Those places we like to eat…

AUSTIN

BBQ

Look at all these apostrophes

Ruby’s

Spicy sauce, homemade pickles and onions, cheap and dingy-but in a good way. Basically, if you see adults eat somewhere…you should be eating there too.

Stubb’s

A bit pricey, but worth it. Lots of food, make some take home. Plus they have live music that you can listen to for free from inside even if you didn’t buy tickets.

Lambert’s

Consider this a date night place- so long as saucy chins are a turn-on, OR a graduation dinner place.

FASTFOOD

Zen Asian

Build your own rice or noodle bowls. Cheap and easy. New location on campus.

Whataburger

I will always endorse them

FRENCH

Chez Nous

Take your parents. They have a price fixe which is quite manageable.

Chez Zee

MEDITERRANEAN

Milto’s

Zoe’s Kitchen

Mediterranean with a modern twist. Accessible names and manageable amounts of feta and olives. Literally eat there every week. Pitas, salads, kabobs, pizzas, sandwiches, soups and a great hummous plate.

MEXICAN

Julio’s

Whole roasted chickens served with all the fixin’s of a fajita plate. Nachos, enchiladas and great sopa.

El Mercado

Polvo’s

Self serve salsa bar and great chicken fajitas served with grilled whole onions.

PIZZA

Whole Food’s Market

Buy their dough and make at home too.

Eastside Pies

Try the Moontower

SANDWICHES

Walton’s Fancy and Staple

Sandwiches, soups, salads, like a deli but a little fancier. They have a real sugar soda fountain, pastries and the best invention in the world: Pretzel Bread. Just go try it

SEAFOOD

Sadly, I’m a seafood-snob and choose not to eat any saltwater fish more than a hundred miles from the coast. Please let me know if you’ve found a good place in town.

TACOS

Taco Shack

Oh so many locations

Torchy’s Tacos

Crazy ingredients like fried chicken.

Tamale Shack

Cheap

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BOSTON

UPSCALE PUB FOOD

Grendel’s Den

Also mentioned on the “drink” page, Grendel’s is the best place for heartier, healthier pub style food. With a vegan, vegetarian (or at least healthier) slant of typical bar foods like quesadillas, nachos, potato skins etc. Plus things like homemade soups, great green salads, whole fish dinners, rotating specials like seasonal pastas and interesting sandwiches and burgers. Everything on the menu is delicious and relatively cheap (its near Harvard, but caters mostly to grad students and up). My recommendation: the vegan chili (which I’ve tried to replicate with great failure), but exercise the option to add cheese and onions (obviously making it not-vegan). A favorite of meat-eaters and vegans alike.

The Globe

Located downtown near the Boston Public Library, this little pub/eatery is another good place for quick pub food with a fancier, healthier twist. Sweet potato fries then go walk it off in the library.

Regal Beagle

Another up-pub in Brookline and one of my first restaurants to visit in town. A rotating menu with great tasting plates.

BREAKFAST

The Friendly Toast

Super packed (unless its snowing sideways) and serves up old-timey diner food with a modern, healthy twist (another theme in my eating habits). House-baked breads (like the local favorite New England Anadama molasses and cornmeal bread), huge pancakes, french toast, omelettes the size of your face and spicy home fries. Located in Cambridge, Kendall Square and is cash only.

The Deluxe Diner

Located in nearby Watertown, this another old-fashioned diner with a pretty expansive menu. Typical renovated rail car, turned counter eatery with a dozen different types of pancakes (including Johnny Cakes and sweet potato pancakes with pecans). Side note: my first job was as a bus boy at the local diner in my little hometown…it was called the Deluxe Diner. Its nice to be a customer and not the bus boy.

Zaftig’s Delicatessen

Yet another first restaurant for me, but one that deserves a dozen repeats. Traditional Jewish/German deli food with huge portions. You can order sides of everything and get a taste of every little Jewish delight in one sitting! Latkes are served stacked high and piled with awesome ingredients much like a loaded baked potato.

 

FAUX-MEX

Border Cafe

The weirdest combination of food I’ve ever seen. There are two locations for this local restaurant (one in Harvard Sq the other in Burlington) and both showcase a mix of Tex-Mex, Cajun, and Southern fares. Its super weird: alligators and crawfish on one wall, Annie Oakley and other Wild West shooters on another, and a fresco of the Alamo near the entrance. Despite this restaurant’s confusion, the food is pretty good and most importantly, the salsa is adequately spicy. The margaritas aren’t too shabby either.

Ana’s Taqueria

Basic and spicy quick Mexican food. They have authentic ingredients and know how to build a taco. A variety of salsas and they know the difference between pico de gallo and salsa (which is not an obvious thing up here in New England…at the super market they label tubs of pre-chopped pico as salsa! The horror!). Various locations throughout the Boston area, but none close to me:(

Cafe Burrito

The best thing to happen since I moved up to New England, because this guy is located within walking distance of my house. Another weird combo of Italian style coffees and Mission style burritos, but I love them both, so it works. They are still working on the concept of the breakfast taco (which I’ve tried to explain to them), but they’ll build your food however you want. Another purveyor of spicy salsas with a rotating seasonal special each month.

Sunset Grill and Tap

Huge bar selection with somewhat familiar Tex-Mex options like enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, and the highest pile of nachos I’ve ever seen.

PIZZA

Ducali Pizzeria

My very first restaurant in Boston. Located in the historic and very Italian North End, this is old style thin pizza with some pretty interesting ingredients. Served family style with good wine and great big green salads with tangy homemade dressings.

Regina Pizzeria

The original that inspired all the chains, Regina Pizzeria is another North End place (noticing a trend here). Huge portions, thicker more American style pizza, but the place captures the spirit of Old Italian Boston.

Penguin Pizza

A little out of the way, but this thin crust pizza, with very imaginative toppings, is worth the trek. A tiny hole in the wall that’s mostly bar (with loyal patrons beer mugs tagged and hung from the wall). Sells by the slice or whole pies, but they are huge mind you.

BAKERIES & SWEETS

Modern Pastry

Rival’s with Mike’s and located just across the road. Who knew there were so many options of cannoli fillings?! This pastry shop is tiny with only a few bitty tables, but the line will always be out the door. Also sells traditional Italian style cookies and cakes and ties everything up in the North End traditional style: white cardboard box and colorful baker’s twine.

Mike’s Pastry

Rival’s with Modern and located just across the road, too. Again, cannoli fillings are numerous and kind of mind-blowing. This location is a little bigger with tables, but you have to order in and probably order a coffee too in order to sit at them. Lines are always long, but they go fast. Again: white box, colorful twine.

More categories soon…