Kendall Square is the tech-y neighbor of Central Square and East Cambridge, also hugging the Charles River on the south and east. From long-fermented wood-oven pizza to spicy Taiwanese bites, the neighborhood has something for every eater. Here are 13 of the best places to eat and drink in and near Cambridge’s Kendall Square.
What’s changed in this update: We’ve said goodbye to barbecue spot the Smoke Shop (which is now closed) and welcomed in burger extraordinaire Bred Gourmet. — Additional reporting by Celina Colby
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This Taiwanese restaurant is tucked into a quiet part of Kendall, and is the kind of place to order plenty of dishes to enjoy family style around the table. The mapo tofu is excellent, and the menu is packed with options, so count on multiple visits to make a dent in all Mu Lan has to offer.
State Park is one of the best bars in the neighborhood, and the food is excellent as well. The Nashville hot fried chicken is served as advertised — hot! Wash it down with a Miller High Life (or something better from the small but always well-curated draft list), and play something hip on the jukebox.
This spot was a welcome addition to a Chinese food scene that was lacking in cuisine from the Hunan province. Hunan food is best known for being spicy, but Sumiao’s menu contains plenty of options regardless of one’s spice tolerance. It can get busy, so if there’s a wait for a table, consider a stroll at Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. Park around the corner, one of Kendall Square’s charming parks.
Established in 2001, this cozy neighborhood Italian spot has long been the perfect place to settle in at the bar or the charming dining room and enjoy a glass of wine and a big bowl of spaghetti alla chitarra and meatballs. In the warmer months, the patio is lovely as well.
Between the stunning dining room and the expertly executed French classics, Batifol has become a fast favorite in Kendall Square. Try the soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French onion soup) and the coq au vin. For the mushroom lovers, add a side of the roasted wild mushrooms.
Inspired by travel to Copenhagen, Nadia Liu Spellman’s all-day cafe Vester serves up excellent coffee and breakfast and lunch classics, including a Parisian smash burger blanketed in brie, a spicy honey grilled cheese sandwich, and more. This cafe is the perfect stop for a bite if you’re working in or visiting the Kendall area.
This Indian newcomer to the neighborhood prides itself on sourcing high-quality ingredients like grass-fed ghee. The menu is stacked with options like prantha (a flatbread also known as paratha) stuffed with dal, paneer, and more; tender chicken biryani; and empamosas — a cross between a samosa and an empanada. The menu also showcases house-made smoothies and juices and rotating vegetarian offerings.
The dough at Area Four is made with a sourdough starter and ferments for 30 or more hours. The result: one of the best pizzas in Boston. The wood-fired pizzas have a beautifully blistered crust. Keep things simple and get the “not pepperoni” (it’s soppressata).
Swing by for a latte in the morning and then return later in the day for one of Bred’s locally famous smoked burgers layered with all sorts of toppings, from grilled pineapple and pork belly to fried eggs, brie, and sauteed mushrooms. Don’t forget the whiskey-battered onion rings on the side.
This relaxed cafe offers daily breakfast and lunch and a beloved weekend brunch with a wide-ranging menu from surf-and-turf eggs Benedict with steak and lobster to Mexican churro French toast. Fuel up on a workday morning with their iced New Orleans-style coffee brewed with chicory and served with simple syrup and cream.
The patio at Shy Bird is quite the vibe — the restaurant stretches out the outdoor season with heaters, and serves up homey meals with an emphasis on rotisserie chicken. To get a good sampling of that signature dish, try the Classic Bird, which includes a whole (or half) rotisserie chicken, sauce, and fries or a house salad. In addition to dinner, Shy Bird is a cafe and a bar, so you’re covered for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Just steps from the Kendall T stop, the newer Kendall location of Row 34 opened up in April 2023 and got right to work serving up its fun spins on quintessential seafood dishes. Think oyster sliders with a chili-lime aioli, griddled blue crab cakes, and a bacon cheddar burger with an optional fried oyster add-on.
