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$ | North End |
The allure of Bova's Bakery, a neighborhood institution since 1926, lies not only in its takeaway Italian breads, calzones, and pastries, but also in its hours: 24 a day (the deli closes at 1 am, however). Family owned and operated, this is where you can not only satisfy a hunger with their homemade Italian breads, oversized subs, and Sicilian pizza and calzones, but also a sweet tooth with their famed Sicilian chocolate-dipped cannoli, Florentine cannoli, award-winning tiramisu, and raspberry and blueberry turnovers.
134 Salem St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02113, USA
Known For
- Open 24/7
- Tiramisu
- Fresh baked bread
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$ | Back Bay |
Steps from the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street, a coveted seat on the outdoor patio is worth the wait. If the weather isn't permitting, snag a spot inside this brasserie-vibe café inside the Charlesmark Hotel and be prepared to feast. The brunches are hearty, with traditional eggs and bacon sitting sidecar to Mediterranean labneh with za’tar and chickpeas, Greek yogurt with granola and honey, and eggplant and tahini spreads. The hummus bowls and shakshuka are some of the best in the city. Sip on Turkish coffee, have a tea ceremony, or slurp a huge Nutella milkshake.
653 Boylston St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, USA
Known For
- Patio space
- Shakshuka
- Hummus bowls
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$ | North End |
An Italianate version of a sports bar, Caffè dello Sport has two wide screens transmitting live soccer. The buzz is from not only the world games excitement but also the espressos, pastries, beer, wine, cordials, and gelato. They also offer freshly baked croissants, muffins, turnovers, and breakfast sandwiches in the morning, and panini (using imported Italian products), salads, and pizzette for lunch.
308 Hanover St., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Soccer games
- Full espresso bar
- Gelato
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$ | Harvard Square |
This snug, more than 70–year-old shop (family-owned and -operated up until a few years ago) in Harvard Square purveys exotic imports, including cheeses, chocolates, British biscuits, jams, olive oils, and mustards, along with sandwiches, cheeses, and charcuterie to go. You'll also find a generous assortment of champagnes and domestic caviar, fine wines, and assorted beers.
6 Brattle St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
Known For
- New England goods
- Made-to-order sandwiches and charcuterie
- International gourmet sweet shop
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Harvard Square |
Named after the art of the tea ceremony, the new-age feel to this spacious outpost starts with organic teas and coffee (displayed in canisters behind the counter) and extends to hearty meal options such as hot noodle soup, cold noodle salads, multigrain rice bowls, wraps, vegan dishes, and smoothies. Linger over free Wi-Fi.
955 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
Known For
- Loose leaf organic teas
- Noodle bowls
- Bubble teas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Harvard Square | American
Once beyond the vicinity of Harvard Square, Brattle Street lacks eateries, so before your walk consider stocking up at Darwin's Ltd. on Mt. Auburn, which carries delectable, Cambridge-inspired sandwiches and other "comestibles and caffeinated provisions."
148 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
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$ | Financial District |
On weekday mornings and afternoons, locally operated food trucks congregate at Dewey Square plaza on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, ready to serve Financial District professionals an eat-it-while-you-walk or picnic meal. Typically, four to five different options offer variety from curry to Korean. Surrounded by organic gardens, public art, and Fort Point Channel, the setting creates atmosphere for a cheap and tasty lunch.
Dewey Sq., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Multiple local food trucks in a gorgeous park location
- Always changing options
- Easily accessible outdoor seating
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Emack & Bolio’s has been rocking the Boston frozen treat scene since the 1970s. Diet meets decadence at this smoothie bar/ice-cream parlor that serves in-house microbrewed soda and floats, ice-cream pizzas, and chocolate confections like the chocolate-dipped Twinkie. They offer more than 75 flavors of ice creams, live-culture yogurts, sherbets, and fresh fruit sorbets each year, served in jumbo waffle cones dipped in chocolate and rolled in your choice of Oreos, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Fruity Pebbles, chocolate or rainbow jimmies (sprinkles), crushed nuts, and shaved coconut. Creative takes on the traditional include Grasshopper Pie, Bananas Foster, Beantown Buzz and Cake Batter. The black raspberry chip yogurt is a winner, while the vegan set enjoys six rich flavors of coconut cream.
100 City Sq., Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, USA
Known For
- Decadent frozen treats
- Vegan ice cream
- Outrageous cones
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$ | |
This casual seafood spot, where you order at the counter, is an outpost of the famous Portland, Maine, restaurant of the same name. Offering reasonable prices for excellent fare, this is a fun option in Fenway without a lot of fuss. It's known for the brown butter lobster roll and plenty of seafood, but everything from wings, burgers, and grilled cheese sandwiches are available.
1321 Boylston St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
Known For
- Casual setting
- Fresh seafood
- Brown-butter lobster roll
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | Brattle Street |
Cafés abound on Brattle Street, but Felipe's is a good bet for fresh ingredients and authentic recipes that build out a quick hit menu of Mexican grab-and-go dishes. Start off with their queso fundido or guac, then fill up on heaping Super Burritos, Baja-style tacos, and chimichangas. Finish off with flan or rice pudding.
