Centers And Squares

Inman Square

Inman Square, on the border between Cambridge and Somerville, offers proximity to Porter, Central and Harvard Squares in Cambridge and Union Square in Somerville. Inman Square has a bustling commercial center lined with restaurants, taverns and fun and funky shops. It’s a walkable neighborhood happily devoid of chain stores.

Inman Square History

Inman Square was developed in the mid-1800s and retains an excellent collection of early commercial buildings along Cambridge Street.

Nowadays, when you think of Inman Square restaurants are the first thing that come to mind. The S & S Deli, my favorite, has been in the Square since 1919.  Legal Sea Foods got its start here when it opened as a fish market in 1950.  Inman Square really became a dining destination spot in the mid-1980s when East Coast Grill opened, followed by more and more restaurants. Today there are more than 20 restaurants to choose from in Inman Square.

Inman Square was a comedy hub in the 1960s and 1970s.  Local comedians, including Jane Curtin, Jay Leno, Barry Crimmins, Paula Poundstone, Dennis Leary, Kevin Meany and Steven Wright, spent early days of their careers at The Proposition and the Ding HO.

Inman Square played an important role in the women’s movement in the  1970s and was home to the Cambridge Women’s Community Health Center and to feminist bookstore, New Words, open for 28 years on Hampshire Street from 1974 to 2002.  

Inman Square Cambridge

Inman Square Restaurants and Bars include:

• S & S Restaurant
• 1369 Coffeehouse
• Rosie’s Bakery
• East Coast Grill
• All Star Sandwich Bar
• Ole Mexican Grille
• Oleana
• Christina’s Ice Cream
• Bukowski’s Tavern
• The Druid
• Ryle’s Jazz Club

Retail Shops and Businesses in Inman Square include:

• Lorem Ipsum Books – used books
• The Oasis – massages and hot tub rentals
• Boutique Fabulous – clothing and accessories, vintage and new
• Stellabella Toys – children’s toystore
• Bird by Bird – kids’ clothes

Real Estate in Inman Square

Somerville and Cambridge real estate buyers are often looking for a neighborhood where you can walk to shops and restaurants.  Inman Square fits the bill.

Condos in Inman Square are likely to be in converted multi-families or above commercial spaces.  Several new complexes with loft-style condos have been built recently by David Aposhian on Tremont and Norfolk Streets.  Inman Square condos sell for a wide range of prices – recent listings have ranged from $200,000 to $800,000.

Single family houses in Inman Square come on the market occasionally, typically in the $500,000 – $900,000 range.