clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Overhead shot of a table full of North African and Mediterranean dishes. The table itself has a blue and brown tiled pattern.
A spread of dishes at Baraka in Cambridge.
Baraka

19 Restaurants to Try Around Cambridge’s Porter Square

The neighborhood has a high concentration of excellent dining options

View as Map
A spread of dishes at Baraka in Cambridge.
| Baraka

Though Porter Square is a fairly small neighborhood nestled between Harvard and Davis squares, it boasts a high concentration of exceptional restaurants — some right in the square and some tucked away on side streets, all ready to meet breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert needs.

Whether you’re seeking a bagel slathered in honey-rosemary cream cheese, a taste of Southeast Asia, or a heaping bowl of ramen, Porter’s got it all and then some. Here are 19 outstanding options, including several just over the border into Somerville, mostly located at the end of Beacon Street nearest the Porter T station.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar

Copy Link

Open since early 2019 (but with an older sibling in Waltham), Cuban restaurant Gustazo quickly made a splash in the neighborhood thanks to its bustling ambiance, flavorful small plates, and a cocktail list splashed with rum-based hits.

Two empanadas covered with poppyseeds and other seeds sit in a wooden bowl on a table with a surface that looks like newsprint. A thick orange dip sits next to the empanadas.
Empanadas at Gustazo in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Shine Square Pub

Copy Link

Shine Square Pub functions as sports bar and neighborhood hang, with a pretty eclectic menu to boot. The bar has rotating specials for food and drinks, with regular selections of craft beer, cocktails, and spirits.

Sugar & Spice

Copy Link

Sugar & Spice has long been a neighborhood standby for good Thai food (not to mention a colorful seasonal patio). Its menu dives deep into several specific regional cuisines of Thailand, including a few versions of khao soi from the north, some Isan-style dishes from the northeast, and more. Don’t miss the guay jub, a rolled-noodle five-spice soup packed with crispy pork belly, and the vegan khao yum, a multicolored rice salad with fried tofu and herbs.

Yume Wo Katare

Copy Link

Be prepared to wait in line for hot ramen spot Yume Wo Katare. Also be prepared to stand up and state your dreams for the crowd after you finish your bowl — founder Tsuyoshi Nishioka wants to make everyone’s dreams come true. The simple menu features “Jiro-style” ramen, with a heavy emphasis on pork and garlic. Yume Wo Katare’s udon-filled sibling, Yume Ga Arukara, is just as worthy of a visit (and the inevitable wait, as it also attracts long lines). It’s right down the street, inside the Porter Exchange building on Massachusetts Avenue.

An overhead photo of a bowl filled with pork slices, broth, and ramen noodles.
Ramen at Yume Wo Katare in Cambridge.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Jo's Indian Kitchen

Copy Link

Decades-old Indian mainstay Passage to India moved out of the neighborhood in April 2022, but the family behind the business didn’t keep this spot vacant for long, revamping and relocating their other restaurant, Brookline’s Curry House, to Porter Square as Jo’s Indian Kitchen. At the newly minted Jo’s, you’ll find a mix of snacky staples like pakoras and samosas alongside hearty vegetarian and meat dishes, including six different types of biryani.

A transplant from Allston, where it had quite a following, Ittoku expanded its izakaya menu upon moving to Cambridge, offering skewers, sushi, and much more alongside sake and shochu. The restaurant occupies the largest space inside the Porter Exchange food hall. If you want to make an impromptu food crawl out of the day, head over to Japanese comfort-food favorite Cafe Mami and ramen spot Sapporo Ramen around the corner, in the same food hall.

A skillet of onokomiyaki (eggs, noodles) with sauce and mayo bottles behind it.
Okonomiyaki at Ittoku in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Bagelsaurus

Copy Link

A widely popular breakfast destination in Porter Square, Bagelsaurus serves bagels with cream cheese and other spreads, bagel sandwiches, and coffee, with occasional specials. Go early, as the bagels can sell out fast.