21 Brattle St., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
Known For
- Tacos
- Cheap eats
- Super Burritos
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$ | South End | Bakery
Recharge with a fresh-baked sticky bun and oversize mug of coffee at this South End favorite. Award-winning chef Joanne Chang and her staff serve up delicious creations including soups, hearty salads, and sandwiches. There are additional locations in South End, Fort Point Channel, and Back Bay in Boston, and Central Square and Harvard Square in Cambridge.
1595 Washington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
Known For
- Gluten-free sweets
- Breakfast pastries
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$ | South End | American
A good spot to refuel on a budget is Flour Bakery + Café, a perennial candidate for Boston's best sandwiches and stuffed bread. Also superb are the fresh pizzas, dinner specials, and delicious pastries. You may end up taking home one of their cookbooks as a sweet keepsake.
1595 Washington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
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$ | Downtown |
If you like a premium coffee, head to this fancier-than-mainstream café with origins in Massachusetts. Original, fair-trade roasts are used to make all types of drip coffee and espresso drinks. There's also a small selection of sandwiches, avocado toast, and baked goods.
505 Washington St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, USA
Known For
- Usually having open tables
- Avocado toast and baked goods
- Premium coffee roasts
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$ | Back Bay |
Inspired by a grandma's confections, these cupcakes are heavenly. It's tough to choose between flavors like chocolate ganache, red velvet, double milk chocolate birthday, salted caramel, and the list goes on. There's even gluten-free lava fudge and vegan apple cinnamon. Check the board for daily specials. Just grab a half dozen, and call it a day.
83 Newbury St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, USA
Known For
- Creative cupcakes
- Gluten-free treats available
- Nice seating area
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$ | |
As far as options for fast-casual meals along Seaport Boulevard go, this is one place you should stop. You'll get modern, Greek street food here, in the form of pita sandwiches, salads, and build-your-own meals, dressed with sauces, like house-made spicy feta and lemon yogurt, that are so good you'll be licking it off your fingers. Don't miss the signature zucchini chips with tzatziki, or, for a sweet taste, the loukoumas Greek-style doughnut holes.
200 Pier 4 Blvd., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Build-your-own salads, pitas, and plates
- Delicious, authentic doughnut dessert
- Plenty of seating
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$ | Beacon Hill |
A Beacon Hill legend, this was the first bar in the city to get its liquor license after the repeal of Prohibition. It opened in 1930, and was owned by the same family until the 1990s. Patrons sit at the dark-wood bar and high tops to watch a Celtics game and dig into a menu of tasty burgers, sandwiches, and a scrumptious brunch, including a spectacular Bloody Mary. The place is often packed with doctors and nurses from nearby Mass General enjoying post-shift drinks.
316 Cambridge St., Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA
Known For
- A killer, house-made Bloody Mary mixed with the bar's own peppercorn vodka
- A Reuben sandwich stuffed with corned beef that's made in-house
- Casual, comfortable vibe that's a little bit different from a typical Beacon Hill experience
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$ | Harvard Square | American
The Hi-Rise Bread Company, just on the edge of Harvard Square, is a nice stop for a pick-me-up coffee, fresh-baked treat, or fantastic sandwich on homemade bread. It's a great spot for people-watching and the espresso is excellent.
1663 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA
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$ | Old West End |
Situated in the TD Garden, this unique food hall serves up more than a dozen different food and drink options, many of which are little sister outposts for chefs and restaurants local to the Boston and New England area. Try barbecue at The Smoke Shop or Italian desserts at Mike's Pastry. Quick service is the name of the game, although Hub Hall does feature one sit-down restaurant, Momosan Ramen Boston by Morimoto. One thing is for sure, if you don't like crowds, avoid this place when there is a home Celtics or Bruins game, because it gets packed!
80 Causeway St., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Quick service
- Packed during Celtics and Bruins games
- Lots of Boston favorites under one roof
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You won't get many frills at this traditional Italian-style bakery that's tucked a bit off the main drag, but you will get loads of sweets in the form of cream puffs, eclairs, pastry twists, Italian cookies, and loaves of scali bread (braided and coated in sesame seeds). There's also a deli that serves sandwiches to go.
258 K St., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Known For
- Pan pizza
- Brewed flavored coffee
- Italian desserts
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The huge, juicy roast-beef sandwiches served at Kelly's Roast Beef, a local institution since 1951, are the sole reason some Bostonians make the trek to Revere. Other menu favorites include the fried clams and hand-breaded onion rings. It's open from 5 am to 2:30 am Sunday through Thursday, and until 3 am Friday and Saturday.
410 Revere Beach Blvd., Boston, Massachusetts, 02151, USA
Known For
- Huge roast beef sandwiches and lobster rolls
- Seaside picnic table seating
- A Revere Beach must