Felipe's Owner to Open Diner in Garage

Late-night munchers in search of something other than nachos and pizza may soon find themselves with a new snack option.

With the departure of Formaggio from the Garage in December, Felipe’s Taqueria owner Tom Brush and his business partner Felipe Herrera saw an opportunity to develop a new business venture in its stead—a diner-style eatery, with late hours, to open in April.

“We are very excited to continue focusing our business interests in the Square,” Brush said. “Felipe’s has been a very pleasant experience for us.”

The taqueria, which opened last year, has enjoyed instant and unparalleled success in its prime spot on Mt. Auburn Street.

Brush cited the convenient proximity to Felipe’s as one of the best aspects of the acquisition of Formaggio’s second-story space, but wanted to assure his faithful customers that the old business would not change in any way.

The new site will not be another Mexican or foreign-themed eatery, but a “more standard, diner-type,” Brush said. “It is a whole other concept with a whole different menu from Felipe’s.” This menu will include more typical American fare, such as burgers, onion rings, fries, and sandwiches, Brush said.

Brush and Herrera will once more be partners in the project, along with a third party, whose name they would not disclose. But Brush did say that the party was connected to a “well-known eating place” in Boston and has “a lot of experience with that type of food.”

The Square lost its last late-night diner when the Tasty—the 24-hour eatery featured in the film “Good Will Hunting”—closed in 1997 for renovations to its building and never reopened, as retail space prices around Harvard rocketed.

While burgers may replace burritos, the new venture will have some similarities to its sister establishment, targeting the same late-night weekend crowd of students in the Square, and with prices comparable to Felipe’s.

The opening of this restaurant may lead to a new era of night life in the Square, Brush speculated. He said that if the restaurant is a success, the owner of The Garage would encourage the whole complex, which houses Ben and Jerry’s and Crazy Dough’s pizza, to become more active at night.

Brush said it is unlikely that the new venue will compete with Felipe’s, claiming that the more commercial activity there is at night in the Square, the more student activity will be generated in response.

“There are so few venues open [at night],” he said. “We hope to continue providing good food and good value for students in the Saquare.”

Students who have flocked to Felipe’s greeted the north-of-the-border move with anticipation.

“I think it will be great,” said Elena D. Bassett ’07, a member of the board of “Friends of Felipe’s,” a group on thefacebook.com. “At Felipe’s the line sometimes gets really long.”

The new restaurant is due to open in April, but does not yet have a name. “If you have any ideas, let us know,” said Brush.