Friday, March 14, 2014

upperwest (a New Wine Bar) Hopes to Open in Cambridge

It looks like a new wine bar may be on its way to Cambridge.

According to a License Commission General Hearing page on the City of Cambridge website, upperwest is planning to open on Mass. Ave. between Harvard Square and Central Square, with the restaurant's website indicating that it will be a small, casual wine bar offering cheese, charcuterie, and small plates using locally-sourced ingredients. The website also mentions that the eatery will have food events as well as classes on wine, cheese, and charcuterie.

The hearing page on the Cambridge site says that upperwest will be on the basement level of the building with possible seating for 20, and that it could be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with hours being 8:00 AM to 1:00 AM Sunday through Wednesday and 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM Thursday through Saturday.

The address for this proposed wine bar in Cambridge is 1001 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138. Its website is at http://www.upperwestcambridge.com/

[October 6 update: Cambridge Day is reporting that plans for upperwest to open at 1001 Mass. Ave. are now in doubt, as the Cambridge License Commission has twice opposed a liquor licence for the place in what was "among the weirdest spectacles" the writer has ever seen at a public hearing, including the board "responding to a local business owner's plea not to have competition." (Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.)]

[February 3, 2015 update: upperwest has just posted what is basically an open letter, giving a "recap" of what has happened over the past several months, including hearings, meetings, a petition, and more, with the end result being that they still have not been able to get the needed licenses to open. The people behind the proposed wine bar are still working on opening the place, however, and they would like to open in the Mass. Ave. space that they have been looking at if possible.]


[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]