Cambridge/Boston dining: an MIT-centric guide

On the occasion of the National Puzzlers' League (NPL) convention at the Cambridge Marriott (July 2004), I've compiled a list of dining locations that are either easily accessible (preferably walking distance) from MIT or are worth a short T trip. This was inspired partly by the fact that the area right around Kendall Square is a bit sterile and corporate, so wandering in random directions does not typically lead to food.

My listings are sorted by "genre" rather than location to give some sense of what's available, and also to avoid discouraging you from using the T; it's so cheap and convenient that places in, say, Harvard Square are actually more convenient than those located at the back end of a 15-minute walk. Comments and suggestions welcome!

All locations are in Cambridge unless otherwise specified. (Note: "Mass Ave" = Massachusetts Avenue.) For directions involving the Red Line, get on the T right in front of the hotel. Stops Central, Harvard, Porter, Davis, Alewife are "outbound" (entrance on the hotel side of the street), all others (i.e., the ones in Boston) are "inbound" (entrance on the other side of the street). For directions involving the Green Line, take the Red Line inbound to Park Street and transfer, paying attention to the lettered lines (B,C,D,E) unless you're headed for Government Center, in which case go the "Lechmere" platform.

Thanks to Hubkrewe 42itous, 530nm330Hz, /dev/joe, Ucaoimhu, and Tahnan for contributions. Last update: 29 May 04.

Food Court

This is out of alphabetical order, but since it includes the place in front of the hotel, I figured I'd start here.

Kendall Square

Kendall Square
Stand in the lobby, turn right, walk forward.
Not much here, but it'll do in a pinch: Sbarro (pizza/Italian), Au Bon Pain (cafe/bakery), Chinese and Japanese restaurants, and a couple of others. Consider taking your lunch up to the roof garden (atop the Marriott parking structure).
Closes at 7 PM, so don't count on this for dinner.

Cambridgeside Galleria

near Kendall Square
Take the free "Wave" shuttle bus from in front of the hotel, or walk about a mile and a half (left out of the hotel, left on 1st street, on your right after about seven blocks.)
The nearest generic mall, with a food court to match. There are also some sit-down restaurants, like Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen.

MIT Student Center

MIT Student Center, Mass Ave
Right on Main St., left at the first signal to Ames. At the crosswalk, turn right into the MIT campus, and walk straight through the courtyard (beware strong crosswinds) or within the adjacent corridor. Go inside, keep going down the "Infinite Corridor" until you emerge on Mass Ave. The Student Center is the large building just on your right after you cross the street.
Several eateries here catering to students. Lobdell's, on the second floor, is a mini-food court featuring Burger King, pizza, pasta, Mexican, deli, sushi, and a salad bar (open weekdays only, and not great hours for dinner). Alpine Bagel Cafe has less selection (bagels, sandwiches, pizza) but better hours.
Limited weekend options.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace (a/k/a Quincy Market)

near Government Center, Boston
Green Line to Government Center, then cross the big concrete plaza (walk past City Hall).
A confluence of stalls and shops; combine your eating and shopping in one trip!

Afghan

Helmand

First Street, Cambridge (near the Galleria)
Turn left out of the Marriott, turn left at the corner (3rd Street), turn right at the next corner (Binney), turn left at the signal (1st Street), and look for it on the left after a block or two. Adjacent to Boca Grande.
Afghan food shares some elements with Persian and Indian cuisine. Don't sit too close to the wood oven, as it gets very smoky. Trivia: the proprietor is a brother of Afghan president Hamid Karzai (the other brothers run similar restaurants elsewhere in the US).

Bar

In case the one in the hotel isn't up to snuff, you really should be doing Hathor's Pub Crawl, but anyway. See also Brewpubs below.

Miracle of Science

Mass Ave, between Kendall and Central
You could go up Main all the way to Mass Ave and turn left, but that's overshooting a bit.
Some food, but mostly just a popular bar.

Brewpub

Cambridge Brewing Company

One Kendall Square
Get on Broadway (behind the hotel), head away from the river, right on Hampshire, find it in the open plaza.
A popular MIT haunt with good sandwiches and pizza to accompany your microbrew.

