A local bakery is trading its stall at the Boston Public Market for a permanent home in Somerville.
Hearth & Hug Bakery will soon take over the former Q’s Nuts storefront at 349 Highland Ave. For owner and pastry chef Natalie Hug, who lives in Somerville, the move feels like a natural fit.
She and the Q’s team were neighbors at the Boston Public Market for years, and when the nut roasters decided to step away from their brick-and-mortar, Hug was ready to step in.
“I’ve always wanted to open a space in a neighborhood that’s very community-based,” Hug told What Now Boston. “So I just really like the location.”
Though Hearth & Hug officially launched in 2023, Hug’s dream began years earlier, when her family first read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aloud to her. That childhood lingered, and what started as a side hustle for custom orders quickly grew into her full-time calling.
The bakery’s menu leans into comfort, with options ranging from cookies, cakes, and croissants to danishes, pretzels, and breads. “We’re definitely a warm, homey, just kind of big, comforting-style bakery,” explained Hug. “I don’t want anybody to look at our food and say, ‘That’s too pretty to eat.’ I want you to look at it and say, ‘That looks so good. I want to eat that right now.‘”
The Somerville shop will build on that spirit with a full breakfast and lunch menu, plus coffee, tea, and Italian sodas made with house syrups. Some offerings reflect Hug’s family roots, like her grandma’s New Mexico cookies, huevos rancheros with Santa Fe chili, and blue corn sourdough.
Inside, the bakery will mirror the menu’s warmth with cozy, eclectic furniture and seating for about eight guests. Hug hopes to welcome the community into Hearth & Hug’s new home in the coming weeks, pending final preparations.
As for Q’s, the beloved nut roaster isn’t disappearing. Shoppers can still find their snacks at Davis Square’s Magpie gift shop and Arts at the Armory in Spring Hill, as well as at Cambridge spots Cafe Zing!, Tags Hardware, and Formaggio Kitchen. Their Boston Public Market stall also remains open.
