New Food Hall Opens in Kendall Square

Eastern Edge features a diverse lineup of local vendors serving everything from Korean bibimbap to Caribbean patties.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new food hall called Eastern Edge has opened in Cambridge's Kendall Square, offering a variety of fast-casual dining options from local vendors. The 11,000-square-foot space features everything from vegetarian fare at Clover to Vietnamese bánh mì at Việt Citron, as well as a Venetian-inspired café-bar called Bacaro Café & Bar. The food hall is operated by the Gather Group, a subsidiary of Alabama-based Ithaka Hospitality Partners, and is designed to be an "experiential" gathering spot with plans for live music, trivia, and other events.

Why it matters

The opening of Eastern Edge comes at a time when the future of food halls has been called into question, with the recent closures of Time Out Market Boston and Plant City in Providence. However, industry experts believe food halls can still thrive by offering an experiential component and flexible layouts that allow for pivoting to takeout and delivery. Eastern Edge's diverse lineup of local vendors and plans for events aim to attract both office workers and groups looking for a variety of dining options.

The details

Eastern Edge features a lineup of 8 vendors, including local favorites like Clover, Perillas Korean Kitchen, Việt Citron, Lone Star Taco Bar, and Juicy Jay's. The food hall also includes two "micro-vendors" - Everybody Gotta Eat, serving Southern and Caribbean comfort foods, and Chatty Patty, offering grab-and-go patties. Bacaro Café & Bar, the only non-local vendor, anchors one side of the hall and can host private events. The 275-seat food hall also has a bar area with TVs for watching sports.

  • Eastern Edge opened on February 13, 2026.

The players

Eastern Edge

A new 11,000-square-foot food hall that has opened in Cambridge's Kendall Square.

Gather Group

The operator of Eastern Edge, a subsidiary of Alabama-based Ithaka Hospitality Partners.

Phil Colicchio

A consultant at Colicchio Consulting, which has helped develop over 100 food halls across the country, including Eastern Edge.

Marc Osier

The vice president of food hall operations for Gather Group, who spent the past year searching for vendors for Eastern Edge.

Hans van der Reijden

The founder and CEO of Ithaka Hospitality Partners, the parent company of Gather Group.

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What they’re saying

“Counterintuitively, food halls proved to be the most resilient of the models out there that came through the pandemic.”

— Phil Colicchio, Consultant, Colicchio Consulting (Boston Magazine)

“[This is] the most innovative square mile on the planet. This is going to be fun.”

— Marc Osier, Vice President of Food Hall Operations, Gather Group (Boston Magazine)

What’s next

The operators of Eastern Edge plan to launch third-party takeout and delivery services from a dedicated counter in the near future. They also aim to host a packed entertainment calendar, including live music, trivia, and other events, to create an "experiential" atmosphere and attract more customers, especially in the evenings and on weekends.

The takeaway

The opening of Eastern Edge in Kendall Square demonstrates that food halls can still thrive by offering a diverse selection of local vendors, flexible layouts, and an experiential component that goes beyond just dining. This model aims to attract both office workers and groups looking for a variety of dining options, potentially bucking the trend of food hall closures seen in other parts of the region.