A close-up of a bagel with cream cheese, sliced in half
A bagel from Bagelsaurus in Cambridge.
Katie Chudy/Eater Boston

Chalawan Asian Eatery

Copy Link

Chalawan Asian Eatery, which was a finalist for Eater Boston’s 2019 awards, tackles a broad range of Southeast Asian dishes, with numerous standouts. Try the seared scallops and the steamed snapper dumplings, or any number of the flavor-packed entrees. There’s also a full vegetarian menu.

Several shrimps in a dark brown sauce sit on a yellow plate, garnished with fried herbs.
Tamarind prawns at Chalawan in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Dear Annie

Copy Link

One of Boston’s hottest restaurant openings of 2022, Dear Annie has been making appearances on all kinds of national best-of restaurant lists. It’s for good reason: From the jalapeno-strewn bluefin tuna crudo to the grilled cheese with pickled poblano peppers, the small-yet-mighty menu at this laid-back wine bar isn’t messing around. The crispy, Sicilian-style pizza on Monday nights is worth a special trip.

Baraka — which relocated from a somewhat-hidden location outside of Central Square to Porter Square in 2016 after almost 20 years — serves lovely North African dishes, including Tunisian and Moroccan fare, plus beer, wine, and aperitifs. Try the cherbet, a non-alcoholic rose lemonade, with your meal.

Forge Baking Company

Copy Link

Bread is the name of the game at Forge Baking Company, which serves coffee and tea beverages as well as sandwiches, pastries, and more treats. Try to save room for some of the irresistible ice cream from Forge Ice Cream Bar, which had its own space next door but is currently available only within Forge Baking Company. (Seek out additional siblings Diesel and Bloc Cafe, as well).

Yafa Bakery & Cafe

Copy Link

Follow your nose from Forge to Yafa, a Mediterranean-focused bakery that recently opened a few doors down on the same street. Load up on Turkish pistachio-crusted cookies and soft, finger-length palmas rolled in white chocolate and almonds, and just say yes to any samples you’ll likely be offered while you deliberate in front of the pastry case.

Four pastries made of crispy strings are topped with dried rose petals and displayed on a sculpture made of thick wooden branches.
Palm-sized kanafeh from Yafa in Somerville.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Pho 'n Rice

Copy Link

Somerville Vietnamese and Thai restaurant Pho ’n Rice has some great soup on the menu. Try the Vietnamese sweet-and-sour soup canh chua: You can dine in at the cozy space, or take your food to go, with the broth packaged separately to avoid sogginess. Delivery’s available, too.

Petsi Pies

Copy Link

Founder Renee McLeod recently retired, but Petsi Pies is still going strong with classic fruit pies and seasonal offerings of treats like butternut squash and gorgonzola; apple, pear, and cranberry; and chocolate bourbon pecan. Stop by for a slice of savory pie for a nice mid-day lunch, or grab a whole pie to take home and share (or not).

One slice of a nut and sugar pie sits on a white plate with a fork laying alongside.
Chocolate bourbon pecan pie from Petsi Pies in Somerville.
Petsi Pies

Manoa Poke Shop

Copy Link

Back in action and better than ever after a hiatus, Manoa Poke Shop currently only operates on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, running pop-ups and offering catering services on the side. Yes, the poke itself is excellent, but savor the mochiko fried chicken as well.

A plate of fried chicken, white rice, mac salad, kimchi, greens, and a chile-glazed piece of salmon belly
Fried chicken plate with a chile salmon belly special at Manoa Poke Shop in Somerville.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

One of the best Chinese restaurants in the area, Zoe’s is a great spot to visit if you’re craving dumplings: Get the spicy Sichuan dumplings with peanuts or try the steamed juicy pork buns. Zoe’s also delves into both Sichuan and Hunan cuisines, with dishes like a dry-fried whole fish in a spicy brown sauce from the former tradition and steamed frog with chile pepper from the latter.

R. F. O'Sullivan & Son

Copy Link

R. F. O’Sullivan & Son is the area’s resident Irish pub. Known for its tall, juicy burgers, it also serves classic bar fare like grilled sandwiches, steak tips, fried fish, and chili nachos. There’s a location in Lynn, too.

Cambridge Common

Copy Link

Casual Cambridge Common has a big central bar that doles out a rotating lineup of exceptional craft beers. It has some hearty and comforting dishes (like mac and cheese, a long list of burgers and sandwiches, and classic tater tots) and a filling brunch menu. Be sure to check out the just-reopened music venue downstairs, Lizard Lounge.

