With over 600 board games to entertain customers while they sip coffee and grab a bite to eat, The Board and Brew is more than the average coffee shop.
The restaurant, which opened in June under The Varsity apartments on Route 1, offers a comfortable yet hip atmosphere with entertainment that customers can enjoy all day and into the night.
The most unique and popular aspect about The Board and Brew is the board game collection, which co-owner Ben Epstein said they regularly expand based on online popularity reports of different games. They have a variety of genres so that everyone can find a game that interests them.
“If you come at night, you’ll see that about 75 percent of the people are playing games,” Epstein said.
For $5 per person, customers can enjoy unlimited play of as many games as they want, and during lunch hours Monday through Friday, the restaurant offers a special of $2.50 per person.
“We’ve had people stay for 10 hours playing games,” Epstein said.
Board game fanatics can also participate in tournaments that the restaurant holds every couple of weeks.
Emily Caplan, a senior psychology major who lives in The View apartments nearby, stopped in with a friend for the first time just to try the food, and they ended up taking advantage of the board game lunch special.
“I love this kind of place,” Caplan said. “I’ll definitely be back.”
The Board and Brew also coordinates various events, such as Open Mic Night every Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m. to showcase local musicians.
“For the dorkier people, we do magic on Wednesday nights,” Epstein said. “Hopefully we’ll have our liquor license soon, so once we have that we’ll probably do a trivia night.”
In addition to the entertainment, some students go to The Board and Brew for a place to do homework.
“I like studying here for the free refills on coffee and good music,” Richard Rast, a math graduate student said.
Epstein explained that because The Board and Brew is its own business and is not part of a chain, they have the freedom to customize the music playlist to make the atmosphere more personal to customers.
The restaurant offers breakfast all day in addition to sandwiches, salads, snacks, and desserts. The most popular menu items include the Pesto Chicken Panini, Soft Pretzel Bites, and the Brew Burger, Epstein said.
soft pretzel bites with honey mustard and red pepper aioli
Caramel Latte
He recommended that students try the Portobello Panini, which blends Portobello mushrooms, eggplant, roasted red peppers, black olive mayonnaise, and Swiss cheese.
Despite its breakfast and coffee options, The Board and Brew, which is open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, sees its largest crowds at night, a time when people like to come to simply hang out, Epstein said.
College students should take advantage of the relaxing atmosphere for more than just studying, according to Epstein. “It’s perfect for a date. You can hang out for more than an hour without feeling uncomfortable about it,” he said.