Mestizo offers a modern take on Oaxacan cuisine with tacos, empanadas, carne asada, and enchiladas in a contemporary space with floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to the street on breezy summer days. To really shake up your night, order a margarita flight to sample with friends (or to drink yourself).
This Taiwanese restaurant is tucked into a quiet part of Kendall, and is the kind of place to order plenty of dishes to enjoy family style around the table. The mapo tofu is excellent, and the menu is packed with options, so count on multiple visits to make a dent in all Mu Lan has to offer.
State Park is one of the best bars in the neighborhood, and the food is excellent as well. The Nashville hot fried chicken is served as advertised — hot! Wash it down with a Miller High Life (or something better from the small but always well-curated draft list), and play something hip on the jukebox.
This spot was a welcome addition to a Chinese food scene that was lacking in cuisine from the Hunan province. Hunan food is best known for being spicy, but Sumiao’s menu contains plenty of options regardless of one’s spice tolerance. It can get busy, so if there’s a wait for a table, consider a stroll at Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. Park around the corner, one of Kendall Square’s charming parks.
Established in 2001, this cozy neighborhood Italian spot has long been the perfect place to settle in at the bar or the charming dining room and enjoy a glass of wine and a big bowl of spaghetti alla chitarra and meatballs. In the warmer months, the patio is lovely as well.
Between the stunning dining room and the expertly executed French classics, Batifol has become a fast favorite in Kendall Square. Try the soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French onion soup) and the coq au vin. For the mushroom lovers, add a side of the roasted wild mushrooms.
Inspired by travel to Copenhagen, Nadia Liu Spellman’s all-day cafe Vester serves up excellent coffee and breakfast and lunch classics, including a Parisian smash burger blanketed in brie, a spicy honey grilled cheese sandwich, and more. This cafe is the perfect stop for a bite if you’re working in or visiting the Kendall area.
This Indian newcomer to the neighborhood prides itself on sourcing high-quality ingredients like grass-fed ghee. The menu is stacked with options like prantha (a flatbread also known as paratha) stuffed with dal, paneer, and more; tender chicken biryani; and empamosas — a cross between a samosa and an empanada. The menu also showcases house-made smoothies and juices and rotating vegetarian offerings.
The dough at Area Four is made with a sourdough starter and ferments for 30 or more hours. The result: one of the best pizzas in Boston. The wood-fired pizzas have a beautifully blistered crust. Keep things simple and get the “not pepperoni” (it’s soppressata).
Swing by for a latte in the morning and then return later in the day for one of Bred’s locally famous smoked burgers layered with all sorts of toppings, from grilled pineapple and pork belly to fried eggs, brie, and sauteed mushrooms. Don’t forget the whiskey-battered onion rings on the side.
This relaxed cafe offers daily breakfast and lunch and a beloved weekend brunch with a wide-ranging menu from surf-and-turf eggs Benedict with steak and lobster to Mexican churro French toast. Fuel up on a workday morning with their iced New Orleans-style coffee brewed with chicory and served with simple syrup and cream.
The patio at Shy Bird is quite the vibe — the restaurant stretches out the outdoor season with heaters, and serves up homey meals with an emphasis on rotisserie chicken. To get a good sampling of that signature dish, try the Classic Bird, which includes a whole (or half) rotisserie chicken, sauce, and fries or a house salad. In addition to dinner, Shy Bird is a cafe and a bar, so you’re covered for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Just steps from the Kendall T stop, the newer Kendall location of Row 34 opened up in April 2023 and got right to work serving up its fun spins on quintessential seafood dishes. Think oyster sliders with a chili-lime aioli, griddled blue crab cakes, and a bacon cheddar burger with an optional fried oyster add-on.
Mestizo offers a modern take on Oaxacan cuisine with tacos, empanadas, carne asada, and enchiladas in a contemporary space with floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to the street on breezy summer days. To really shake up your night, order a margarita flight to sample with friends (or to drink yourself).