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Fried chicken plated on foil with sides of mac and cheese and collard greens — Fried chicken at The Coast Cafe

Where to Eat Around Cambridgeport and West Cambridge

These 16 destinations cover everything from pastries to fine dining

by Dana Hatic@DanaHatic Updated Dec 5, 2019, 10:19am EST

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Fried chicken at The Coast Cafe

| Korsha Wilson/Eater

by Dana Hatic@DanaHatic Updated Dec 5, 2019, 10:19am EST

Cambridge’s main squares from Kendall to Porter each boast a strong concentration of restaurants, but there are plenty of hidden gems tucked away on side streets and main roads that are farther afield from the Red Line. Here’s a closer look at the dining options within a stretch of Cambridge that borders the river and expands north, reaching from MIT out to Fresh Pond but skirting around the edges of the best-known squares. This map includes bits of Cambridgeport, West Cambridge, Observatory Hill, Neighborhood Nine, and Riverside.

This map was originally published on November 4, 2019; it will be updated periodically, with the date of the most recent update appearing above. A small update on December 5, 2019, removed Full Moon, which is now closed but expected to reopen soon under a new name and new ownership but few other changes.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Gran Gusto

West of Porter Square, in Cambridge’s Neighborhood Nine, Gran Gusto is strangely nestled inside of an office building within a largely residential area, where it’s serving up some of the best Italian food in the Boston area. The pizza is a must, as is the paccheri with short rib ragu. (Or have some fun with the chitarra alla “sciuè sciuè,” served out of a cheese wheel.)

90 Sherman St, Cambridge, MA 02140

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Paccheri garnished with a meaty short rib ragu and a sprig of rosemary sits on a white plate on a dark background. — Paccheri with short rib ragu at Gran Gusto

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Talulla

This charming restaurant on Concord Avenue fits the bill for fine dining off the commonly beaten path. At Talulla, owners Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer serve composed dishes that highlight local ingredients, carefully selected wines, and more. There are often special events and various options for dining, including tasting and a la carte menus.

377 Walden St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Overhead view of carrots and greens delicately plated — Carrot dish at Talulla

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Trattoria Pulcinella

From a Sardinian toasted pasta with chickpeas, squid, and shrimp to paccheri with salt cod, Trattoria Pulcinella dips into parts of the Italian food repertoire not readily found in the Boston area. Keep an eye out for specials, especially if there’s wild boar.

147 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Hi-Rise Bread Company

This casual Observatory Hill bakery — which has a second location in Porter Square — is run by René and Cynthia Becker, who also operate Italian spot Luce in Porter Square. Hi-Rise has been around since 1996, serving a wide array of sandwiches and breakfast dishes, all with bread made in-house. The Concord Avenue location also serves packaged to-go dinner entrees and sides on weeknights from 4:30 p.m. to close. There are also beers, wines, and liquor available for purchase.

208 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Workers stand around a wooden counter prepping dough balls — Prep at Hi-Rise Bread Company

Also featured in:

Where to Buy Excellent Bread in Greater Boston

Armando's Pizza

One of the best old-school, New York-style slice shops in town, Armando’s serves everything you’d expect from a counter-service pizzeria with wooden booths and youth soccer photos on the walls.

163 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Overhead view of a New York-style pepperoni pizza — A pepperoni pizza at Armando’s

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Sarah's Market & Café

This small, comfortable spot has grab-and-go items, plus a mini-market of wine, beer, and snacks. Its full-service cafe menu includes salads, soups, sandwiches, and select hot dishes and desserts, and there’s an all-day breakfast menu on the weekends.

Open in Google Maps

200 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Formaggio Kitchen

Primarily an exceptional retail shop for cheese (so much cheese) and other specialty goodies, the Huron Village location of Formaggio Kitchen is also notable for its long-running seasonal weekend barbecue series that happens on the sidewalk in front of the shop.

244 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Piles of ribs and wings are set up on a table outdoors in front of a food store window — Formaggio sidewalk barbecue

Also featured in:

Forage

Forage is a sleek subterranean space in Cambridge, close enough to Harvard Square but slightly removed from the hustle and bustle. It delivers gorgeous dishes made with local and seasonal ingredients.

5 Craigie Cir, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

A wide angle of a dining room with wooden tables, blue chairs, and blue painted walls with soft lighting — Dining room at Forage

Also featured in:

Darwin’s Ltd.

There are actually two Darwin’s locations (of four total) in this neck of the woods: One in the former Petsi Pies space on Putnam Avenue (which opened in 2019) and this location on Mount Auburn Street, meaning there’s twice the volume of sandwiches, breads, cookies, and other sundry snacks. Get a Walden on sourdough stacked high with thick mozzarella cheese slices and slathered in pesto. The Mt. Auburn location also offers retail wine, beer, and hard ciders, with monthly tasting events.

