Nearly 10 years after debuting in Lower Mills, BRED Gourmet has added a second location across the river in Kendall Square. Triple the size of the Dorchester burger joint, the Cambridge restaurant expands upon founder Tambo Barrow’s original vision for casual, Caribbean-inspired cuisine—and it expands on what BRED Gourmet can be.
“We have a concept that we strongly believe in,” Barrow says of his growing company. “I feel like we could take it to the next level, opening more locations.”
BRED’s smoky smashburgers are among Boston’s best, and known for premium flavor combinations such as sliced pineapple, smoked ham, sweet plantains, crispy onions, habanero-pepper jack cheese and barbecue sauce atop one favorite, the Maui. Barrow has received accolades across Boston and beyond for BRED Gourmet: He even announced Cambridge expansion plans on Good Morning America.
The Cambridge location seats more than 70 people, including at a 10-seat bar. A liquor license is new for BRED Gourmet, and Barrow shares that he’s hoping to eventually acquire one for the Dorchester location, as well. Cocktails, along with four draft beers, wine and other packaged brews, add to the menu that also encompasses chicken sandwiches (grilled or fried), vegetarian and a salmon burger options and sides like hand-cut fries, sweet potato fries, slaw and sweet plantains. There are also sweets, including "BRED puddin'" and beignets; as well as smoothies.
Barrow grew up near Boston’s Mattapan Square with parents who hail from Trinidad and Barbados. Their traditional recipes have “a lot of influence on the restaurant,” he says, and he also loves Cajun Creole flavors. “I made a big melting pot of those cuisines” with his burger menu, Barrow says, and they also inform the brand-new beverage program. “It fits with our menu very well,” he says.
The Kendall Square restaurant has been in the works for nearly two years. Located at 730 Main St. on the ground floor of (what else?) MIT-developed laboratory space, local developer Graffito SP tapped BRED Gourmet for the space, which was formerly home to Polaroid Company. BRED softly opened on Tuesday and is planning a grand opening for Friday, Oct. 11, Barrow says. Follow @bredgourmet on Instagram for details.
In the meantime, BRED Gourmet's new location is open 11am–9pm Monday–Wednesday and 11am–11pm Thursday–Saturday.
