It’s a bit of a tumultuous time in Harvard Square; the neighborhood has seen the closures of a number of longtime spots lately (see: Crema, Sweet, Tealuxe), and the fear of big out-of-state chains coming into the Square looms. But two out-of-towners with a lot of love for the Boston area are sweeping into Cambridge on February 2, debuting the highly anticipated Milk Bar and &pizza combo at 1-3 Brattle St., and they’re committed to becoming a welcomed part of the local fabric, not just plunking down a cookie-cutter chain outpost. 

The project has been a long time coming, although initially it was just going to be the pizzeria alone. DC-based &pizza was eyeing Boston-area expansion as far back as four or five years ago, according to cofounder and CEO Michael Lastoria; he saw a lot of similarities between DC and Boston, and a number of &pizza shareholders and investors are from the Boston area.