Tasty Sandwich Shop

The Tasty Sandwich Shop

Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurant
Founded	1916
Defunct	1997
Headquarters	Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States
Area served	Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Products	Sandwiches, diner food

The Tasty Sandwich Shop, commonly referred to as "The Tasty," operated from 1916 until 1997 near the intersection of JFK Street and Brattle Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Situated within the Read Block building on the historic grounds once home to colonial poet Anne Bradstreet, The Tasty concluded its 81-year run in 1997. Following its closure, the location was successively occupied by Abercrombie & Fitch, Citizens Bank, and as of 2025, a CVS Pharmacy.

Description

This modest diner consisted of a single room featuring a slim yellow linoleum counter accompanied by only 14 stools, occupying a very small footprint. A Harvard Business School student once recognized it as "the most profitable restaurant in New England per square foot." The rear wall displayed a large map adorned with pins representing the origins of customers’ postcards collected over time. The establishment’s casual environment encouraged direct engagement between staff—such as graveyard shift manager Tom Sweet until 1976 and chef Charlie Coney—and its patrons.

Customers

In its final years, The Tasty drew a wide-ranging clientele that included long-established local residents and Harvard University students attracted by its convenient location and extended operating hours. It was notable as one of the few social spaces where people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds mingled freely—one historian remarked that "you could sit next to a professor on your left, and a homeless person on your right."

Media references

Frequently labeled in media as a "local landmark" or "institution," The Tasty appeared in films such as Good Will Hunting (1997) and Love Story. In 2005, Federico Muchnik produced the documentary Touching History, which focused on the diner.

Closure

Despite owner Peter Haddad’s attempts to keep it open, The Tasty ceased operations in November 1997 after serving the community for over eight decades. The landlord, Cambridge Savings Bank, sought to capitalize on rising property values in Harvard Square by leasing to higher-paying national chains, raising rent beyond what The Tasty could afford. Opposition arose from groups such as the Harvard Square Defense Fund and radio personalities Tom and Ray Magliozzi ('Click and Clack' from Car Talk), turning The Tasty into a symbol of neighborhood transformation.

Although supporters emphasized the diner’s cultural importance and community function, the Cambridge City Council permitted its closure while granting landmark status to its unique entranceway, preserving that element intact. This decision sparked criticism from the Harvard Square Business Association for involving itself in private leasing issues.

After closing, the premises were occupied first by Abercrombie & Fitch, then by Citizens Bank with ATMs installed within what had been The Tasty’s space. Following Citizens Bank’s departure, a CVS Pharmacy opened at the site. As Federico Muchnik observed, an extra door—the former diner’s entrance—remains visible in the building’s facade, marking its historical presence.

The restaurant’s shutdown exemplifies wider gentrification patterns; The Tasty’s affordable menu and communal atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the upscale retail outlets reshaping Harvard Square. Later on, the local chain Tasty Burger launched nearby with design influences drawn from The Tasty’s original branding.

External links

• Harvard Crimson piece covering the diner's closure, titled "A Fond Farewell"
• Crimson feature: "A Night in Cambridge, a day at the Tasty"
• "Then & Now" – Boston.com