The 13 Best Restaurants in Harvard Square
Harvard Square is bustling with activity and things to do, but it’s also a great place to grab a bite to eat. Here are the 13 best restaurants to try in Harvard Square.
Alden & Harlow
40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Alden & Harlow is a subterranean delight with a rustic and laid-back aesthetic, plus just a hint of an industrial edginess to it. There are hightop tables, booths, and other forms of seats that juxtapose the reclaimed wood of the tables and shelves. The menu offers a somewhat juxtaposed blend of comfort foods and creative dishes – for instance, many appreciate the pickled corn pancakes topped with maple syrup, buttermilk, and shishito.
The Longfellow Bar at Alden & Harlow
40 Brattle St #3, Cambridge, MA 02138
Longfellow is more of a bar than a sitdown restaurant, but it’s still a great place to hang out with your friends or significant other. It’s a cozy eatery in the heart of Harvard Square that’s not nearly as formal as some of the other restaurants on this list. It offers delicious bites such as crab rangoon nachos or Thai food dishes – note that most of the foods from this eatery are finger foods, so prepare to get a bit messy. The cocktail and beer menu is also well-crafted and thought out.
Toscano
52 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Toscano Restaurant is a staple eatery of the Harvard Square and Cambridge areas. It offers traditional Tuscan meals handcrafted by skilled chefs, a wood and stone aesthetic, and an old world ambiance that can’t be matched or surpassed anywhere else.
Henrietta’s Table
1 Bennett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Henrietta’s Table is a great Harvard Square restaurant to check out, offering a courtyard patio that’s open on good days of the year and a breakfast, lunch, brunch, and supper menu to serve any culinary desire. Its cocktails are particularly notable for their garden based themes and flavors, making this a great place for folks of a vegetarian lifestyle.
The Maharaja
57 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The Maharaja is a popular Indian restaurant overlooking Harvard Square on the second story in a nearby building. It offers authentic Italian cuisine, in addition to North Indian dishes such as herb marinated chicken kebabs and sautéed okra. In addition to dinner dishes, The Maharaja also offers a daily lunch buffet which includes vegan and vegetarian delights.
Harvest
44 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Harvest has been in business for 40 years, and for good reason. It creates its menu with regional ingredients and offers a seasonal, shifting menu. Here, you’ll find some of the best New England cuisine in the Harvard Square area and beyond. It’s also particularly well known for its tasty desserts; each option is unique and creative rather than standard fare like chocolate cake.
Giulia
1682 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Giulia is a high-end Italian restaurant located near The Harvard Museum of Natural History. While it’s usually frequented by upper-class patrons, it’s a great place for anyone with the tastebuds necessary to detect top-tier Italian cuisine. Try dishes like chicken liver crostini with green tomato marmellata or bucatini all’amatriciana (house-cured pancetta, tomato, pecorino) while sitting on an Italian rustic kitchen overlooking the Harvard Square courtyard and surrounding streets.
Felipe’s Taqueria
21 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Felipe’s Taqueria is a phenomenal Mexican place located near Harvard Square, and it’s a much better choice than Chipotle. Not only does this place serve superior burritos, but it also has super strong margaritas, and elegant aesthetic with a rooftop deck complete with string lights, and a tasty menu that never fails to disappoint. It’s often crowded, however, so try to get in at the front of the line if possible.
Park Restaurant
59 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Park Restaurant is located near Harvard University and tucked away in a subterranean den. Here, you’ll find a relaxed, semi-hipster aesthetic complete with cushioned couches and armchairs in which you can relax while you snack on sliders, steak, or other classic New England and American foods. The cocktail and beer menu is a little more creative, but you’ll have to great time here regardless of your culinary preferences.
Charlie’s Kitchen
10 Eliot St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Check out Charlie’s Kitchen if you’re in the mood for a beer garden. The first floor of the restaurant is a classic diner, but the second floor features a creative punk bar aesthetic, plus live music every Monday night. In fact, special nightly events or entertainment is usually around each day of the week, making this a great place to check out on a recurring basis to see what’s new.
Grendel’s Den
89 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Grendel’s Den is actually subsurface; take a quick trip down some stairs into a warm, cozy haunt named after the mythological creature. Here, you’ll find standard bar fare, several delicious beers on tap, and an aesthetic unlike anything else.
The Den is frequented by both students and working professionals throughout the day, and you can pick up a ready to go lunch for pickup if you’re a fan of takeout on a budget. Stop by during happy hour on the weekends, during which you can get your food for free if you order at least one alcoholic beverage.
The Red House Restaurant
98 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The Red House Restaurant is a retrofitted Harvard Square landmark, the titular Red House. This now foresees an eatery has two fireplaces, a fancy and botanical based bar, and a patio that is open all throughout the year. Menus also change seasonally, offering a different eating experience each time you stop by.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Harvard Square
1 Bow St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Last but not least, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka in Harvard Square is a modern and sparsely decorated Japanese chain. But it’s well worth the somewhat uninspired aesthetic; here, you can find some of the best ramen in the area. On top of that, this quick eatery offers a variety of other Japanese dishes and soups. If you’re a fan for broth of any style, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has you covered.