Congratulations to Harvard Square’s Best of the Best!
Best Burger, Casual
Tasty Burger
Forget the Golden Arches: When we want a fast-food burger with flair, we turn to our own hometown hero. With thin patties, squishy buns, and not too many frills, these are the burgers for a quick lunch on the go, a late-night studying sesh, and everything in between. Multiple locations, tastyburger.com.
L.A. Burdick
Most hot chocolate is either watery or cloying. This nearly 40-year-old chocolatier somehow nails the impossible: cult-favorite mugs that are both incredibly rich and surprisingly light. We’ve taste-tested every variety—from white chocolate to spicy dark (the winner)—trying to figure out their secret. Still stumped, still obsessed. Back Bay, Cambridge, and Brookline, burdickchocolate.com.
Best Hot Chocolate
Best Bookstore
Lovestruck Books
With shelves full of western romance, witchy romance, contemporary romance, plus regular ol’ fiction and book-themed gifts, Lovestruck isn’t just a place to shop for amorous tomes, but a gathering space as well: The Harvard Square bookstore hosts all manner of events, from author talks to release parties. But why wait to stop by? When we hosted our own Jane Austen book club with friends this spring, the in-house café and wine bar (not to mention the floral-laden patio) set the perfect vibe. 44 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138, lovestruckbooks.com.
