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Carmen
Exposed brick and candlelit tables make this tiny wine bar cozy yet chic. The innovative menu offers a selection of small plates providing a fresh take on seasonal vegetables; mains like roast cornish hen and seared tuna sit alongside classic pasta dishes. Reservations recommended.
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Casa Romero
The entrance to this hidden treasure is in the public alley off Gloucester St. Step inside and find yourself in a cozy casa - filled with folk art and Talavera tiles - which is wonderful and warm during winter months. In pleasant weather, dine under the stars on the delightful patio. This is not your average taqueria - be prepared to pay for the experience.
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Casablanca
Below the Brattle Theater, this Harvard Sq classic has long been the hangout of film fans, local literati and other arty types. Regulars skip the formal dining room and slip in the back door to the boisterous bar. A colorful mural depicting Rick's Café sets the stage for innovative Mediterranean delights, including a great selection of meze.
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Central Kitchen
Serving rustic Mediterranean fare in a gritty urban setting. Look for bistro classics like mussels marinière, pan-seared foie gras and cassoulet. If you think this place is cool, head upstairs to the lounge, the Enormous Room. Through the unmarked door, you'll find a dark room filled with beautiful people, reclining on couches and sipping fancy, fruity cocktails.
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Centre Street Cafe
This artistic, eclectic restaurant embodies the essence of Jamaica Plain. Smart but idiosyncratic staff serve dishes that range from 'shrimp nirvana' to 'Danno's Szechwan Shaboom.' It's not particularly fancy fare, but ingredients are organic and locally grown, and the outcome is - as the menu promises - 'outrageously good!' A highlight is Sunday brunch, when patient would-be patrons wait in lines that stretch down the block.
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Chacarero
A Chacarero is a traditional Chilean sandwich made with tender, grilled chicken or beef, muenster cheese, fresh tomatoes, guacamole and the surprise ingredient, steamed green beans. Stuffed into homemade bread, the sandwiches are the hands-down favorite for lunch in Downtown Crossing. This place is a lunchtime favourite so join the queue and enjoy.
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Chez Henri
This French-Cuban blend is a dark, romantic bistro offering saffron-soaked mussels, smoked salmon frisée and blanquette de veau (veal stew). It may sound all French, but the undeniable favorite is the Cubano, a pressed sandwich with succulent, slow-roasted pork. The dining room has a fancy feel, but the lively bar serves up lime daiquiris, mojitos and other rum cocktails to a casual crowd.
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China Pearl
The dull roar at China Pearl (the sound of a restaurant packed with patrons) is good indication that this place is the best of the bunch for dim sum. Choose your treats as the carts cruise past your table or - if you don't know what's what - copy the Chinese people at the next table.
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Clio
Art deco posters and leopard-print rugs lend a funky feel to this ultra-chic boutique restaurant. It is an appropriate setting for one of Boston's most innovative chefs: Ken Oringer is masterful when it comes to creative cuisine and pleasing presentation. Look for a French- and Asian-influenced menu that changes frequently according to what's fresh and in season. The on-site sashimi bar, Uni, also gets rave reviews.
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Croma
Newly revamped, this stylish pizzeria has a hip European feel. The sleek interior - with exposed brick walls and floor-to-ceiling windows - is a hot spot to see and be seen, as is the outdoor patio. Enjoy a crispy-crust, Neopolitan-style pizza or a selection from the extensive wine-by-the-glass menu.
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Cuchi Cuchi
Features an international menu of small plates, encouraging you to sample your way around the globe. The lavishly baroque decor bucks the minimalist design trends omnipresent in Boston's hip eateries. Stained-glass windows, gold-veined mirrors and ornate tiles make the sophisticated clientele feel right at home. And yes, the place is named in honor of Charo.
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Daily Catch
Although owner Paul Freddura long ago added a few tables and an open kitchen, this shoebox fish joint still retains the atmosphere of a retail fish market; fortunately, it also retains the freshness of the fish. There's not much room to maneuver but you can keep an eye on how your monkfish marsala or lobster fra diavolo is being prepared. The specialty is calamari, fried to tender perfection.
