Felipe's Owners Hope New Features Will Be Worth the Walk

Felipe's will be moving from their current location in The Garage to the site formerly occupied by Bertucci's on Brattle Street. By Christopher J Magnani

Students might have to walk a little farther for their late night burritos once Felipe’s Taqueria, the popular Harvard Square Mexican restaurant, completes its move from Mt. Auburn St. to a new spot two blocks away on Brattle St.

Although some students may be dismayed by the longer walk, co-owners Thomas J. Brush and Felipe Herrera said they are excited about the benefits presented by the move.

“It’s time for us to move on, and in the natural evolution, we need to move forward and to a better location for us,” Brush said. “The drawback to this [current] location really would be the size of the space—it’s just very difficult to work in such a cramped location.”

Felipe’s new location—the former home of Bertucci’s at 21 Brattle St.—will allow the restaurant to expand its offerings in terms of menu items and customer amenities. New features will include a charcoal grill, furniture built in Mexico, and an expanded menu including enchiladas and seafood. Customers can expect a full selection of alcohol, as long as the licensing process goes smoothly.

“We’ll still have Felipe’s just like this—reasonably priced great food, get in get out—but additionally we want to offer sit-down options,” Brush said. “The way [the new location is] structured right now, we have a main floor, and similar to Crema [Cafe] and Flat Patties, we [will] have a mezzanine. Downstairs, we [will] have the bar area and that will primarily be sit-down.”

Herrera said he was excited to use the expanded space for cooking.

“Finally we’re gonna have a kitchen,” Herrera said.

In addition, according to Brush, patrons may also be able to enjoy their drinks outside.

“We are hoping to get permission to put a roof deck in the new location,” Brush said.

Although the move won’t be completed until around April, the Felipe’s team is already thinking far ahead. Brush said that the owners have signed a 20-year lease for the new location.

“Long term, it’s just a great location for us,” Brush said. “It’ll take some time but people will find us.”

However, Brush did express some reservations about the increased distance between Felipe’s and the heart of Harvard’s undergraduate life.

“It is about two blocks, but still two blocks is two blocks, people gotta move their habits,” Brush said.

The restaurant was packed with customers at midnight on Saturday, many of whom said they would still frequent the Mexican restaurant despite the location change.

“I think Felipe’s has enough of a unique experience with the cultural components it has,” customer Joelle Janigian said. “If people are seeking that, they’ll walk an extra two blocks for it.”

“I think if Felipe’s were in Antarctica I’d walk there,” customer Nazri Angel said.

—Staff writer Ivan B. K. Levingston can be reached at ivan.levingston@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @IvanLevingston.