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Foundation Kitchen will open new flagship location in Charlestown
The destination will feature a micro food hall and multiple kitchen spaces.
A shared kitchen concept that originated in Somerville is moving to Charlestown, introducing a new model that will support local vendors.
Foundation Kitchen will officially open its Cambridge Street location on Feb. 3. The new spot will continue to build on their original concept providing a shared culinary workspace for its members, and will debut a micro food hall with a cafe, food stalls, and a wine and craft beer bar. This destination will be the business’ flagship, according to co-founder and COO Ciaran Nagle, who runs Foundation Kitchen with co-founder and CFO Tara Novak. In addition, Foundation Kitchen manages and operates Revolving Test Kitchen (RTK) in Lawrence, also a shared culinary workspace. This past December, Foundation Kitchen closed their Washington Street location in Somerville, and former member Littleburg, took over the lease to their Union Square facility in 2020.
“This replaces what we just had,” Nagle said of the new Charlestown concept. He added, “What we are focused on here is really incubating and growing our food entrepreneurs, giving them a chance in a [small], collaborative environment.”
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When Foundation Kitchen first opened in 2015, the idea was to offer entrepreneurs commercial kitchen infrastructure that any food business would need to get started. The Union Square facility was meant for one member company to use exclusively at a time, while at Washington Street, the shared kitchen was home to about 20 to 30 member businesses, utilizing two kitchens. For local entrepreneurs looking to find kitchen space in the Boston area or businesses struggling to afford long term leases and overheads, Foundation Kitchen serves as a resource, offering a low barrier to entry into the restaurant industry.
In Charlestown, the new spot will feature an intimate, 2,000-square-foot food hall, with four separate vendor stalls, on the ground level. Guests can purchase food from Rita’s Fresh Pasta, Tchacoberry Pastel & Acai, Delectable Eats, and Render Coffee. Their space will be able to seat about 40, including bar area seating, and there will be outdoor patio seating for warmer weather. By 5 p.m., the cafe will have turned into a full wine and beer bar, with drinks from Fermenta. Artwork from local creators will be on display.
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“We do this magical transformation. It’s like Disney,” Nagle said. He added, “They break it down entirely, and then Peter Nelson, the owner of Fermenta, resets the whole space.”
Foundation Kitchen will not only house the vendors represented in the food hall. Up to 20 different member businesses, such as Bombay Brunch and Tex Mex Eats, will also offer pickup and delivery services. Member businesses will have access to a food production area in the lower level space. A 4,000-square-foot shared kitchen will be available by the hour for members. There will also be four private kitchen studios of about 350 square feet each, designated for specific vendors who can choose to renew the spaces after a year. The vendors include Tender Food and Bittersweet Violet, which will offer pickup and delivery. Rita’s Fresh Pasta and Render Coffee will also have private kitchen studios, and will serve from the ground level food hall.
Nagle said that he sees the Charlestown location as having a community-based environment, where businesses can swap ideas and receive guidance. While there is a rigorous application process to become a member, Nagle said that entrepreneurs are chosen based on the passion they have for their dreams. Foundation Kitchen will be a place where local vendors can learn and grow, he said.
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“[There’s] a real eye opener of what the local talent is here, the diversity of what’s in our neighborhood. You can go into this space alone and eat from around the world,” Nagle said. He added, “The conversation is inclusivity. The conversation is diversity. We are achieving that in here.”
Foundation Kitchen, 32 Cambridge St., Charlestown
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