Lamplighter Brewing Co. Grants Your Taproom Wishes With Board Games and Brett IPAs

Back in mid-2014, fledgling social media accounts for Lamplighter Brewing Co. appeared. By way of an exceptionally fluffy cat named Gatsby and a beer bottle, Lamplighter announced that it would open a brewery and taproom somewhere in Cambridge that winter.

It took a little longer than planned, as these things do, but Lamplighter softly opens the doors to its taproom, located at 284 Broadway, this Saturday, November 12, with more of a grand opening commencing on Tuesday. (Keep an eye on Lamplighter’s social media accounts for details of fun opening events.)

Lamplighter already opened its growler counter a few days a week starting in late September, so perhaps you’ve already brought home growlers of some of its early brews, such as the Metric Systems gose (named for the Lamplighter space’s former life as an auto shop called Metric Systems) or the Easy Tiger Brettanomyces IPA. There are growlers of cold brew coffee, too, courtesy of Lamplighter’s resident cafe, Longfellows Cambridge, which also opens this weekend.

As previously reported, Lamplighter will serve some fun food; keep an eye out for a selection of “hop” dogs and tater tots later this year. But for now, there will be some bar snacks to accompany the beer. This weekend, there will be butter and dill pretzels and spicy honey peanuts. “We’ll just do a lot of salty, savory, and sweet munchies that pair well with the beers and rotate weekly,” says Lamplighter co-founder Cayla Marvil.

Meanwhile, during cafe hours, Longfellows will be serving up Belgian liège-style waffles, overnight oats, and Union Square Donuts doughnuts, alongside owner Alisha Fowler’s selection of coffee and tea beverages (hello, mint mojito cold brew), kombucha on tap, and house-made sodas.

With plenty of teal accents, lots of plants, a variety of seating options, and a raised section with a living room vibe, complete with board games, the Lamplighter and Longfellows space is a welcoming, beer-filled addition to a stretch of Broadway that doesn’t have much in the way of dining and drinking. (An exception: The excellent Bondir is right across the street, if you’re looking for dinner before or after your visit.)

To start, Lamplighter’s taproom will be open 11 a.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday, with the growler counter open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the same days. Longfellows will be open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. (So, the sweet spot to experience both beer and cold brew coffee is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday.)

• Lamplighter Brewing Co. Coverage [EBOS]

All photography by Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater, with the exception of the Instagram photos embedded below from @lamplighterbrew.