Open in Google Maps

148 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

The edge of a blueberry-covered pastry is visible on one edge of the photo, and a small cup of a coffee beverage is visible on another edge — A pastry and coffee at Darwin’s Ltd.

Andala Coffee House

Just a street removed from Central Square, Andala Coffee House is a cozy cafe with Mediterranean dishes, pastries, sandwiches, and various specials. Get a caffeinated beverage while you’re at it — Andala makes Arabic and Turkish coffees.

286 Franklin St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Where to Eat Around Harvard and MIT

Basta Pasta

Basta Pasta has all the piping hot pasta dishes you need for a filling dinner in Cambridgeport. Choose your noodle and sauce, or opt for a pizza or risotto dish.

319 Western Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Green Street

Yes, it’s a wildly popular Central Square bar, but Green Street is technically in Cambridgeport, so it makes the cut here. Get any number of tasty cocktails, or grab a local beer and settle into a booth for a meal of hearty pasta dishes and more while soaking up history.

280 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

A view of a dark bar with illuminated bottles of liquor — Green Street in Cambridge

Also featured in:

The Coast Cafe

The Coast Cafe is a longtime Cambridgeport institution serving soul food and loaded combo platters. There are plenty of classics here, from fried chicken to crispy, cornmeal-crusted, fried catfish and Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and beef and cheese patties.

233 River St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Fried chicken plated on foil with sides of mac and cheese and collard greens — Fried chicken at the Coast Cafe

Also featured in:

Alive & Kicking Lobsters

This unassuming restaurant in a mostly residential block of Cambridgeport is decidedly no-frills, with plastic tables and chairs, a seafood counter, and a compact menu of lobster sandwiches, steamers, chowders, and fish. The popular lobster sandwich comes lightly dressed with mayonnaise, served on buttered Scali bread toast.

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Big chunks of lobster in mayo sit between toasted slices of Scali bread — A lobster sandwich at Alive & Kicking Lobsters

Also featured in:

Surya Indian Kitchen N Caterers

Surya Indian Kitchen N Caterers opened in 2016, and it serves a variety of Indian dishes, grilled specials, and biryani. The menu caters to a broad range of dietary restrictions, and the meats are all certified halal.

114 Magazine St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Flour Bakery

This location of local bakery and cafe chain Flour boasts a fireplace and is the perfect spot for settling in with a tasty pastry and a warm beverage. There are daily specials, as at every Flour location, and of course the bakery’s signature sticky buns.

Open in Google Maps

40 Erie St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Plump sticky buns, topped with nuts, sit on a white cake display in front of a white tiled wall — Flour’s sticky buns

Also featured in:

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Gran Gusto

90 Sherman St, Cambridge, MA 02140

West of Porter Square, in Cambridge’s Neighborhood Nine, Gran Gusto is strangely nestled inside of an office building within a largely residential area, where it’s serving up some of the best Italian food in the Boston area. The pizza is a must, as is the paccheri with short rib ragu. (Or have some fun with the chitarra alla “sciuè sciuè,” served out of a cheese wheel.)

90 Sherman St, Cambridge, MA 02140

Visit Website

Paccheri garnished with a meaty short rib ragu and a sprig of rosemary sits on a white plate on a dark background. — Paccheri with short rib ragu at Gran Gusto

Talulla

377 Walden St, Cambridge, MA 02138

This charming restaurant on Concord Avenue fits the bill for fine dining off the commonly beaten path. At Talulla, owners Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer serve composed dishes that highlight local ingredients, carefully selected wines, and more. There are often special events and various options for dining, including tasting and a la carte menus.

377 Walden St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Overhead view of carrots and greens delicately plated — Carrot dish at Talulla

Trattoria Pulcinella

147 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

From a Sardinian toasted pasta with chickpeas, squid, and shrimp to paccheri with salt cod, Trattoria Pulcinella dips into parts of the Italian food repertoire not readily found in the Boston area. Keep an eye out for specials, especially if there’s wild boar.

147 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Hi-Rise Bread Company

208 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

This casual Observatory Hill bakery — which has a second location in Porter Square — is run by René and Cynthia Becker, who also operate Italian spot Luce in Porter Square. Hi-Rise has been around since 1996, serving a wide array of sandwiches and breakfast dishes, all with bread made in-house. The Concord Avenue location also serves packaged to-go dinner entrees and sides on weeknights from 4:30 p.m. to close. There are also beers, wines, and liquor available for purchase.

