13 spots that work for any situation, from late-night pizza to high-end dinners perfect for when the parents visit
by Celina Colby and Annie Harrigan Updated Jan 15, 2025, 2:22pm EST
Harvard University’s neighborhood in Cambridge, Harvard Square, is home to an excellent restaurant scene. Diverse options ranging from Japanese barbecue to a bakery specializing in Belgian liège waffles mean that residents, students, and staffers alike don’t need to travel outside of the area for great food. Here are 13 spots bound to check the box for any type of situation, from quick, wallet-friendly meals to high-end dinners perfect for when the parents visit.
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Season to Taste
Following a recent relocation to a larger space on Massachusetts Avenue, Season to Taste is back in action with chef and owner Robert Harris’ upscale take on local, farm-to-table dining. The restaurant boasts an elegant, intimate dining room and a seasonal menu featuring local fare like Nantucket Bay scallops and Island Creek oysters alongside globe-trotting dishes like miso-braised cabbage with Calabrian chilis and crispy arepas with Colombian beans and apple celeriac slaw.
1678 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
Felipe’s Taqueria
In the infamous battle between Felipe’s Taqueria and El Jefe’s Taqueria to be named the best Mexican spot in Harvard Square, we are staking a claim for Felipe’s. While Felipe’s may not stay open as late as El Jefe’s, it does have something that its nemesis does not: a rooftop bar.
21 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
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Russell House Tavern
Looking for somewhere to take your parents (or, have your parents take you, and pay) for family weekend? Russell House Tavern has got you covered. Located in heart of Harvard Square, Russell House Tavern has a sprawling menu of pizzas, pastas, and a raw bar with oysters, clams, and chilled lobster tails.
14 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
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The Hourly Oyster House
This seafood-heavy spot serves scallops, salmon, calamari, and, you guessed it, oysters. The ample raw bar and New England-inspired menu pair with craft cocktails and a well curated beer and wine list.
15 Dunster St (Mount Auburn), Cambridge, MA 02138
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Wusong Road Tiki Bar
This two-story tiki bar and dim sum restaurant is serving up some of the best drinks and small plates in Cambridge, not to mention an immersive, highly-decorated interior that changes with the seasons.
112 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138
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Sally’s Sandwiches
Located in Harvard’s Smith Campus Center, Sally’s Sandwiches and Blackbird Doughnuts is your one-stop shop for some of the best sandwiches and doughnuts in Cambridge. If you’re in the mood for a savory breakfast, go for the Gallows breakfast sandwich — complete with fried eggs, bacon, cheese, avocado, spicy aioli, and a hashbrown on an Italian baguette, this sandwich is the perfect morning or afternoon pick-me-up. Or if you’re hankering for something sweet, you can’t go wrong with one of Blackbird’s classic doughnuts like the Boston creme or salted toffee.
11 Holyoke St, Cambridge, MA 02138