Changes are afoot at Porter Square’s Cafe Zing

When Porter Square Books moved from the Porter Square Shopping Center to a new, larger location on Lesley University’s campus in October 2024, the bookstore’s longtime partner, Cafe Zing, didn’t make the 1,000-foot move. Cafe owner Mark Ostow chose to stay put, citing an attachment to Cafe Zing’s patio and a reluctance to rebuild.

Sixteen months later, Cafe Zing is having to rebuild anyway.

The shopping center at 25 White St. is renovating for the first time in 30 years, and the new plans will split Cafe Zing’s current space into two storefronts.

It is not yet clear who will move in next door. The Porter Square Shopping Center’s manager, Wilder Co., “is currently in conversations with several prospective tenants,” its principal, Tom Wilder, said in a statement. It added that “as always, our goal is to thoughtfully curate the best mix of shops, services, restaurants, and experiences,” for the center.

Ostow expects Cafe Zing will only see minor disruptions during the planned three-month window to build its new space. The cafe will remain open except for one week when it moves from its current coffee counter to a new one when construction is complete. Despite his apprehension toward rebuilding, “the mall was just very generous and kind about it,” Ostow said.

There will be other changes that Cafe Zing regulars might notice. Ostow plans to add egg sandwiches to the menu, as well as beer and wine. “I go to sleep thinking of egg sandwiches, wake up thinking of egg sandwiches,” Ostow joked.

Ostow decided to add beer and wine to the menu to “extend the community vibe,” especially at night, and to increase revenue since the cafe’s rent “increased substantially” under the new lease agreement for the renovated space.

The rest of the cafe’s menu will remain the same, as will its atmosphere, including the mismatched chairs, window seats lined with plants, the used books on sale for $5, and Ostow’s portraits from his other career as a photographer, including of presidential candidates.

Cafe Zing plans to continue being a community space and will keep its slate of offerings, including open mic nights, art events, and reading parties.

“I wanted to open a cafe because the world is full of opportunities” for photography and beyond, Ostow said. Still, he hadn’t imagined he would actually do so until a moment at the bookstore more than 20 years ago.

Gesturing to a space at the front of the store, Ostow recalled walking into the bookstore one day as the bookstore’s then co-owner Jane Dawson said “‘It’s too small for a cafe.’”

“Not too small for me,” Ostow responded, spontaneously agreeing to run said café.

Ostow quickly got his wife on board and brought on his friends from West Bridgewater, Mass.-based Equal Exchange coffee cooperative as their supplier.

After the cafe’s opening in 2005, Ostow came up with an “anti-marketing slogan:” “The place to run into the person you were trying to avoid.” He said that it was due to “how many people I enjoy and avoid” at the cafe.

Ostow said he doesn’t spend time behind the coffee counter. Outside of drinking it, he claimed, “I still know very, very little about coffee.”

A stronger

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