Sure, Italian restaurant Giulia has long been one of the most-sought-after tables in town, but the team’s follow-up effort, Moëca, one block over, is becoming a hotspot in its own right. Grab a seat at the upscale seafood restaurant and dive into dishes like oysters, currently topped with a tomato granita, and a green-crab custard served with corn and shiitake mushrooms.

Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar

Open since early 2019 (but with an older sibling in Waltham), Cuban restaurant Gustazo quickly made a splash in the neighborhood thanks to its bustling ambiance, flavorful small plates, and a cocktail list splashed with rum-based hits.

Two empanadas covered with poppyseeds and other seeds sit in a wooden bowl on a table with a surface that looks like newsprint. A thick orange dip sits next to the empanadas.
Empanadas at Gustazo in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Shine Square Pub

Shine Square Pub functions as sports bar and neighborhood hang, with a pretty eclectic menu to boot. The bar has rotating specials for food and drinks, with regular selections of craft beer, cocktails, and spirits.

Sugar & Spice

Sugar & Spice has long been a neighborhood standby for good Thai food (not to mention a colorful seasonal patio). Its menu dives deep into several specific regional cuisines of Thailand, including a few versions of khao soi from the north, some Isan-style dishes from the northeast, and more. Don’t miss the guay jub, a rolled-noodle five-spice soup packed with crispy pork belly, and the vegan khao yum, a multicolored rice salad with fried tofu and herbs.

Yume Wo Katare

Be prepared to wait in line for hot ramen spot Yume Wo Katare. Also be prepared to stand up and state your dreams for the crowd after you finish your bowl — founder Tsuyoshi Nishioka wants to make everyone’s dreams come true. The simple menu features “Jiro-style” ramen, with a heavy emphasis on pork and garlic. Yume Wo Katare’s udon-filled sibling, Yume Ga Arukara, is just as worthy of a visit (and the inevitable wait, as it also attracts long lines). It’s right down the street, inside the Porter Exchange building on Massachusetts Avenue.

An overhead photo of a bowl filled with pork slices, broth, and ramen noodles.
Ramen at Yume Wo Katare in Cambridge.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Jo's Indian Kitchen

Decades-old Indian mainstay Passage to India moved out of the neighborhood in April 2022, but the family behind the business didn’t keep this spot vacant for long, revamping and relocating their other restaurant, Brookline’s Curry House, to Porter Square as Jo’s Indian Kitchen. At the newly minted Jo’s, you’ll find a mix of snacky staples like pakoras and samosas alongside hearty vegetarian and meat dishes, including six different types of biryani.

Ittoku

A transplant from Allston, where it had quite a following, Ittoku expanded its izakaya menu upon moving to Cambridge, offering skewers, sushi, and much more alongside sake and shochu. The restaurant occupies the largest space inside the Porter Exchange food hall. If you want to make an impromptu food crawl out of the day, head over to Japanese comfort-food favorite Cafe Mami and ramen spot Sapporo Ramen around the corner, in the same food hall.

A skillet of onokomiyaki (eggs, noodles) with sauce and mayo bottles behind it.
Okonomiyaki at Ittoku in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Bagelsaurus

A widely popular breakfast destination in Porter Square, Bagelsaurus serves bagels with cream cheese and other spreads, bagel sandwiches, and coffee, with occasional specials. Go early, as the bagels can sell out fast.

A close-up of a bagel with cream cheese, sliced in half
A bagel from Bagelsaurus in Cambridge.
Katie Chudy/Eater Boston

Chalawan Asian Eatery

Chalawan Asian Eatery, which was a finalist for Eater Boston’s 2019 awards, tackles a broad range of Southeast Asian dishes, with numerous standouts. Try the seared scallops and the steamed snapper dumplings, or any number of the flavor-packed entrees. There’s also a full vegetarian menu.

