Fans of baked goods (and housemade pastries and artisanal breads and specialty sandwiches), it’s your lucky day – Verveine Cafe & Bakery, the new spot from award-winning pastry chef Monica Glass and James Beard Award-winning chef/restaurateur Ken Oringer, is officially open in Cambridge.
The globally-inspired, 24-seat cafe and bakery takes its cues from cafe cultures all over the world (French brasseries, Japanese kissaten, Italian bars etc.), serving breakfast and lunch (and coffee and snacks) seven days a week. Pop over to pick up a little something from the bakery case or enjoy made-to-order breakfast goodies like Spicy Chili Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches or Crepes au Sarrasin with jamon, gruyere cheese and an egg. Or, hold out ‘til midday to lunch on Chicken Shawarma on housemade pita bread or a Japanese Shrimp Katsu Sandwich.
Glass and Oringer, who worked together a decade ago at Clio, have partnered up to bring their vision to life at 298 Massachusetts Ave. Between them, they have a ton of talent and a heap of accolades – Glass, has worked in top notch kitchens (Gotham Bar & Grill and Le Bernardin) and was named “Best Pastry Chef” by Food & Wine, Boston Magazine and Zagat. She was also crowned the Food Network’s Chopped Sweets Champion in 2021. Oringer has built a restaurant group that boasts some of Boston’s most highly-acclaimed restaurants including Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey, Uni, Faccia a Faccia and Bar Pallino.
Have a look at the debut menu below (subject to change) and hightail it to Cambridge to check out their collaborative handiwork – Verveine is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm and 9:00am-4:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. In the meantime, keep up with all their goings-on via their website or IG.
breakfast
served until 11am
toasted oats $10
strawberry, poached rhubarb, coconut foam, hemp seed, coconut ginger granola
maitake congee $13
thai chicken sausage, caramelized onion, soft egg, parmigiana
BEC $12
Japanese milk bun, maple pepper bacon, fried egg, american cheese
moni’s spicy chili biscuit $13
spicy chili jam, fluffy scramble, arugula, avocado
all day
served all day
ricotta toast $14
whipped miso ricotta, sugar snap peas, parmigiano, pea tendrils, marjoram
avocado toast $14
charred corn, radish, pickled Jimmy Nardello peppers, cotija, cilantro, hemp seed
spinach gruyere quiche $13
caramelized onion, roasted maitake
potato leek focaccia $10
bacon, green olive oil, za’atar
crepe au sarrasin $12
farm egg, cave aged gruyère, jambon
garlic chive egg dumplings $11
nuoc cham
parma prosciutto gougeres
three gougeres, gruyere, comte
pain au levain $9
cultured butter, confiture, nutella
lunch
served 11am-4pm
sandwiches
honey chili tuna melt $17
tahini, pickle, red onion, hot honey, local cheddar, sourdough
grilled cheese $12
gruyere, fontina, American cheese, cheddar, pesto trapanesé, sourdough
roasted veggie $15
harissa roasted carrots, hummus, shiso pesto, hazelnut dukkah, arugula, oat sourdough
hot italian $17
soppressata, mortadella, provolone, onion, lettuce, tomato, pepper relish, green olive tapenade, sourdough ciabatta
chicken shawarma $15
roasted garlic aioli, guandilla peppers, apricot habanero chutney, cilantro, pickled onions, pita
shrimp katsu $17
bulldog sauce, kewpie mayo, apple fennel slaw, Japanese milk bread
jambon & beurre $12
prosciutto cotto, butter, cornichons, toasted baguette
bowls
market salad $14
mixed greens, sugar snap peas, pea tendrils, radish, asparagus, avocado, mint, toasted lemon breadcrumbs, pecorino, maple citrus vinaigrette (add chicken +6 or salmon +8)
salmon & lentil $17
bibb lettuce, radish, roasted fennel, red onion, celery, grated egg, French lentils, fried capers, miso roasted salmon, red wine yuzu vinaigrette
chickpea curry $15
kale, sweet potato, tomato, long-grain rice, crispy red onion
Japanese fried chicken bowl $15
house made pickles, steamed rice, togaranchi
soup
served with bread
lemon rosemary white bean $9
toasted breadcrumbs, herbs
pizza
folded ‘za $18
mortadella, burrata, pistachio, shiso pesto, arugula
Margherita $15
tomato, mozzarella, basil