208 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Workers stand around a wooden counter prepping dough balls — Prep at Hi-Rise Bread Company

Armando's Pizza

163 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

One of the best old-school, New York-style slice shops in town, Armando’s serves everything you’d expect from a counter-service pizzeria with wooden booths and youth soccer photos on the walls.

163 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Overhead view of a New York-style pepperoni pizza — A pepperoni pizza at Armando’s

Sarah's Market & Café

200 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

This small, comfortable spot has grab-and-go items, plus a mini-market of wine, beer, and snacks. Its full-service cafe menu includes salads, soups, sandwiches, and select hot dishes and desserts, and there’s an all-day breakfast menu on the weekends.

Open in Google Maps

200 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Formaggio Kitchen

244 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Primarily an exceptional retail shop for cheese (so much cheese) and other specialty goodies, the Huron Village location of Formaggio Kitchen is also notable for its long-running seasonal weekend barbecue series that happens on the sidewalk in front of the shop.

244 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

Piles of ribs and wings are set up on a table outdoors in front of a food store window — Formaggio sidewalk barbecue

Forage

5 Craigie Cir, Cambridge, MA 02138

Forage is a sleek subterranean space in Cambridge, close enough to Harvard Square but slightly removed from the hustle and bustle. It delivers gorgeous dishes made with local and seasonal ingredients.

5 Craigie Cir, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

A wide angle of a dining room with wooden tables, blue chairs, and blue painted walls with soft lighting — Dining room at Forage

Darwin’s Ltd.

148 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138

There are actually two Darwin’s locations (of four total) in this neck of the woods: One in the former Petsi Pies space on Putnam Avenue (which opened in 2019) and this location on Mount Auburn Street, meaning there’s twice the volume of sandwiches, breads, cookies, and other sundry snacks. Get a Walden on sourdough stacked high with thick mozzarella cheese slices and slathered in pesto. The Mt. Auburn location also offers retail wine, beer, and hard ciders, with monthly tasting events.

Open in Google Maps

148 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

The edge of a blueberry-covered pastry is visible on one edge of the photo, and a small cup of a coffee beverage is visible on another edge — A pastry and coffee at Darwin’s Ltd.

Andala Coffee House

286 Franklin St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Just a street removed from Central Square, Andala Coffee House is a cozy cafe with Mediterranean dishes, pastries, sandwiches, and various specials. Get a caffeinated beverage while you’re at it — Andala makes Arabic and Turkish coffees.

286 Franklin St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Basta Pasta

319 Western Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Basta Pasta has all the piping hot pasta dishes you need for a filling dinner in Cambridgeport. Choose your noodle and sauce, or opt for a pizza or risotto dish.

319 Western Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Green Street

280 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Yes, it’s a wildly popular Central Square bar, but Green Street is technically in Cambridgeport, so it makes the cut here. Get any number of tasty cocktails, or grab a local beer and settle into a booth for a meal of hearty pasta dishes and more while soaking up history.

280 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

A view of a dark bar with illuminated bottles of liquor — Green Street in Cambridge

The Coast Cafe

233 River St, Cambridge, MA 02139

The Coast Cafe is a longtime Cambridgeport institution serving soul food and loaded combo platters. There are plenty of classics here, from fried chicken to crispy, cornmeal-crusted, fried catfish and Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and beef and cheese patties.

233 River St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Fried chicken plated on foil with sides of mac and cheese and collard greens — Fried chicken at the Coast Cafe

Alive & Kicking Lobsters

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

This unassuming restaurant in a mostly residential block of Cambridgeport is decidedly no-frills, with plastic tables and chairs, a seafood counter, and a compact menu of lobster sandwiches, steamers, chowders, and fish. The popular lobster sandwich comes lightly dressed with mayonnaise, served on buttered Scali bread toast.

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Big chunks of lobster in mayo sit between toasted slices of Scali bread — A lobster sandwich at Alive & Kicking Lobsters

Surya Indian Kitchen N Caterers

114 Magazine St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Surya Indian Kitchen N Caterers opened in 2016, and it serves a variety of Indian dishes, grilled specials, and biryani. The menu caters to a broad range of dietary restrictions, and the meats are all certified halal.

114 Magazine St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Related Maps

Flour Bakery

40 Erie St, Cambridge, MA 02139

This location of local bakery and cafe chain Flour boasts a fireplace and is the perfect spot for settling in with a tasty pastry and a warm beverage. There are daily specials, as at every Flour location, and of course the bakery’s signature sticky buns.

Open in Google Maps

40 Erie St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Plump sticky buns, topped with nuts, sit on a white cake display in front of a white tiled wall — Flour’s sticky buns

Related Maps