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Exterior of an old-school restaurant with blue, pink, and red signage, including neon accents, that reads Pleasant Cafe. — A classic Roslindale haunt

Boston’s Best Neighborhood Hangouts

Where to eat and drink and feel like a local

by Terrence Doyle Feb 25, 2019, 9:00am EST

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A classic Roslindale haunt

| Terrence B. Doyle/Eater

by Terrence Doyle Feb 25, 2019, 9:00am EST

Greater Boston is awash with shiny and new (and often excellent) restaurants. What’s often forgotten in the calculus is the neighborhood joint that’s been doing its thing and nourishing its neighbors for years.

This map isn’t dedicated to classics (although some of these places are classics) or the shiny and new (although some of these places are on the newer side of things), but rather to restaurants and bars that are simply reliable, comfortable, and full of regulars. If you live down the street from one of these places, you already know and love it. If you’re a newcomer, you’ll be a regular soon.

Here are some of the Boston area’s best neighborhood hangouts.

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Upperwest

This looks and feels like your grandad’s basement — in the best way possible. Upperwest, a lower-level lair in a Veterans Post building in North Cambridge, specializes in cheese, charcuterie, and wine. The play is a glass of something red and the pasta special of the day.

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1 Cedar St, Cambridge, MA 02140

Visit Website

A bar with old-fashioned, wood-paneled walls, shelves of booze, and a chalkboard with a menu written on it. A glass of wine and a cheese and charcuterie board sit on the bar. — Upperwest

Highland Kitchen

Highland Kitchen has one of the best jukeboxes in town, the best bluefish cakes in town, and a desirable cocktail list. The burger’s also a strong contender. It’s a quintessential neighborhood hang.

150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Ricotta and mozzarella fritters at Highland Kitchen

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Cambridge Common

Cambridge Common is a townie joint, and that’s a good thing. The wings are a must, and there is live music in the Lizard Lounge below seven nights a week. Snag some tater tots and a beer.

1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Wings at Cambridge Common — The wings at Cambridge Common are exceptional

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Trina's Starlite Lounge

Trina’s is renowned for its industry brunch on Mondays. It’s also renowned for an exceptional cocktail list and selection of comfort food, particularly the hot dogs.

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Trina’s Starlite Lounge — A pretty cocktail at Trina’s

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Santarpio's Pizza

Santarpio’s is definitely touristy, but there’s still very much a neighborhood vibe to the decades-old pizzeria. Get the sausage pizza, and get the sausage plate too.

111 Chelsea St, Boston, MA 02128

Visit Website

Cheese pizza on a metal tray on a wooden table — Pizza from the legendary Santarpio’s

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KO Catering & Pies

KO Pies sadly might not be here for much longer, which is why you need to go there immediately and eat an Australian meat pie.

16, 256 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

Visit Website

An Australian meat pie sits in a paper container on a red tray on a red and white picnic table — A meat pie at KO Pies in East Boston

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The Daily Catch

The North End is flush with Italian food. The Daily Catch is the least touristy of the better spots. Get the calamari.

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323 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

Visit Website

A silver pan is full of steamed mussels — Mussels from the Daily Catch

Silvertone

Silvertone has that mid-century vibe, and its wings or mac and cheese are what you’re after.

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

Visit Website

A vintage cigarette poster hangs on a red wall, across a corner from a blue neon sign that reads Silvertone. — Silvertone

Also featured in:

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Carlo’s Cucina Italiana

The best Italian restaurant not in the North End. Enjoy Italian-American cuisine in this quaint Allston haunt, which used to be a pizza parlor.

131 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134

Visit Website

Seafood pasta special at Carlo’s Cucina Italiana

No Name Restaurant

If it’s seafood you’re after and you’re in the Seaport, look no further than No Name, open for a century and unassuming in its space on the fish pier.