John Harvard's Brew House

Dunster Street, Harvard
From the T exit, find Dunster Street (next to Au Bon Pain), and it's on the right adjacent to The Garage.
A local fixture, with many brews and good standard brewpub fare (burgers, pizza, etc.)

Burgers

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage

Mass Ave, Harvard Square
From the T exit, walk down Mass Ave past the Au Bon Pain, and it'll be in a block or two.
I wouldn't know, but Bartley's is reputed to have the best hamburgers in the known universe.

Cafe

Boston is a cafe-lover's playground, thanks to the glut of college students. Please resist the temptation to proceed directly to the nearest Starbucks; I won't even tell you where it is. (Not counting the one in the hotel, that is. Sigh.)

Rebecca's Cafe

Main Street, near Kendall Square
You should be able to see it across the street from the Marriott.
Not really a coffee shop in the sense you may have in mind, but one of my standard lunch spots. Great sandwiches, salads, pastas, quiches.
Breakfast and lunch only; weekdays only.

Au Bon Pain

Main Street, near Kendall Square
One location in the food court, another across the street. (Other locations include: Central, Harvard, Prudential, et cetera.)
Yes, the "French Bakery Cafe" is a chain, but at least it's not Starbucks.
Breakfast and lunch only.

1369 Coffeehouse

Mass Ave, Central Square
I already told you the street address. It's on your right just past the T entrance.
Nice coffee shop if you're in the neighborhood.

Diesel

Davis Square
T to Davis, follow Elm Street out of the square, and it's on the left.
The official cafe of the Boston NPL crowd, or at least of Sprout, who can be found there more days than not. Tahnan, Saxifrage and I also put in regular appearances.

Cajun

Border Cafe

Church St., Harvard Square
Take the Church Street exit (not the main exit), turn right after you exit the turnstiles, then walk down the street perpendicular to Mass Ave one block and look for it on the left.
The only Cajun-Mexican restaurant I've ever been to, and it excels at both. Can be crowded and noisy, especially on weekends.

Cambodian

The Elephant Walk

Mass Ave, Porter Square
From the T entrance, walk on Mass Ave past the Star Market for maybe five blocks, and look for it on the right. (Other location: Fenway.)
Somewhat upscale Franco-Cambodian. I think that means Cambodian entrees and French desserts. A bit remote from the hotel, but perhaps worth the trip.

Chinese

Mary Chung's

Mass Ave, near Central Square
Turn right out of the Marriott, follow Main Street until it ends, and look for it across Mass Ave.
Simple but good Szechuan food. Popular grad student haunt.
Closed Tuesdays? Cash only.

Royal East

Main Street
About halfway to Mass Ave.
I personally prefer Mary's, but to each his own.

Chinatown

Chinatown, Boston
Red Line to Downtown Crossing, then walk down Washington Street or take the Orange Line one stop (to Chinatown).
Lots of places to eat here, of course. Beware: this area borders the remnants of the Combat Zone (red-light district), so watch your step at night.

Ethiopian

Asmara

Mass Ave, Central Square
T or walk to Central, pass the main T entrance and look for it on the right after about two more blocks.
Spicy meat and veggies in a style you probably haven't experienced unless you've eaten Ethiopian/Eritrean before. Bring friends: all of your orders will be served together on a giant piece of injera (flatbread) which will double as your plate and utensils. (Warning: I'm told that Addis Red Sea is a better Ethiopian restaurant, but you'll have to trek over to Copley Square for it.)
May be closed Mondays.

Fasika

23 South Huntington St., Jamaica Plain
Green line E; the restaurant is just after the trolley turns left (south) off of Huntington St.
In case you're in this area (near the Museum of Fine Arts and the Arnold Arboretum), go check this place out.
Closed Mondays. Opens 4 PM weekdays, 2 PM weekends.

Fast Food

Sorry, I refuse to single out any particular establishments here on general principle. Why not just try the food court? But in case you care, your nearest Burger King (not counting the mini-one within Lobdell within the MIT Student Center) and McDonald's are both on Mass Ave just this side of Central Square.

Hamburgers

See "Burgers" above.

Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of the two local religions here (the other being the Sox), so make sure to sample the local flavors.

