Long ago, Allston Cafe was one of our favorite neighborhood hangouts. But things went south when they suddenly shuttered last fall, leaving a legion of locals to mourn. But now we learn that a valiant indie gourmand has kept Starbucks from moving in … and that a brand-new cafe will replace the old Allston digs.
Per the Feast, the aptly named Refuge Cafe will take up residency at 155 Brighton Avenue this fall. Expect “organic and fair-trade coffees, expect a variety of sandwiches, pastries, soups, salads and vegan options,” plus a smattering of local brews. (And, in a shocking decor decision, there’ll be “elements of distressed wood” reclaimed from a barn somewhere up north.)
The really terrific part of this story, though, is that the spot was taken over by next-door neighbor Jennifer Lee, who also runs Myong Dong bar. She stepped up after learning that Starbucks had its eye on the property. “I thought that would be awful for Allston, and that is nothing that we stand for,” the Feast quotes her as saying.
Her impulses are right in line with Allston Cafe’s altruism; before they went under, the cafe broke with their affiliated Herrell’s ice cream chain after accusing them of going corporate.
Hmm. Maybe a similarly moved Cantabrigian might do the same thing about Harvard Square’s behemoth Panera?
Refuge Cafe Saves Allston From the Man [Feast]
Earlier: Vegans, Locals Mourn Loss of Beloved Allston Cafe
Herrell’s Allston Cafe Loses the Herrell’s
What to Eat at Allston Cafe
Will You Dine at Harvard Square’s Enormous Panera?
