Pokeworks is cranking up its presence across Greater Boston, with franchise partners Rong Cong and Lelin Kandel preparing new storefronts in Burlington and Hanover while scouting even more neighborhoods around the region. The latest push builds on an existing footprint that already includes locations in Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown and Boston’s Faneuil Hall.
Company Says Q1 Momentum Is Fueling Growth
In a press release via PR Newswire, Pokeworks said it kicked off 2026 with strong first quarter momentum, naming Cambridge among recent openings and listing Burlington and Hanover among locations slated to open this year. The company framed the expansion as part of a broader franchise growth strategy driven by new development deals and menu investment.
Where the New Shops Will Land
What Now reports a Burlington Marketplace shop is slated for the second quarter of 2026 at 68-82 Burlington Mall Rd, with a Hanover Crossing outpost at 1775 Washington St, Unit 610 planned for this summer. Burlington Planning Board minutes show an application from Poke BMP LLC for 68-110 Burlington Mall Road and note franchisee Rong Cong attended the meeting, confirming the mall permit process is underway.
Who’s Behind the Push
Local multi-unit partners Cong and Kandel are leading the effort after signing a seven-unit development agreement in 2024, according to a company press release via PR Newswire. Cong called Boston “a fantastic place with a unique liveliness and resilience,” while Kandel, who began as Pokeworks' first employee, said the expansion feels especially meaningful to him as a local owner.
What This Means for Neighborhoods
The move taps into a long-running appetite for build-your-own poke bowls across Cambridge and Boston neighborhoods, a trend local outlets documented when Pokeworks first opened in Harvard Square, per Eater Boston. Rolling out more national franchise locations at malls and neighborhood strips could nudge lunchtime foot traffic and raise the competitive stakes for independent poke shops, particularly near transit hubs and office clusters.
Franchisees say they are actively scouting sites in Wellesley, Jamaica Plain, Fenway-Kenmore, the Seaport, Brighton-Allston and Woburn, and local reporting points to Burlington and Hanover as the first confirmed openings this year, per What Now. Exact timelines will hinge on buildouts and permitting as the partners move each site forward.
