After more than a year of pop-ups, Newbery Street Coffee Roasters is gearing up to put down permanent roots in Brookline.
The Thai specialty coffee company recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help transform a former bakery and coffee shop at 240 Harvard Street, near Coolidge Corner, into its first permanent café. Founded by roaster and coffee competitor Pack Katisomsakul, Newbery Street plans to make the café a go-to destination for Thai specialty coffee, Asian café culture, and community gatherings.
“After more than a year of hosting pop-up cafés, we’ve finally found the perfect place that Newbery Street can call home,” Katisomsakul said in the company’s Kickstarter campaign. “We’d love for you to be part of this next chapter: creating not just a coffee shop, but a gathering place where people discover new coffee origins, connect with Asian café culture, and build community together.”
Katisomsakul and his team have already invested in the lease, demolition, design, and first phase of construction, though he told What Now Boston that an official opening timeline has not yet been set. His wife, Thunya, is also working with her best friend, an interior designer based in Thailand, to bring an Asian-inspired café aesthetic to the Brookline space.
Katisomsakul brings a competitive coffee background to the project. A three-time U.S. National Brewers Cup finalist, he placed third in the U.S. National Brewers Cup in both 2024 and 2025. Before launching Newbery Street, Katisomsakul worked across travel technology, hospitality, and catering, until he eventually turned his focus to specialty coffee.
Newbery Street Coffee Roasters launched in 2023 as an online coffee business specializing in Thai and Asian beans before expanding into pop-ups in Boston and New York. Its weekend pop-up at Merai Bar in Brookline became a particularly important stepping stone, eventually drawing full rooms and long lines. The team plans to continue hosting the pop-up as the permanent café takes shape.
The new Brookline space will center on slow, hand-brewed pour-overs alongside inventive coffee and matcha drinks, Asian-inspired bites, and a lineup of classes, workshops, and creative events. Guests can expect a menu built around Thai specialty coffee and other single-origin beans, with an emphasis on pour-over brewing and showcasing the distinct characteristics of different origins and processing methods.
The current pop-up menu offers a glimpse of what’s to come, pairing nostalgic Asian flavors with contemporary café trends. Drinks include the Es Yen, Cha Yen, Azuki Matcha, and Black Sesame Latte. The café will also serve the fan favorite, fresh baked salt bread, a popular Asian café staple with a buttery, crisp exterior and soft, tender interior that combines elements of a croissant and butter roll.
Beyond coffee and food, Newbery Street hopes to make the Brookline café a hub for the local creative community. Plans call for specialty coffee classes, workshops, creative events, and collaborations with local artists, makers, and small businesses.
“We can’t wait to open our doors and share the Newbery Street experience with you,” reads the campaign. “Thank you for supporting Newbery Street and being part of this next chapter. We’re excited to share the journey with you.”
