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eating everything at eastern edge by Aiden H. '28

a rave review of a new food hall!

This past week, a gift was bestowed upon the universe: a new restaurant ON CAMPUS that ISN’T campus dining.⁠01 derogatory Nay, not just one, but nine (9) yes NINE, let me say it again nine new places to try food.

Eastern Edge is a new food hall located right in the heart of Kendall Square, and named for being on the very East side of MIT’s campus near the red line T stop and the admissions office. Enjoy my shitty map for some spatial reference:

It functions as a bunch of little pop-up restaurants with free seating and multiple bars throughout, opening with its coffee shop in the morning and closing down with the bars at night. Here’s what I tried!

I started off just getting a latte⁠02 brown sugar cardamom latte to be specific from the cafe at the far end. For those who know me, I don’t drink coffee and lowkey think I’m allergic, but it was definitely leaning more bar and small plates than coffee shop, so there was no tea available and I was determined to have something. Yet, in the first surprise of the evening, it was a latte that I both enjoyed the taste of and it didn’t make me throw up (score!). The rational conclusion is that it just had very little coffee in it, but I’m not complaining. Here’s the latte and some pics of inside, along with my 10.213⁠03 Chemical and Biological Engineering Thermodynamics, aka why do things get hot pset’s ghastly, dare I say haunting, presence in the background:

I followed up my hour of caffeine-driven psetting with a risky choice: Mexican food. I LOVE Mexican food. I think it’s objectively and subjectively the best cuisine, and coming from Colorado where there is a decent amount of really good Mexican food compared to most states,⁠04 obviously not California, but like most midwest and northeast I can’t settle with 3 Margaritas core culinary choices. Unfortunately, Boston has been nothing short of one of the most catastrophic failures in history when it comes to Mexican food. Chipotle is good, but I crave something deeper, something more instinctual, something deep inside my psyche.

The place I tried was branded as Tex-Mex (yikes!), but I am pleased to report it was actually very good and affordable!! I got the signature burrito with mushroom asada.⁠05 I normally am not in love with mushroom fajitas/enchiladas/burritos, but this was not as mushroomy and very good You can make it a combo with rice and beans for an extra buck or two, but I opted out of big backed-ness because I had more places to hit (though I want it on record that I LOVE rice and beans).

Finally, I got two small appetizers from other places just to try some more restaurants without having to eat full entrees. By far the most popular spot was a Southern-Caribbean soul food restaurant. My vegetarianism and tragic love of dairy forced me to go for a side of Mac-n-cheese, which of course hit (capital H-I-T if you know what I mean).⁠06 I actually don't even know what I mean with this it just sounds dramatic and like vibes, yk? I also got a $3 veggie “Caribbean-style patty”, which is akin to an empanada or samosa. This was less good, but cheap and fine so no hate. I’m also sure the non-vegetarian ones are probably more specialized/meant to be good and authentic.

A plastic container of macaroni and cheese with a black fork sits on a wooden table in front of an open laptop.

Normally places like this are a swing and miss; spots that are rushed for a big opening and then slowly die as a result of overpriced food and uncomfortable dining. However, this has beaten the curse of multi-restaurant dining! I think having a variety of actually good restaurants with a very comfortable/casual atmosphere (note comfy cafe-style seating and lighting, not mall food court dirty metal tables and chairs).

Also, for lack of a better term and overcoming the fear of sounding like my parents, it was popping! There were people there solely to eat lunch/dinner, but also people just hanging out like a coffee shop, or students studying, or business people having meetings. This doesn’t sound that crazy, but in the post-COVID blah blah lack of third spaces etc. etc. crisis, it was a noticeable enough difference for me to feel!

Nonetheless, some places were pretty pricey. The cafe and Mexican place I tried I thought were very reasonable, but other spots (notably the soul food place) were like $25+ for a lunch-sized plate. I don’t think it will beat out Chipotle for most MIT students as a cheap and bountiful meal, and it could become a place where you quickly feel you’ve exhausted all 9 restaurants, but I think there’s enough going on that people will consistently come back.

Alas, I shall return, and I think people should check it out!

  1. derogatory⁠ ↑
  2. brown sugar cardamom latte to be specific⁠ ↑
  3. Chemical and Biological Engineering Thermodynamics, aka why do things get hot⁠ ↑
  4. obviously not California, but like most midwest and northeast⁠ ↑
  5. I normally am not in love with mushroom fajitas/enchiladas/burritos, but this was not as mushroomy and very good⁠ ↑
  6. I actually don't even know what I mean with this it just sounds dramatic and like vibes, yk?⁠ ↑