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Dalí
Crowded with kitsch and craziness, this bustling bar sets the standard for imaginative and appetizing tapas. Don Juan waiters deliver an endless array of goodies, all of which will make you think you've died and gone to Andalusia. The place is usually packed (reservations are not accepted), so order a pitcher of sangria to sip while you wait. From Harvard, walk across the yard and up Kirkland St.
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Darwin's
Punky staff serve fat sandwiches - made to order and stuffed with meats, cheeses and veggies - fresh soup and salads, and delicious coffee and pastries, all with a generous helping of attitude. The limited seating is often occupied by students who are in for the long haul (thanks to wireless access). So unless you intend to surf, take your lunch to enjoy at JFK Park or Radcliffe Yard. A new location is on Cambridge St near Irving House.
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East Coast Grill
Seafood with southern spice. Sample appetizers like a chili-crusted tuna taco or buttermilk fried oysters, before diving into a fine, fresh seafood entrée. If fish is not your thing, there is also a selection of ribs from the oak-smoked pit barbecue. The do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar makes the East Coast Grill one of the city's top spots for Sunday brunch.
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Eastern Standard
Whether you choose to sit in the sophisticated, brassy interior or on the heated patio (open year-round), you're sure to enjoy the upscale atmosphere at this Kenmore Sq eaterie. French bistro fare, with a hint of New American panache, caters to a pre-game crowd that prefers wine and cheese to peanuts and crackerjacks. Great people-watching on game nights.
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El Pelon Taqueria
If your budget is tight, don't miss this chance to fill up on Boston's best burritos, tacos and tortas, made with the freshest ingredients. The tacos de la casa are highly recommended, especially the pescado , made with Icelandic cod and topped with chili mayo. Plates are paper and cutlery is plastic.
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Elephant Walk
Highly regarded for its dual menus of classic French and traditional Cambodian cuisine, the Elephant Walk offers a unique dining experience. The large dining room has an understated and exotic decor to match the menu. For the adventurous eater, the team of chefs offers well priced tasting menus and cooking classes.
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Emma's Pizza
Before or after a flick at the Kendall Sq Cinema, make a point of stopping here. The friendly neighborhood pizzeria instills a maniacal devotion in its customers. Crispy thin crust and creative topping combinations cause Emma's to be consistently rated among the city's best pizza. Slices and salads are sold from the front window.
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Figs
This creative pizzeria - which also has an outlet in Charlestown - is the brainchild of celebrity chef Todd English, who tops whisper-thin crusts with interesting, exotic toppings. Case in point: the namesake fig and prosciutto with gorgonzola cheese, which receives rave reviews. The menu also includes sandwiches and fresh pasta. While the food tastes gourmet, the dining room is dark, comfy and casual. And it's usually packed, so be prepared to wait.
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Finale Desserterie
Choose from a long list of tempting treats, from crème brulée to chocolate soufflé, and enjoy them with coffee, wine or port. Mirrors over the pastry chefs' workstation allow patrons to watch their magic. There are also light soups, salads and sandwiches at lunchtime and appetizer-size dinner dishes so you don't eat sweets on an empty stomach.
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Flour
Flour implores patrons to 'make life sweeter… eat dessert first!' It's hard to resist at this pastry-lover's paradise. But dessert is not all: sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas are also available. And just to prove there is something for everybody, flour sells homemade dog biscuits for your canine friend. He can't come inside, of course, so if your pooch is in tow, snag a seat on the sunny patio.
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Fugakyu
The name aptly translates as 'house of elegance.' Upscale and over-the-top, Fugakyu offers a gorgeous array of sushi and sashimi, as well as traditional cooked meals, served by staff dressed in kimonos. The sushi bar features a water canal; watch for your order to arrive by boat.
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Galeria Umberto
This lunchtime legend closes as soon as the slices are gone. And considering their thick and chewy goodness, that's often before the official closing time. Loyal patrons line up early so they are sure to get theirs.
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Gelateria
Gelato, ice-cream's Italian cousin, is a denser, softer version of America's frozen treat. Plus it's made with milk instead of cream, which means it has a lower fat content. But it is no less satisfying on a hot day, as happy customers at this gelateria can attest. Some 50 flavors range from traditional cioccolato to fanciful fruits.
