Roxy’s Central/A4cade Takes Over Cambridge This Month: Fried Chicken, Foosball, More

The dream collaboration between Roxy’s Grilled Cheese and Area Four is almost ready to materialize in the increasingly exciting MIT area of Cambridge’s Central Square. (Just this week, a new Saloniki location and Pagu opened up in the same area.) When Roxy’s Central/A4cade opens up — likely later this month — prepare for burgers, grilled cheese, cocktails, and tons of games.

The two venues share an address (292 Massachusetts Ave.), with Roxy’s Central located in the front and the A4cade accessible through a “speakeasy-style door,” per a rep. While the spaces will maintain their individual social media channels and branding, guests (and food) can flow freely between them. Once gamers get busy in the arcade, they can still order from the full Roxy’s menu from A4cade bartenders and waitstaff — no need to head back out front.

At Roxy’s Central, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese fans will find plenty of classics from the existing locations, such as the Green Muenster and Mighty Rib grilled cheese sandwiches, several burgers, truffle fries, and poutine. But then there’s more.

“Our guests have been asking for a veggie burger for over two years, so I'm excited for The Lucy,” says Roxy’s owner James DiSabatino. “It's a veggie burger version of a juicy lucy. It's a mushroom and lentil patty stuffed with muenster cheese, topped with thinly shaved lettuce, tomato, onion, and Justin's sauce. We are also adding a new double-fried chicken sandwich — inspired by our pop-ups with Kenji Lopez-Alt in 2015. It's buttermilk-brined, double fried chicken with thinly shaved lettuce, Grillo's pickles, housemade ranch and spicy honey.” Check out the full Roxy’s Central menu below, from tater tot poutine to dulce de leche milkshakes. For those with dietary restrictions, there are a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available.

Hidden behind Roxy’s mountains of grilled cheese, the Area Four team’s A4cade will serve up cocktails, beers, and wines alongside a lineup of games that includes shuffleboard, foosball, arcade games, and pinball machines. Stay tuned for more details as the opening approaches, and in the meantime, take a gander at the Roxy’s menu: