English Muffin Pop-Up Lands Permanent Space in Somerville

Porter Square’s popular bagel shop Bagelsaurus might as well call itself an incubator: Once again, a pop-up from within its walls has sprouted wings and will fly onward to open its own brick-and-mortar. Vinal Bakery, which specializes in English muffins and New England-inspired baked goods, just secured a home in Union Square and will take over for Pizza Palace at 222 Somerville Ave., located on the edge of the square, steps from the Bantam Cider taproom.

Vinal Bakery emerged from the kitchens of Bagelsaurus and the mind of one of its employees, Sarah Murphy, who primarily focuses on English muffins but has also served baked goods ranging from buttermilk biscuits to assorted scones, blueberry muffins, grapefruit poppy seed cake, and vegan maple sweet potato pecan muffins. English muffin varieties regularly include classic and multigrain, and Murphy rotates through select flavors like French toast, beer and cheddar, apple, anadama, and more.

It’s not the first time Bagelsaurus has acted as a breeding ground for pop-up success, possibly thanks to its own origins as a pop-up inside Cutty’s sandwich shop in Brookline Village. The Porter Square bagel shop was first home to Rabottini’s, a pizza pop-up that later jumped over to Allston for an extended residence in the former Stone Hearth Pizza Co. space. Rabottini’s is looking for a permanent home once the Allston residency ends later this month.

In the announcement about its future home, Vinal Bakery had a message for the previous tenants: “We wish Hassan and his team the best of luck in their new ventures,” the post read. “We are thrilled to be taking the torch and joining this incredible community.”

Stay tuned to Vinal’s social media for updates on its move into the Somerville Avenue space, which could happen around spring 2019. In the meantime, find English muffins on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Bagelsaurus.

• Vinal Bakery [Official Site]
• Vinal Bakery [Instagram]