Several shrimps in a dark brown sauce sit on a yellow plate, garnished with fried herbs.
Tamarind prawns at Chalawan in Cambridge.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Dear Annie

One of Boston’s hottest restaurant openings of 2022, Dear Annie has been making appearances on all kinds of national best-of restaurant lists. It’s for good reason: From the jalapeno-strewn bluefin tuna crudo to the grilled cheese with pickled poblano peppers, the small-yet-mighty menu at this laid-back wine bar isn’t messing around. The crispy, Sicilian-style pizza on Monday nights is worth a special trip.

Baraka

Baraka — which relocated from a somewhat-hidden location outside of Central Square to Porter Square in 2016 after almost 20 years — serves lovely North African dishes, including Tunisian and Moroccan fare, plus beer, wine, and aperitifs. Try the cherbet, a non-alcoholic rose lemonade, with your meal.

Forge Baking Company

Bread is the name of the game at Forge Baking Company, which serves coffee and tea beverages as well as sandwiches, pastries, and more treats. Try to save room for some of the irresistible ice cream from Forge Ice Cream Bar, which had its own space next door but is currently available only within Forge Baking Company. (Seek out additional siblings Diesel and Bloc Cafe, as well).

Yafa Bakery & Cafe

Follow your nose from Forge to Yafa, a Mediterranean-focused bakery that recently opened a few doors down on the same street. Load up on Turkish pistachio-crusted cookies and soft, finger-length palmas rolled in white chocolate and almonds, and just say yes to any samples you’ll likely be offered while you deliberate in front of the pastry case.

Four pastries made of crispy strings are topped with dried rose petals and displayed on a sculpture made of thick wooden branches.
Palm-sized kanafeh from Yafa in Somerville.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Pho 'n Rice

Somerville Vietnamese and Thai restaurant Pho ’n Rice has some great soup on the menu. Try the Vietnamese sweet-and-sour soup canh chua: You can dine in at the cozy space, or take your food to go, with the broth packaged separately to avoid sogginess. Delivery’s available, too.

Petsi Pies

Founder Renee McLeod recently retired, but Petsi Pies is still going strong with classic fruit pies and seasonal offerings of treats like butternut squash and gorgonzola; apple, pear, and cranberry; and chocolate bourbon pecan. Stop by for a slice of savory pie for a nice mid-day lunch, or grab a whole pie to take home and share (or not).

One slice of a nut and sugar pie sits on a white plate with a fork laying alongside.
Chocolate bourbon pecan pie from Petsi Pies in Somerville.
Petsi Pies

Manoa Poke Shop

Back in action and better than ever after a hiatus, Manoa Poke Shop currently only operates on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, running pop-ups and offering catering services on the side. Yes, the poke itself is excellent, but savor the mochiko fried chicken as well.

A plate of fried chicken, white rice, mac salad, kimchi, greens, and a chile-glazed piece of salmon belly
Fried chicken plate with a chile salmon belly special at Manoa Poke Shop in Somerville.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Related Maps

Zoe's

One of the best Chinese restaurants in the area, Zoe’s is a great spot to visit if you’re craving dumplings: Get the spicy Sichuan dumplings with peanuts or try the steamed juicy pork buns. Zoe’s also delves into both Sichuan and Hunan cuisines, with dishes like a dry-fried whole fish in a spicy brown sauce from the former tradition and steamed frog with chile pepper from the latter.

R. F. O'Sullivan & Son

R. F. O’Sullivan & Son is the area’s resident Irish pub. Known for its tall, juicy burgers, it also serves classic bar fare like grilled sandwiches, steak tips, fried fish, and chili nachos. There’s a location in Lynn, too.

Cambridge Common

Casual Cambridge Common has a big central bar that doles out a rotating lineup of exceptional craft beers. It has some hearty and comforting dishes (like mac and cheese, a long list of burgers and sandwiches, and classic tater tots) and a filling brunch menu. Be sure to check out the just-reopened music venue downstairs, Lizard Lounge.

Moëca

Sure, Italian restaurant Giulia has long been one of the most-sought-after tables in town, but the team’s follow-up effort, Moëca, one block over, is becoming a hotspot in its own right. Grab a seat at the upscale seafood restaurant and dive into dishes like oysters, currently topped with a tomato granita, and a green-crab custard served with corn and shiitake mushrooms.

Related Maps