An Asian Street Food Restaurant Closed This Week in Harvard Square

A beloved subterranean spot for Asian street food and creative cocktails in Harvard Square has closed: Night Market shuttered after dinner service on April 18. Executive chef Jason Tom’s kitchen was known for putting out tasty bites, often with humorous names, like numb nuts (Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, palm caramel, Korean chili, and peanuts) and lick ‘em sticks (steamed rice balls with crispy garlic, chili and black beans, scallions, and sambal aioli).

Night Market opened in 2014 in a basement at 75 Winthrop St., Cambridge. The graffiti-covered spot quickly became a go-to for Harvard’s hungry hordes, and it made for an affordable date-night spot. Its cocktail list was very sake-forward and even included sake slushies. Night Market’s “Take a Hike” and “Go on a Trek” tasting menus were relatively inexpensive ways to sample some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes and whatever Tom was excited about at any given time.

Tom told Boston Magazine that he plans on taking some time off in a tropical location before diving into his next project. In a statement provided to Eater via email, the restaurant’s management and ownership team said, “We’re saddened to be closing our doors at Night Market as of Friday, April 19. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been a part of the restaurant staff, dined with us on occasion, or has been a regular patron over the years.”

Folks in Harvard Square can still enjoy the Duck & Chicken Group’s other restaurant, Parsnip, an upscale spot that serves seasonal New American food. The group was also behind B3, a Southern restaurant and music venue near Berklee that closed late last year.

• Harvard Square’s Night Market Has Closed for Good [BM]
• Night Market Coverage on Eater [EBOS]