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15 1/2 Fish Pier St E, Boston, MA 02210

Visit Website

Seafood at No Name Restaurant

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Delux Cafe

The records on the wall at Delux Cafe date back to the past owner, and the Elvis lamp will make you feel like you’re hanging with music royalty. Get the half chicken or the burger, and drink as many ‘Gansetts as you can reasonably handle.

Open in Google Maps

100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116

A beer in a can on a dark wooden bar. — A ‘Gansett at Delux

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Anchovies

Another great Italian joint that’s not in the North End. The garlic bread is simple and perfect, as are the mussels.

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Visit Website

Anchovies

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Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen

At Darryl’s, find live music, a beautiful bar (like, really beautiful), incredible art on the walls, and the best soul food in the city.

604 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Visit Website

darryl’s corner bar fried chicken — Fried chicken and waffles at Darryl’s

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Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

There’s always something new and incredible happening with the Lincoln Tavern’s Friday brunch test kitchen. See: birthday cake sticky buns or lasagna pizza, for example. And at nighttime, it’s a happening spot.

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

Visit Website

Lincoln burger — A burger at Lincoln Tavern

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Blossom Bar at Sichuan Garden

Blossom Bar is new, but not really. For decades before it became a hip cocktail spot, it was Sichaun Garden. A lot of that menu remains. Namely, the house special eggplant, the hot dry chicken, and the dan dan noodles. And now there are amazing cocktails, too.

Open in Google Maps

295 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

Visit Website

blossom bar — Dan dan noodles at Blossom Bar

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Suya Joint

Suya Joint is one of several good spots for West African food in Dudley. Try the egusi, which is a stew with African melon seeds, spinach, fish, and chicken.

Open in Google Maps

185 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Visit Website

suya joint boston — A spread from Suya joint

Vee Vee

Another quintessential neighborhood hang, Vee Vee specializes in seasonal American cuisine and has an excellent beer list.

763 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Visit Website

Squid ink pappardelle at Vee Vee

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Ali's Roti

There are some solid roti shops in Boston, and Ali’s is one of the best. Try the curry chicken roti.

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1188 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan, MA 02126

ali’s roti — Roti from Ali’s

Pleasant Cafe

Get the broiled scallops at Pleasant Cafe, and get a pepper and onion pizza too. The space is mostly unchanged since opening in the 1930s.

4515 Washington St, Roslindale, MA 02131

Visit Website

Overhead view of a thin-crust pizza topped with green peppers on a wooden table. One slice of the pizza has been removed. — The pizza at Pleasant Cafe is a treat

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Upperwest

1 Cedar St, Cambridge, MA 02140

This looks and feels like your grandad’s basement — in the best way possible. Upperwest, a lower-level lair in a Veterans Post building in North Cambridge, specializes in cheese, charcuterie, and wine. The play is a glass of something red and the pasta special of the day.

Open in Google Maps

1 Cedar St, Cambridge, MA 02140

Visit Website

A bar with old-fashioned, wood-paneled walls, shelves of booze, and a chalkboard with a menu written on it. A glass of wine and a cheese and charcuterie board sit on the bar. — Upperwest

Highland Kitchen

150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Highland Kitchen has one of the best jukeboxes in town, the best bluefish cakes in town, and a desirable cocktail list. The burger’s also a strong contender. It’s a quintessential neighborhood hang.

150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Ricotta and mozzarella fritters at Highland Kitchen

Cambridge Common

1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Cambridge Common is a townie joint, and that’s a good thing. The wings are a must, and there is live music in the Lizard Lounge below seven nights a week. Snag some tater tots and a beer.

1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Wings at Cambridge Common — The wings at Cambridge Common are exceptional

Trina's Starlite Lounge

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Trina’s is renowned for its industry brunch on Mondays. It’s also renowned for an exceptional cocktail list and selection of comfort food, particularly the hot dogs.

