1. East By Northeast
City: Cambridge, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 876-0286
Address: 1128 Cambridge St.
Description: The cuisine at this casual Inman Square spot is Chinese by way of New England and everything is made in house—including the dumpling wrappers and noodles. The menu is big on pig but also heavy on vegetarian offerings and seasonally driven flavors. It’s a tapas-style menu; craft your meal by ordering several dishes for the table. Must-orders include the scallion pancakes with roasted chile sauce, pork belly on fluffy mantou buns with pickled vegetables, and the short-rice noodles with delicata squash, local greens, and sweet bean sauce. It’s all very reasonably priced, so you can afford to visit on a regular basis. The everyday prix fixe—5 courses from the regular menu—is one of the area’s best dining deals. Open for dinner Tues through Sat, brunch only on Sun, and closed Mon.
2. L. A. Burdick
City: Cambridge, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 491-4340
Address: 52 Brattle St.
Description: Tempting European cakes and handmade artisan chocolates are served in these inviting Harvard Square and Back Bay cafes, but the setting could just as well be the Left Bank of the Seine. For a sweet indulgence, you must try the hot chocolate, which is so thick that it coats the inside of your demitasse cup. It comes in dark, milk, and white and is absolutely habit forming. Calories be damned. An additional location is at 220 Clarendon St., Boston, MA 02116 (617-303-0113).
3. Park Restaurant & Bar
City: Cambridge, MA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (617) 491-9851
Address: 59 JFK St.
Description: This large subterranean restaurant/tavern is an ideal spot for almost any occasion: to unwind after a long workday, a casual date night, or a boisterous dinner with a group of old friends. A huge U-shaped bar takes center stage, and there are several rooms including a classroom space with vertical slat–back school chairs and a chalkboard, and a semiprivate living room space with a fireplace, leather sofas, wing chairs, and cases filled with antique books and oddities like a vintage Singer sewing machine. The bar serves plenty of craft beer and killer mixed drinks (try the gin-based Lavender Moon). And the food? Enjoy a diverse menu that includes crispy mussels with preserved lemon, a roasted half chicken, and a great burger.