Culture Pop Soda Leasing Part of Former Sasaki Building on Pleasant Street

The building at 64 Pleasant Street in Watertown has been redeveloped into lab and life sciences space. (Photo by SGA)

The following announcement was provided by Berkeley Investments:

Berkeley Investments (Berkeley) recently announced that Culture Pop Soda, a rapidly growing functional soda brand, will be leasing over 6,000 square feet of space in the company’s 64 Pleasant Street development in Watertown, Massachusetts. 

Culture Pop joins current tenant Via Separations, a growing clean tech startup, which signed a lease for more than 50,000 square feet of Class A lab space last year. Situated along the Charles River in Watertown, 64 Pleasant was recently redeveloped by Berkeley into a dynamic new hub of innovative companies, and was recently the location chosen by Governor Maura Healey to promote her climate tech Initiative investment of $1.3 billion, from the headquarters of Via Separations. “We’re excited to relocate our offices to 64 Pleasant Street in Watertown,” says Tom First, Founder and CEO of Culture Pop Soda and co-founder of Nantucket Nectars. “This building’s rich history of innovation, research and product development is a perfect fit for our brand.

Fit-Z’s Bar and Grille Will Close at the End of September

Fit-Z’s Bar and Grille, a fixture on the Westside of Watertown since 2007, will be closing at the end of September. Co-owner Jim Fitzgerald wrote the following post on Facebook on Sept. 15. “I’m sure that most of you have heard that we are selling the bar . It looks like our last night will be Monday September 30th.

Fast-Casual Middle Eastern Restaurant Opening at Arsenal Yards

NAYA will be serving Middle Eastern dishes at Arsenal Yards. (Contributed Photo)

The following announcement was provided by NAYA:

NAYA, the celebrated Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant known for its vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients, will be joining the Arsenal Yards neighborhood this winter in Watertown, MA. This exciting addition to the Arsenal Yards community marks a significant expansion for NAYA, bringing its authentic, health-conscious Middle Eastern dishes to New England for the first time! 

NAYA’s mission is rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Middle East, offering a menu that emphasizes freshness, quality, and customization. Diners can expect a diverse selection of mouth-watering dishes, including signature bowls, wraps, salads, and mezze, all crafted with the finest ingredients. Each dish is designed to be both nutritious and delicious, catering to a wide range of dietary preferences and lifestyles. 

In addition to the Watertown location, NAYA has future expansion plans in Boston at 95 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110 and 500 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

Brigham House Assisted Living Hosting Community Open House

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, 1:30-3 p.m. Brigham House Assisted Living will host a free info session and community tour. Find out about what Brigham House has a to offer, when it’s time to move into assisted living, financial programs, and how to qualify for assisted living. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP required: You must sign up in advance to join this in-person event.

New Indian Restaurant Opens in Former Location of Strip T’s

A restaurant serving Southern Indian dishes has opened in Watertown on School Street. Chennai Eats moved into the former Don’s BBQ/Avenue Deli/Strip-T’s space at 93 School St. in Watertown, the Boston Restaurant Talk website reported. The menu features dosas, chaat, biryani, Indo-Chinese dishes, as well as a variety of curry and other Indian dishes. Meat and vegetarian options are available.

Persian Restaurant in Watertown Closing After 16 Years

Shiraz Persian Restaurant has closed. (Photo from the Shiraz Facebook page). The owners of Shiraz Persian Restaurant in East Watertown announced they will be closing down their restaurant after “16 wonderful years.” The eatery located at 72 Bigelow Avenue published a message to its customers on Facebook in late August, and the closing was announced on Boston Restaurant Talk on Tuesday. The message reads:

Dear Valued Customers,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of Shiraz Persian Restaurant after 16 wonderful years.

Watertown Fitness Studio Offers Individualized Instruction for Women

Poli Moronari started Nova Fitness in 2020, and has built a loyal following. When Poli Moronari received an offer to take over a fitness space in Watertown, she took the opportunity to take her personal training business to the next level and start a fitness studio for women. Moronari started Nova Fitness, at 222 Arsenal St., in 2020 and has built a following. She offers Pilates instruction, weight lifting with machines and exercises with kettlebells and dumbells, but one thing that sets her apart, Moranari said, is that focuses on each person’s individual needs. The most she has in a class at one time is six people, and sometimes all six are working on the same thing while other times each person has their own workout.

Watertown’s Revival Cafe Combines the Talents of Two Experienced Restauranteurs

A sandwich served at Revival Cafe in East Watertown. (Courtesy of Revival Cafe)

One of Watertown’s newest cafes combines creative forces of two people with culinary pedigrees in the Boston area. The cafe, which is tucked in a corner of East Watertown, melds the vision and taste of the two owners. Nookie Postal and Liza Shirazi opened their newest location of Revival Cafe in January at 99 Coolidge Ave., in the back of a recently constructed life science building on the former site of the Mount Auburn Club. Postal owned Commonwealth in Kendall Square, which closed last year after 10 years.