Where To Find Hanukkah Food in Cambridge

Hanukkah is… sigh… during finals again. Which means that rather than being home for the holiday, we have to either schlep to a building that’s allowed to have candles or break some rules and light the candles in our dorms (NOT A FLYBY-SANCTIONED OPTION). But let’s be real, holidays are holidays mostly because of the holiday food. So, from a Boston native, here’s where to get your Hanukkah food fix this December.

Mamaleh’s — Kendall Square

Mamaleh’s latkes are almost definitely the best combination of good and close we have. You get three crispy latkes plus sour cream and applesauce in each order. Better than that time HUDS put potato shreds in the regular pancake mix and called it a day, that’s for sure. Also, wrong holiday, but their matzah ball soup is SO GOOD when you’re sick. Bonus: you get to go sneer at the inferior MIT students.

Blackbird Donuts — Harvard Square

They did sufganiyot last year, so they’ll probably do it again! They also do challah for pick-up year-round, with a different flavor every week. Love a donut, and especially love a donut you can eat on your way back from your finals while sort of crying a little bit.

Zaftigs — Brookline

They’re juuuuuust within delivery range, and they do great kugel/blintzes/etc. I like them year-round, but maybe that’s because I’m geographically biased (I’m from Brookline). Big fan of their smoked salmon-loaded latkes, even though they’re a splurge.

Dunkin’ — Harvard Square and also everywhere

Ok, hear me out. Classic sufganiyot are great, but also sometimes you’re getting your coffee and want to get into the spirit. If you can’t get fresh sufganiyot, a Dunkin’ jelly donut always hits the spot, to be honest. I always feel a little guilty, but come on! Less than $2!

CVS —Harvard Square and also everywhere

C’mon. Get your gelt. Don’t be picky about it. Peel back that tinfoil and enjoy.

Hopefully this helps ease the homesickness a bit. Light those candles, spin that dreidel, and don’t let the finals get you down!