Edible Food Find: Lehrhaus, A Jewish Tavern and House of Learning
Photos by Michael Piazza
Score one for Somerville’s bustling restaurant scene with the much-anticipated opening of a unique tavern in a prime, food-centric location that borders Inman Square in Cambridge.
Lehrhaus: A Jewish Tavern and House of Learning, was co-founded by Charlie Schwartz (no relation), an ordained rabbi, and his longtime friend, New York–based bestselling author Josh Foer (Atlas Obscura), and is an ambitious project from a pair of seasoned Jewish-world professionals that evolved from conversations about creative ways to meet the post-COVID needs of Boston’s Jewish community.
In six months, Lehrhaus has lived up to its pre-opening buzz with high acclaim from food writers and among curious neighborhood walk-ins, as well as Jews from across Greater Boston.
Lehrhaus boasts a dual identity: By day, it’s a learning space, available for a modest membership fee. Come late afternoon, the comfortable tavern with a top-flight menu opens to the public. As a kosher-certified establishment, its schedule observes Shabbat (closed Fridays and Saturdays) and Jewish holidays.
Schwartz, who’s on site greeting patrons and immersed in daily operations, is pinching himself, as he sees his unlikely vision for the Jewish space spring to life.
“It’s been amazing to see the variety of folks who come through the door and how they fall in love with the space, the food, the drinks and the stories behind everything,” says Schwartz, following a behind-the-scenes visit to Lehrhaus before it opened in March.
As for learning, the multi-room space boasts more than 3,000 volumes of Jewish literature, from ancient and contemporary religious texts to novels, history books and tempting cookbooks. One part of the open dining area offers comfortable chairs for reading. Offbeat Jewish memorabilia throughout the tavern adds to the leisurely ambiance.
Schwartz and Foer assembled an A-team from among Boston area food world luminaries: executive chef Noah Clickstein of Juliet, bar-maven Naomi Levy (Best Bartender Boston Magazine, Hanukkah pop-up Maccabee Bar), sous chef Alex Artinian of Asta and general manager Stephen Bowman from Fairsted Kitchen.
James Beard Award nominee Michael Leviton (Lumiere, Area Four; consultant to Jewish Food Week), serves as culinary consultant, adding his flair to the meticulously developed menu that features foods with a Jewish story to tell.
“The easiest way to spark a conversation is to put food and beverage between people,” Leviton says. “Most importantly, it has to be delicious.”
The seasonal pescatarian menu (no meat or poultry) is updated often, keeping it fresh and surprising. New twists on traditional Eastern European fare include a beet pastrami Reuben, a rich and creamy mac & cheese kugel and herring tartine. Another hit is fish and chips. Who knew this famous dish comes with a Jewish backstory? The golden, breaded fish, delicately prepared, is accompanied by wedge-cut fries, seasoned perfectly with Old Bay spice. It’s served with tangy Mediterranean-inspired dipping sauces.
Less familiar offerings include spring barley soup, with charred bits of onion, celeriac and fennel topped with a refreshing mint yogurt. The savory ricotta taschen, a flaky pocket pastry, is complemented by thin snow peas. Coconut-lime kataifi is a sublime, vegan custard-like Greek-inspired dessert.
Beverages include Tribe of Dan, inspired by Jewish Ethiopian and tropical flavors. Tree of Knowledge is a sparkling spirit-free blend of fig leaf, pomegranate, lemon and pineapple. And naturally, there’s the Lehrhaus version of the egg cream, the classic Jewish deli fountain favorite.
Looking ahead to the fall, Schwartz anticipates new dishes that reflect the Jewish high holidays and the joyous fall harvest holiday of Sukkot.
425 Washington St., Somerville; lehr.haus
This story appeared in the Fall 2023 issue.
