This cozy wine bar is tucked into the base of an unassuming building, like many restaurants in this neighborhood, but walk inside and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a nautical oasis. Let the staff help you select any of the bar’s rotating natural wine selections, and tuck into some tinned fish while you’re at it.

The ownership changed a few years back, but this longtime Downtown Crossing hangout is still a reliable spot for good, fairly inexpensive cocktails and comfort food. (Try the mac and cheese.)

This is the go-to option for huge sandwiches in Downtown Crossing. Sam LaGrassa’s serves loaded hoagies and sandwiches with pickles, with an array of classic options like pastrami on rye and chicken cutlet parmigiana.

Everyone has an opinion about Boston’s barbecue situation. There aren’t a ton of options around town, but the relatively new Shed’s BBQ has been filling a niche in Downtown Crossing since opening in 2017. The casual joint offers various smoked meats on sandwiches or platters, plus ribs, sides, and selections of barbecue sauces. There are also “bowls” that feature meats on a base of grains or greens.

This Millennium Tower restaurant from famed chefs Michael Mina and Ken Tominaga celebrates sushi, with a luxurious omakase menu, sushi rolls, robata grilled-items, and more. Pabu — an import from San Francisco — offers sashimi and nigiri as well, plus cocktails, beer, and vast selections of sake, wine, and whiskey.

This swanky spot is worth visiting for the decor alone, but it has some fine snacks and cocktails, as well as large-format dishes and drinks to share with friends. The Yvonne’s team also runs Ruka down the road (see below.)

A classic Downtown Crossing pub, JM Curley is the place to go for comfort food and a beer. Get the mac and cheese or a big burger with fries. (Note: It has a tiny steakhouse hidden inside.)

Stoddard’s is a dark and cozy pub that boasts cask beer, a fine whiskey selection, and plenty more spirits. For food, get the pretzel or charcuterie, or any number of cheesy, warm entrees.

A shiny second edition of the popular South End steakhouse, Boston Chops is among the fine dining options in Downtown Crossing. Open for lunch on weekdays and until 1 a.m. seven days a week, the restaurant offers classic steakhouse fare, plus seafood towers, multiple preparations of potatoes, cocktails, and more, all in a leather-and-marble filled space.

The namesake item at Downtown Crossing mainstay Chacarero — a casual shop that does bustling weekday lunch business — is a Chilean sandwich made with steak or chicken (or both), Muenster cheese, tomatoes, steamed green beans, avocado spread, and hot sauce. Chacarero got its start as a pushcart before moving into a permanent storefront back in 2005.

A sibling to Yvonne’s (see above), Ruka showcases nikkei cuisine, or Japanese-Peruvian fare. The elaborately designed interior provides a nice atmosphere for digging into the menu of grilled snacks, sushi, and more. The cocktails are the highlight on the beverage side, but there’s also plenty of beer, wine, and sake.

On the bottom end of the neighborhood, Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe is a great lunch spot and source for hand-pulled noodles. Get the standard noodles (#4 on the menu) seasoned with so much chile and garlic, and add a skewer or two of lamb — and perhaps a tea egg — on the side.