Sweet news, candy fiends: Somerville-based Spindler Confections is expanding to Cambridge, complete with a candy museum, reports confectioner Jeremy Spindler (2257 Massachusetts Ave. at Dover Street). There will be retail and production space, candy-making equipment, books, raw ingredients, plus a small museum celebrating Boston candy-making. “Many people don’t realize that there is a vibrant history of candy-making in the area, with the industry reaching its peak in the 1950s,” Spindler writes in an e-mail. He plans to display candy boxes and paraphernalia from these bygone companies.
More restaurants are popping up in the western suburbs: True West brewery and restaurant is slated to open in West Acton in October (525 Massachusetts Ave. at Knowlton Drive). It’s the sister restaurant of Dover, N.H.’s popular 7th Settlement brewery. Look for brunch, lunch, and dinner from a scratch kitchen overseen by chef Taylor Miller, plus a focus on Belgian beer. Expect lobster omelets, beer-braised bratwurst with beer cheese and IPA mustard, and blackboard dinner specials at the 80-seat spot.
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Earls Kitchen + Bar will open a second Boston-area location at the Shops at Prudential Center in the fall of 2016. (The local flagship is at Somerville’s Assembly Row.) Earls is known for a sprawling menu: curries, burgers, tacos, and sushi. The downtown version of the US and Canadian restaurant collection will offer something even more exotic — a three-season rooftop patio with fire pits.
Fast-casual Tahaza Hummus Kitchen is poised to bring Mediterranean wraps, salads, and bowls to East Cambridge in the coming weeks (One Canal Park at First Street). In other nearby lunch news, The Independent in Somerville’s Union Square (75 Union Sq. at Washington Street) is now open for lunch every Friday. Stop in starting at 11 a.m. to sup on lobster rolls, fried chicken sandwiches, fried calamari, and chorizo mac and cheese. (Yes, there are a few salads, too.)
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Kara Baskin can be reached at kcbaskin@gmail.com.