It’s often said that Boston is a city of neighborhoods. Each week, Metro will toss a dart at a map of the Hub, then provide you a snapshot of what we’ve found.
On one side of Mt. Auburn Street stands 19th century homes with flower gardens and front yards.
On the other side is a row of businesses that includes a quirky sandwich shop and a furniture maker.
Most of the parking meters and street posts have bicycles locked to them. There’s not a chain store in sight.
Visitors and residents of this neighborhood say it represents a bygone era and is quintessential Cambridge.
“It’s on the fringe of Harvard Square. It’s no-man’s land,” says Jason Suderman, a Somerville resident visiting the neighborhood for lunch.
The lunch spot, Darwin’s Ltd., is the reason why many people come to this “no-man’s land.”
Famous for its long line, Darwin’s is even more famous for its fresh sandwiches and quirky atmosphere.
On a recent Monday when the line of 20 people snaked along the counter, Lois Hetland sat inside and ate her lunch. Hetland, who lives along Mt. Auburn Street, said she and her co-workers share tips on how to move through the line as fast as possible.
“It makes you an insider if you know how to handle the line at Darwin’s,” she says. “It’s a statement of belonging here in Cambridge.”
