One Longtime Cambridge Cafe Takes Over for Another

One local business closes a location this week, but another will quickly step up to take its place: Petsi Pies departs its longtime 31 Putnam Ave., Cambridge, location today, January 31, after over a decade, and Cambridge cafe trio Darwin’s Ltd. will take over almost immediately, growing its presence across the city to four locations.

This change has actually been in the works for some time — the Darwin’s owners purchased the building housing Petsi Pies on Putnam back in 2012, with initial plans to make the switch in 2015. But that timeframe came and went without any changes. The changeover officially happens this weekend, with Darwin’s set to open in the new space on Saturday, February 2, an employee reached at another location confirmed.

Darwin’s has operated around Cambridge for more than 25 years. It’s less than a mile from Darwin’s new Putnam Avenue space to two other locations (148 Mt. Auburn St. and 1629 Cambridge St.), and a third Darwin’s sits in Central Square at 313 Massachusetts Ave. While all locations are known for their sandwiches, each Darwin’s has its own menu and special features. The Mt. Auburn location, for example, has a retail selection of beer, wine, and hard cider, along with monthly tastings, while the Massachusetts Avenue location features nitro cold brew, coffee cocktails, wine by the glass, and kombucha on tap.

The original Petsi Pies location at 285 Beacon St. in Somerville, open since 2003, remains in operation. Owner Renee “Petsi” McLeod closed a newer East Cambridge location in August last year, shortly before closing her Inman Square Southern restaurant Tupelo.

• A New Petsi Pies Could Be in the Works [EBOS]
• Petsi Pies Has Closed in East Cambridge [EBOS]
• Darwin’s to Open on Putnam Avenue in Cambridge [BRT]