Toscanini's

Main Street, near Central Square
Turn right out of the hotel, and stop just short of Mass Ave. (Other location: Harvard.)
Who needs gelato when you've got Tosci's (pronounced TOSS-keys)? Not the best ice cream in the area (keep reading), but probably the closest.

Herrell's

Dunster Street, Harvard Square
T to Harvard, then walk down the street next to the Au Bon Pain. (Other location, as Steve's: Faneuil Hall.)
Good ice cream in a peculiar setting: a former bank, complete with vault.

Christina's

Inman Square (1255 Cambridge Street)
Sadly, your best bet is a 20 minute walk: take Broadway (behind the hotel) to Hampshire, take that to Prospect, go up one block to Cambridge St., turn left, and look on the right. (There is a bus also, if you can figure out the schedule.)
Great ice cream, and worth the trip, especially since it's a fair bit cheaper than Herrell's or Tosci's.

Indian

Your easiest bet is to walk down Main St and then Mass Ave; you'll pass a number of Indian restaurants on the way, all at least decent. A number have cheap lunch buffets on weekdays.

Haveli (formerly Akbar India)

Cambridge St., Inman Square
Broadway (behind the hotel) to Hampshire, take that about 10 minutes to Prospect, turn right, and it's at the corner with Cambridge St.
Standard Indian fare of the sort you'll also find in Central Square (with the obligatory lunch buffet, even on weekends). Its main selling point is its proximity to Christina's (see Ice Cream).

Tanjore

Eliot St., Harvard Square
From the main Harvard T exit, proceed down JFK (towards the river) and turn right at the second signal; it's on your right. One of the few Indian restaurants in the area that highlights regional specialties, for those of you who tire of chicken tikka, lamb vindaloo, and malai kofta. (More "traditional" Indian places in Harvard Square include Bombay Club, on JFK, and Cafe of India, on Brattle St.)

India Quality

Kenmore Square, Boston
Green Line B/C/D to Kenmore. Or walk across MIT to the Harvard Bridge, cross the river, bear right onto Beacon Street, then look for it once you reach Commonwealth Avenue.
Some of the best Indian food I've found in Boston. Seriously. Nowhere else have I experienced chapati (flatbread) better than my mother makes.

Italian

La Groceria

Main St, Central Square
Just short of Mass Ave, near Tosci's.
Your closest authentic, non-greasy-spoon Italian restaurant.

The North End

Boston
Green line to Haymarket (or Government Center in case the Haymarket station is closed, which it may be this summer), then ask around. Bring a map, but beware that thanks to shifting Big Dig construction (and pre-DNC security), neither a map nor I nor passersby nor taxi drivers can be sure how you get there. Try asking a policeman. Oh, and there's a shuttle (EZRide) between Kendall Square and North Station, which gets you pretty close in lieu of taking the T, but it only runs weekdays until 7:30 PM.
This is the Italian quarter, now reunited with the rest of the city thanks to the removal of the elevated Central Artery as part of the Big Dig. Lots of restaurant choices (I seem to recall La Familgia Giorgio's as a good choice, with huge portions); and treat yourself afterward to a stop at the world-famous Mike's Pastry. (Mmm, marzipan.)

Japanese

Roka

Mass Ave, between Central and Harvard Squares
Closer to Harvard than Central. It's set a bit underground, though it has an overhead sign to help you find it.
Good spot for sushi and other Japanese standards.

Bluefin

Porter Square
Turn left out of the T exit, cross over the train tracks, enter the Porter Exchange on your left (look for the Gap), and proceed to the back.
Japanese and Korean at decent prices. Lots of other Japanese-type stuff in this shopping center too.

Kosher

Brookline

Green Line C to Park or Harvard St.
Boston's answer to Brighton Beach. (It could have ended up in neighboring Brighton, but that would have been too easy.) Probably anyone who cares already knows more about the Russian Jewish bakeries in this city-within-a-city (surrounded by but not part of Boston) than I do, but never mind.

Mexican

Boca Grande

Picante

Central Square
Go up Mass Ave from the T entrance, and look on the right after about a block. (Other location: Davis.)
One of my favorite stops for Mexican food, in part because of their wide menu (portabello enchiladas, anyone?).