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Trina’s Starlite Lounge — A pretty cocktail at Trina’s

Santarpio's Pizza

111 Chelsea St, Boston, MA 02128

Santarpio’s is definitely touristy, but there’s still very much a neighborhood vibe to the decades-old pizzeria. Get the sausage pizza, and get the sausage plate too.

111 Chelsea St, Boston, MA 02128

Visit Website

Cheese pizza on a metal tray on a wooden table — Pizza from the legendary Santarpio’s

KO Catering & Pies

16, 256 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

KO Pies sadly might not be here for much longer, which is why you need to go there immediately and eat an Australian meat pie.

16, 256 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

Visit Website

An Australian meat pie sits in a paper container on a red tray on a red and white picnic table — A meat pie at KO Pies in East Boston

The Daily Catch

323 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

The North End is flush with Italian food. The Daily Catch is the least touristy of the better spots. Get the calamari.

Open in Google Maps

323 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

Visit Website

A silver pan is full of steamed mussels — Mussels from the Daily Catch

Silvertone

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

Silvertone has that mid-century vibe, and its wings or mac and cheese are what you’re after.

69 Bromfield St, Boston, MA 02108

Visit Website

A vintage cigarette poster hangs on a red wall, across a corner from a blue neon sign that reads Silvertone. — Silvertone

Carlo’s Cucina Italiana

131 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134

The best Italian restaurant not in the North End. Enjoy Italian-American cuisine in this quaint Allston haunt, which used to be a pizza parlor.

131 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134

Visit Website

Seafood pasta special at Carlo’s Cucina Italiana

No Name Restaurant

15 1/2 Fish Pier St E, Boston, MA 02210

If it’s seafood you’re after and you’re in the Seaport, look no further than No Name, open for a century and unassuming in its space on the fish pier.

Open in Google Maps

15 1/2 Fish Pier St E, Boston, MA 02210

Visit Website

Seafood at No Name Restaurant

Delux Cafe

100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116

The records on the wall at Delux Cafe date back to the past owner, and the Elvis lamp will make you feel like you’re hanging with music royalty. Get the half chicken or the burger, and drink as many ‘Gansetts as you can reasonably handle.

Open in Google Maps

100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116

A beer in a can on a dark wooden bar. — A ‘Gansett at Delux

Anchovies

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Another great Italian joint that’s not in the North End. The garlic bread is simple and perfect, as are the mussels.

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Visit Website

Anchovies

Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen

604 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

At Darryl’s, find live music, a beautiful bar (like, really beautiful), incredible art on the walls, and the best soul food in the city.

604 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Visit Website

darryl’s corner bar fried chicken — Fried chicken and waffles at Darryl’s

Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

There’s always something new and incredible happening with the Lincoln Tavern’s Friday brunch test kitchen. See: birthday cake sticky buns or lasagna pizza, for example. And at nighttime, it’s a happening spot.

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

Visit Website

Lincoln burger — A burger at Lincoln Tavern

Blossom Bar at Sichuan Garden

295 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

Blossom Bar is new, but not really. For decades before it became a hip cocktail spot, it was Sichaun Garden. A lot of that menu remains. Namely, the house special eggplant, the hot dry chicken, and the dan dan noodles. And now there are amazing cocktails, too.

Open in Google Maps

295 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

Visit Website

blossom bar — Dan dan noodles at Blossom Bar

Related Maps

Suya Joint

185 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Suya Joint is one of several good spots for West African food in Dudley. Try the egusi, which is a stew with African melon seeds, spinach, fish, and chicken.

Open in Google Maps

185 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Visit Website

suya joint boston — A spread from Suya joint

Vee Vee

763 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Another quintessential neighborhood hang, Vee Vee specializes in seasonal American cuisine and has an excellent beer list.

763 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Visit Website

Squid ink pappardelle at Vee Vee

Ali's Roti

1188 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan, MA 02126

There are some solid roti shops in Boston, and Ali’s is one of the best. Try the curry chicken roti.

Open in Google Maps

1188 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan, MA 02126

ali’s roti — Roti from Ali’s