As Porter is to Harvard Square, Teele is to Davis Square. Though it is often overshadowed by its surrounding areas, Teele Square offers plenty of fun places that Tufts students should experience.
Teele Square sits on Clarendon Hill, one of the seven hills in Somerville, at the intersection of Broadway, Holland Street and Curtis Street. Easily accessible by foot, Teele Square is even closer to the Tufts campus than Davis Square and is a great choice for students looking to take a quick trip off campus.
Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe
A Teele Square staple for almost 24 years and by far my most frequented bagel store, Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe (Mag Muff, to some) at 118 Broadway is the go-to place for breakfast in Teele Square. The muffins are made in-shop every day from scratch and the business receives both frozen and half-baked bagels from New York City twice a week which are then baked every morning. Mary and Gary Nalbandian, the owners of the Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe, used to own Teele Square Laundromat across the street and the space caught their eye around 2001. Mary promised her husband the store would only open for three years, but 23 years later, the store is still open and serving muffins and bagels on weekdays from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m., and from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. Heads up — Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe only accepts cash, but there is an ATM next door if customers forget!
Rudy’s Cafe
Another staple of Teele Square, Rudy’s Cafe, is impossible to miss due to its Southwestern cactus mural. The restaurant serves a variety of Tex-Mex fare. It also features a tequila bar with 100% Blue Agave Tequilas. The menu is a little expensive, but the portions are by far the biggest around, so you get what you pay for. The restaurant is suitable for almost any occasion: dinner with friends, a date or getting a drink before a night out. The inside of the restaurant offers tables, booths and bar seating complemented by metal lizard decals. Eating in and taking in the Southwestern decor is more fun, but both the food and alcoholic drinks are available for takeout as well. Though sometimes characterized as a Mexican restaurant, Rudy’s is firmly on the Texas side of the border and offers a much different experience from other Mexican restaurants in the area, such as the taquerias Picante, Anna’s or Los Amigos. The best choice is always one of the four “Combination Plates,” which come out steaming hot with varying selections of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, rice, beans and stew. The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. most days of the week and closed on Mondays.
PJ Ryan’s
This Irish-style Pub is one of the best places to watch sports near Tufts — especially rugby. PJ Ryan’s also regularly shows soccer, including the English Premier League. Located at 239 Holland St., it also offers trivia on Tuesday nights from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The house marinated steak tips served with french fries are the way to go. They are some of the best in Somerville. Not in the mood for meat? The menu features other pub classics like beer battered fish and chips or mac and cheese. Also, check out the Irish BLT made with Irish back bacon and served on ciabatta.
Angelina’s Pizzeria
The price is right at Angelina’s Pizzeria across from PJ Ryan’s for delicious subs, onion rings and of course — pizza. This Greek-style pizza shop has been around for over half a century in Teele Square and is reliably delicious. Looking for something unusual? Angelina’s serves up several “breakfast” pizzas, including “Angie’s AM Special,” which includes bacon, feta, egg and mozzarella. This pizza shop makes its home at 230 Holland St. and is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and extends its hours to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Mass Hole Donuts
This relatively recent addition to Teele Square sells exclusively donut holes, which they claim are the “filet mignon of donuts.” Find out for yourself at 1157 Broadway. The 2020 Boston Magazine Best of Boston winner, Mass Hole Donuts began in Arlington and has since relocated to Somerville. The menu of donut options rotates every week, but this week the shop is selling donut holes entitled “Mass Ave Massive,” “Barnstable Blackout Cake,” “Blue Pilgrim” and “Storeo Drive Back-up.” Three donut holes will run you $7. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, or until they sell out.
An Urban Village
Though Teele Square’s restaurants and shops tend to be the main draw for visitors, those with an eye for design should stop to explore the CALA project. This unique development showcases an impressive example of adaptive reuse architecture and is one of the most distinctive in Somerville. The building was originally built in the 1960s as Powder House School but closed in 2004 due to low enrollment and high maintenance costs. The building featured windowless exterior walls and a small interior courtyard, making it a challenging structure for redevelopment. In 2015, the City of Somerville issued a request for proposals to reimagine the site, drawing eight submissions for housing and mixed-use projects. The winning proposal came from Sebastian Mariscal Studio. The complex now features 48 residences, 22,000 feet of commercial space and more than an acre of public green space.
Before this, Somerville had briefly entered into negotiations with Tufts University to implement the redevelopment. However, negotiations were eventually halted when Tufts decided not to move forward with the project at that time. Construction on the project began in 2017, with the demolition of the building’s perimeter walls to create an open, flexible framework. The ground floor houses artist studios and commercial spaces, while the upper floors are primarily dedicated to residential units and office spaces. Many people don’t realize that the interior courtyard is public, so students should seize the chance to stroll around and take in the art. The complex features what CALA calls an “urban museum” of murals and other art.
Sanskrit Calligraphy
Among the large variety of art at the CALA redevelopment is a beautiful golden mural of Sanskrit calligraphy by Sneha Shrestha, also known as IMAGINE876. Shrestha is a Nepali artist who specializes in large-scale murals of Sanskrit calligraphy with graffiti influence. Her commissioned works and public walls can be found around the world from Kathmandu to Boston. The Museum of Fine Arts acquired her painting “Home416” for its permanent collection. Recently, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum commissioned a Shrestha to create a 30-foot sculpture. WBUR recognized Shrestha as one of 25 millennial artists of color impacting Boston. Completed on May 20, 2022, this larger than life mural of golden Sanskrit calligraphy sits at one of the entrances to the building on Broadway.
PK’s Convenience
Perhaps not technically in Teele Square but also not in Davis Square, PK’s Convenience sits in no man’s land at 99 Holland St. next to Hodgkins-Curtin Park. This unassuming corner convenience store is a favorite among children and adults alike for its Italian ice scooped from giant tubs behind the counter. Mango, lemon, cherry and blue raspberry are guaranteed to delight in the summer or winter months.