Border Cafe

See listing under Cajun.

North African

Not to be confused with Ethiopian; see above.

Baraka

80 Pearl St., Central Square
Find Pearl Street in Central Square (south side of Mass. Ave, near the main T entrance), head down about five blocks, look for it on the left after you pass the library.
A hidden gem that I only learned about recently. Couscous and other Maghrebi specialties (i.e., North African with a French twist) in a setting so intimate it feels like you're a dinner guest at a private house. Oh, and you have got to try the lemonade. I'm not kidding.

Pizza

You already have Sbarro's in the food court, but there are many varieties of pizza, so here are other options.

Bertucci's

Main Street
About halfway from Kendall to Mass Ave, on the right. (Other locations include: Harvard Square, Quincy Market.)
Good thin-crust brick-oven pizza. Go for lunch and a pretty good salad ("insalata") is also included.

Cinderella's

Main Street, by Mass Ave
Just short of Mass Ave
A sit-down pizza and Italian joint, cheap and tasty.

Pizzeria Uno's

Harvard Square
Just up JFK Street from the T stop. (Other locations include: Porter, Kenmore, and several others.)
You probably have these where you come from too. Chicago-style deep dish pizza done well, but be prepared to wait (it's worth it).

Campo de Fiori

Holyoke Center, Harvard Square
Enter Holyoke Center (next to the Au Bon Pain) after exiting the T.
I don't know if this is really Roman-style pizza, but it's sure not what you're used to: less (or no) tomato sauce, more olive oil, crispy flat savory crust. A bit more upscale, more Italian-style, than the other listings.
Weekdays only.

Seafood

For you pescivores out there, Boston may be a dream come true, and your first stop is a no-brainer.

Legal Seafoods

Kendall Square
Turn right out of the hotel and walk to the corner.
A Boston institution which has spread throughout the eastern US. As they say, if it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal. Oh, and it's pronounced "chowdah".

(Super)market

La Verde's

MIT Student Center, Mass Ave
See directions for Lobdell above, except that La Verde's is on the ground floor.
Not big, but it's got all your basic needs covered.

Star Market (Shaw's)

Sidney St. (Other locations include: Porter, and many more.)
Walk down Main St. to Mass Ave, cross over and follow Sidney Street for a block, then turn left and look for a hidden entrance on the right. (Parking on the ground floor, the store is up the escalator.)
If you need a supermarket, this is your closest one.

Thai

Thai's

One Kendall Square
Get on Broadway (behind the hotel), head away from the river, turn right on Hampshire and find it in the open plaza.
I don't actually care for this place much, but it's the only Thai place within a short walk, and it'll do in a pinch.

Brown Sugar Cafe

Jersey St. (Yawkey Way), Boston
Green Line B/C/D to Kenmore, take Brookline Ave over the highway, and turn left as if you were going to Fenway Park. (Other location: Commonwealth Ave.)
I've never been here, but it comes highly recommended.

Thai Basil

Newbury St., Boston
Green Line to Copley; it's actually walking distance, but the walk is a bit tricky to describe.
I've only been here once, but it was excellent. Make sure to get the Thai iced tea, which comes disassembled (tea, cream, sugar syrup all separate) so you can make it your own way.

Tibetan

House of Tibet

Teele Square
Red Line to Davis, then walk up Holland Street or take the 87 or 88 bus up the hill.
Excellent momas, and a nice alternative to Chinese/Indian.

Truck

Goosebeary's

Main and Ames Streets
It's the truck in the parking lot with the long line in front of it.
Yes, it's a truck. But if you want an authentic MIT experience, this is where you'll get it. There are several other trucks in the same area (pizza, Mexican, Middle Eastern) if pan-Asian isn't to your taste.
Lunch only; weekdays only?; cash only.

Vietnamese

Pho Pasteur

The Garage, Harvard Square
From the main T entrance, walk down Dunster Street, and enter the Garage shopping center; it's on the first floor on your right just after you enter.
Good Franco-Vietnamese food and, um, interesting milkshakes. (Durian, anyone? How about jackfruit? Didn't think so.) Popular with many locals, though some swear by Elephant Walk instead (see under Cambodian).