A Hamilton bakery and café known for its pastries, coffee, and welcoming neighborhood atmosphere is heading farther down the North Shore.
Honeycomb is planning to open a second location at 259 Washington Street in Marblehead, taking over the former home of The Barrelman near the town’s Five Corners intersection, according to an Instagram post from Coldwell Banker realtor Lindsey McCarthy. Husband-and-wife owners Lauren and Billy Moran expect to open the new outpost in February 2027.
The Morans founded Honeycomb in Hamilton in June 2017, building the business around thoughtfully prepared baked goods and casual daytime fare. In addition to pastries and coffee, the café serves breakfast and lunch options like sandwiches, salads, and bowls, with offerings suited for everything from a quick grab-and-go stop to a more leisurely meal.
That welcoming, community-oriented atmosphere has become one of the couple’s favorite parts of running Honeycomb. The Morans recently told the Marblehead Current that they have spent the past several months exploring an expansion to Marblehead, where they hope to create a similarly inviting gathering place. When the former Barrelman space became available, they said the opportunity felt like the right fit.
Food has long been central to Lauren’s career. A Wenham native, she learned to cook alongside her large Italian family before spending summers during college working in Nantucket restaurants. She later completed Boston University’s culinary certificate program, studying with Jacques Pépin and other prominent local chefs, and went on to work as a pastry chef at several notable Boston restaurants. Along the way, she met Billy behind the bar of his family’s 45-year-old pub.
Honeycomb’s Marblehead location will initially serve a menu similar to the original café’s, with pastries, sandwiches, bowls, salads, and other breakfast and lunch offerings. The Morans hope the new space will share Hamilton Honeycomb’s commitment to quality and friendly service while developing an identity of its own.
The couple also plans to explore adding some form of dinner service down the road. Their Hamilton location, for example, hosts weekly Thursday pizza nights featuring pies made with sourdough crust.
Before Honeycomb can welcome its first Marblehead customers in February, however, the Morans still have substantial work ahead, including finalizing the design and securing the necessary permits and approvals. What Now Boston has reached out to the couple for additional details and will provide updates as they become available.
