2024.
$15–$30 per person
Corner bakery and sandwich counter in Huron Village. Naturally-leavened breads, pastries made in house, and a short rotating menu of seasonal sandwiches and soups. Hi-Rise Sweets is a pastry-focused sister location that opened in 2024.
The Maitre d' Recommends
Reddit Mentions
Contact Details
208 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Tue-Sat: 7AM-5PM, Sun: 8AM-3PM, Closed Mon
12 min walk from Harvard
RedYou Might Also Like
Sofra Bakery & Cafe
Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek pastries and savory flatbreads from Ana Sortun (Oleana) and pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick. Across from Mount Auburn Cemetery in Huron Village — worth the detour for the morning bun alone.
Bagelsaurus
Slow-fermented sourdough bagels shaped and boiled in-house. Expanding the storefront in 2024 to meet demand. Not New York-style but Bon Appétit once called them among the best bagels in the US outside of New York.
Zinneken's
Belgian waffles built to order — Liège-style on sweet dough and lighter Brussels-style on yeasted batter. A Harvard Square fixture since 2011, with a Boston-area food truck that grew out of the brick-and-mortar.
Talulla
12-table tasting-menu restaurant in Huron Village from husband-and-wife team Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer. A short menu drawing on French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese technique, paired with a carefully-edited wine list and a tight classic cocktail program.