At 10 a.m. on a Saturday, people are already waiting outside Merai Bar at 14 Harvard Street when the Newbery Street Coffee Roasters team unlocks the door. Brookline.News described that crowd in August, at the pop-up where founder Pack Katisomsakul pours Thai specialty coffee and serves salt bread. The pop-up runs only a few hours a week, and people still line up for it.
This fall, the businesses changing hands on the Brookline Village end of Harvard Street have made the same choice. A wine shop came back with its floor rearranged for gatherings. A gastropub is being replaced by a larger bar licensed to stay open later. A weekend coffee residency raised money from 265 backers to build a permanent home. Each one is built to give people a reason to stay longer.
A Coffee Pop-Up Crowdfunded Its Way Toward a Storefront
Newbery Street has been popping up around Boston for more than a year, and it's moving into 240 Harvard Street, the former Cremeux bakery space, for its first permanent café. The team ran a Kickstarter campaign to cover the last costs of the build-out. It funded on August 31 with $34,834 from 265 backers, almost $10,000 more than its $25,000 goal.
"We love Brookline because of the community," Katisomsakul told Brookline.News, looking out at the Merai Bar crowd. "I think people are very supportive here. They are giving you a chance."
The coffee itself has a track record. Katisomsakul finished third at the U.S. National Brewers Cup in both 2024 and 2025, earned an honorable mention at the 2025 Global Coffee Awards, and was named a Sprudge Coffee Hero of 2026. At Merai Bar, the menu pairs pour-overs with drinks like a Black Sesame Latte and an Azuki Matcha. Newbery Street's own site lists typical pop-up hours of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It says the team is usually there every weekend but schedules can change, so check its Instagram before you go.
The Wine Shop Came Back With Room for a Crowd
At 27 Harvard Street, Sorriso Market reopened at the start of September under its original owner, Nick Lisotto. Brookline.News reported that Lisotto closed the shop's Coolidge Corner arcade outlet and sold the Brookline Village store in 2023. The firm that bought it went bankrupt in 2025, and he got the business back.
He reopened in the same space but changed how it's laid out. He rearranged the room to host gatherings: wine tastings that range from casual Tuesday nights to opening one-of-a-kind bottles, balsamic tastings, and eventually pasta-making workshops. He's also expanding the art gallery side of the shop, and a private membership will give access to the deep cellar.
"I've shifted kind of the focus of the store to be more encompassing, as opposed to before when I sold my pasta, wine and some art. Now it's truly going to be an experience which I'm pretty excited about." Nick Lisotto, speaking to Brookline.News
Sorriso planned to relaunch its full program of events in October, after a September run open Wednesday through Sunday.
The Takeout Window Gives Way to a Room Open Until 1 a.m.
The biggest change sits at 6 Harvard Square. Garrison House opened there in late 2021 as a two-story American gastropub, with a pub-style restaurant upstairs and a downstairs lounge called Village Social Club that hosted live music. Brookline.News noted that one of its original features was a side-street takeout window, built for social distancing at the end of the pandemic.
Clementine is slated to take over the space. It's a new venture from restaurateur Mathew Freid, who owned Idle Hour in downtown Quincy from 2017 to 2024 and worked at the Beehive, Capo and JM Curley in Boston. According to town licensing documents cited by Brookline.News, Clementine paid $315,000 for Garrison House's liquor license plus furniture and other assets.
The Select Board's October 27 agenda lists Clementine with 128 inside seats including the bar, 32 outdoor seats, and operating hours of 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday through Saturday. Outdoor dining would run until 11 p.m. The entertainment license covers taped and streaming music, television, movies, instrumental and vocal music, and floor shows. On weekends, that closing time is an hour later than Garrison House's.
A transferred liquor license has to be physically picked up before a restaurant can sell alcohol. That's one more step between a Select Board approval and Clementine's first night.
Up Harvard Street, Coolidge Corner Is Adding Counters
Coolidge Corner's newest arrivals are built around a counter. Wonder opened at 392 Harvard Street in late September. Brookline.News described a handful of dine-in tables, two ordering screens, a pickup counter, and a wall-mounted screen tracking delivery orders as they're made. One order can pull from more than 20 restaurant brands, all cooked by Wonder.
Ramyun Zip, a fully self-service Korean ramyun shop, is taking the former Bare Blends space at 1310 Beacon Street. Brookline.News reported how it works: you pick a pre-packaged noodle option, add hot water from a machine, and choose toppings like dumplings, scallions, fish cakes and bean sprouts from a salad-bar setup. The chain stocks more than 120 items, and Brookline will be its northernmost location.
The same report notes that O'Poke is lined up for the former Onezo bubble tea space at 1376A Beacon Street. Licensing documents show Ramen Haven planned for 832 Commonwealth Avenue.
Coolidge Corner keeps its own big room for staying put. Coolidge Corner Theatre has Dune: Part Three in 70mm opening Friday, December 18.
Where Lower Harvard Street Stands Heading Into December
| Address | Name | What changed | What it's built around |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Harvard St | Newbery Street at Merai Bar | Weekend pop-up residency | Pour-overs and salt bread, typically 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| 240 Harvard St | Newbery Street café | Planned café in the former Cremeux, Kickstarter funded by 265 backers | A permanent home for the pop-up |
| 27 Harvard St | Sorriso Market | Reopened in September under founder Nick Lisotto | Tastings, gallery, cellar membership |
| 6 Harvard Square | Clementine | Slated to replace Garrison House | 128 seats inside, entertainment license, hours to 1 a.m. |
| Harvard Ave | Junbi Matcha & Tea | Opened in July | Ceremonial matcha and seasonal specials |
Junbi opened in July in Brookline Village. Brookline.News's August roundup suggested starting with a classic ceremonial matcha before moving on to specials like sea salt caramel and blueberry lavender. Nearby on Cypress Street, the former So Kitchen is now Chaba Cafe, a Thai spot focused on curries, noodles and fried rice.
The Holiday Market Brings the Same Idea to Station Street
The Brookline Village Holiday Market runs at Station Street Studios, 17 Station Street, on four dates in December, according to ArtsBrookline:
- Friday, December 11, 5 to 9 p.m.: free opening reception with refreshments
- Saturday, December 12, noon to 4 p.m.
- Sunday, December 13, noon to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, December 19, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The opening reception is the only evening on the schedule, and Saturday, December 19 has the longest hours of the run.
At Mission Realty Advisors, we keep track of who's taking over which storefronts on Harvard Street, from 6 Harvard Square to 240 Harvard Street, because those changes shape what it's like to live near them. If you own near Harvard Street and want to know how this fall's changes affect your home, request a Market Strategy & Home Valuation and we'll walk you through it block by block.