The restaurant culture in Cambridge has grown immensely since I moved here about a decade ago, but the City has a rich history of the food scene and the chefs who helped put Cambridge on the culinary map.

Cambridge can claim fame to one of the first celebrity chefs of this country—Julia Child, who moved to Cambridge in 1961 and introduced America to fine French cuisine. Her television show started a few years after she published her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and many of her shows were filmed from her home kitchen on 103 Irving Street, close to Harvard University.

Julia Child’s favorite restaurant in Cambridge was Harvest, which opened in 1975 . I also like Harvest and especially their watermelon gazpacho. Located near Harvest was one of my favorite restaurants, Rialto that celebrity chef Jody Adams opened in 1994, but closed this year. I will miss their seafood pasta specials.

Another one of my favorite restaurants is Tony Maws’ Craigie on Main that opened in 2008 in Central Square (the original Craigie Street Bistro was location near Harvard Square). You’ll never be disappointed ordering their OMAKASE –tasting menu, but be sure to taste his pig!

There are more restaurants to boast, so be sure to put Cambridge on your travel destination so you can taste for yourself.


1.Cambridge History, Julia Child’s Kitchen
2.Cambridge History, 1950-1980