For Asian international students like Nikki Song, Newbury Street used to be her go-to spot to hang out.
“It was our only option,” said Song, a Chinese international student studying at Northeastern.
But then she discovered an unlikely alternative: Brookline, a town once mainly viewed as a quiet and stodgy suburb with dining options that mostly included family restaurants, a couple of Irish bars and a few old-fashioned Chinese restaurants.
In recent years, however, the town has seen an explosion in mostly upscale and trendy Chinese, Korean and Japanese restaurants and several Asian sweets and grocery shops, which could never quite gain traction in the past.
“It has more decent Asian restaurants and charming stores to explore,” said Song. “Plus, it’s close to campus.”
The Asian shop and dining scene is divided into two main hubs: Near the St. Mary’s MBTA stop, H Mart serves as an anchor, surrounded by acclaimed chain restaurants including Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, Kyuramen, Kyo Matcha. Also next door is Japonaise Bakery, a family-owned Japanese bakery established in 1991, which recently reopened after renovations in 2023, adding to the area’s legacy businesses. The second hub, Coolidge Corner, features Maruichi, a Japanese market and restaurant complex known for its distinctive tatami dining areas. The town has in the past few years also attracted a diverse array of Asian eateries, including Kungfu Kitchen, Maguro, Mochinut, and Lan Feast.
The town is also close to several universities like Northeastern, Boston College and Boston University, and accessible by the Green Line trolley and the Route 66 bus.
But unlike most of Boston’s traditional Asian clusters in Allston, Quincy, and Chinatown, Brookline’s emerging Asian district presents a more upscale, fusion-oriented character, exemplified by places such as Lan Feast.
“During winter, I often miss the beef noodles from my hometown,” said Zoey Chen, an international student from Lanzhou, China. “This new restaurant is quite authentic—you can even choose the thickness of the noodles. The decor is modern, and the customer base is really diverse. I spotted quite a few Western customers, which feels pretty unique.”
The Brookline Chamber of Commerce keeps no specific data on the number of Asian restaurants and shops that have opened and not all of the businesses are members, according to executive director, Christopher Mutty. But, the trend is apparent, he said, with new places popping up more and more and with some new ones on the way.
“I do agree there has been significant growth in Asian-themed or -inspired restaurants and shops,” Mutty told the Sampan by email recently. “Specifically, we’ve added several grocery stores including H Mart, Maruichi, and a new Japanese market, which is likely being approved soon.”
He added that Asian-owned businesses are in general under-represented in the Chamber membership.
“I hope to change that over the course of the next year,” he added.
Demographics are key to this transformation that’s been underway. With Massachusetts’ largest Japanese community — and two Korean churches on Beacon Street – Brookline offers diversity that is reflected in its business landscape.
“Brookline’s Asian population is close to 20%, so it makes sense that we’d see steady growth in these businesses,” noted Mutty.
All this has served as ingredients for the growth in Asian restaurants and shops, say observers.
“What makes this area special is how it bridges cultures,” noted Sarah Park, a local food blogger who lives near Coolidge Corner. “You’ll see servers and customers from all backgrounds enjoying and learning about Asian cuisine. It’s really becoming a cultural exchange through food.”
The rapid pace of change shows no signs of slowing.
“There were limited spots to discover seven years ago when I first came here ,” said Jerry Wang, who studied and worked in the community for a decade. “Now I have friends who come to the area and hang out for the whole day. The neighborhood’s evolution has been remarkable.”