Best Restaurants in Harvard Square

Israeli-inspired bakery and cafe. Beautiful pastries, shakshuka, fresh salads, and excellent coffee. Multiple Cambridge locations, Instagram-worthy.

Joanne Chang's Harvard Square outpost of the Flour Bakery + Cafe empire she started in the South End in 2000. The sticky buns are legendary — Bobby Flay famously couldn't beat them on Throwdown. Sandwiches are substantial, cookies are perfect.

Counter-service pizza-by-the-slice from the Portland, Maine cult favorite. Known for mashed-potato-and-bacon, fig-and-prosciutto, and other combinations that sound weird and work. Whole pies too.

Hokkaido-style ramen chain from Japan. Rich tonkotsu broth, perfectly cooked noodles, tender pork slices. Counter seating, quick service.

Creative American small plates in a cozy basement setting. Known for inventive dishes and craft cocktails.

Handmade pasta perfection in an intimate setting. Chef Michael Pagliarini crafts Roman-inspired dishes with seasonal New England ingredients. Known for exceptional wine program and house-made pasta. Reservations essential.

Chef-driven fast burgers in the former 7-Eleven space on JFK Street. Late-night favorite for students, with all-star beer list.

Started as an MIT food truck, now a Cambridge institution. The chickpea fritter sandwich is perfect. The BBQ seitan is addictive. Fast, fresh, vegetarian-forward. Multiple locations but the Harvard Square flagship feels right. Even meat eaters love this place.

Neighborhood gastropub on Mass Ave with 30+ craft beers on tap and a full menu of American comfort food (burger, meatloaf, fried chicken, buffalo cauliflower). Home of the Lizard Lounge — an intimate downstairs music room with live music Wednesday through Sunday.

Harvard Square's farm-to-table pioneer on Benjamin Thompson's Brattle walkway. Seasonal New American menu with a garden-side patio that remains one of the best outdoor dining spots in Cambridge.

Harvard Square institution since 1971. Eclectic menu, half-price food with drink purchase before 7:30PM. Cozy basement setting, college-friendly prices.

Traditional Japanese sushi and izakaya. Omakase available, fresh fish selection, extensive sake list. Intimate counter seating, authentic preparations.

Inside Lovestruck Books in Harvard Square. Founded by coffee legend George Howell (Coffee Connection, 1975). World-class beans sourced globally, meticulous roasting.

Nonprofit folk music venue and cafe tucked off Palmer Street. Nightly live music in an intimate 125-seat room. Cafe menu of soups, sandwiches, and small plates. Tickets and reservations via the venue website.

Harvard Square outpost of the beloved Medford torta shop. Signature Mexico City-style tortas (crusty bolillo rolls filled with milanesa, pastor, or chorizo), tacos, and margaritas. Full liquor license is unique among the Tenoch locations.

Popular Somerville donut shop expanded to Harvard Square. Artisan donuts with creative flavors like Brown Butter Hazelnut, Maple Bacon, and seasonal specials. Fresh coffee and espresso drinks.

Independent roaster five minutes from Harvard Yard, roasting single-origin beans on-site twice a week. Known for pourover, a small but considered food program, and the kind of quiet space that attracts writers and grad students.

Two-level Tiki bar and New England Chinese restaurant from Cambridge native Jason Doo, hidden in the century-old Conductor's Building on the edge of Harvard Square. Upstairs is Tiki drinks; downstairs is Hong Kong-deli rice plates.

Brooklyn-based artisan ice cream shop opened in Harvard Square. Known for rich, creative flavors using high-quality ingredients. Vegan options available. Opened Fall 2024.

Harvard Square legend since 1960. This is THE Cambridge burger. 7oz patties, creative toppings, burgers named after politicians and celebrities. Cash only (ATM inside). The frappes are incredible. Filmed in Good Will Hunting and The Social Network. You will wait, and it will be worth it.

Italian-rooted seafood room near Harvard Square from Michael Pagliarini and Pamela Ralston (Giulia). The menu changes with what's caught daily — crudo, handmade pasta, bivalves. Named for the soft-shell crab of Venice's lagoon.

Belgian waffles built to order — Liège-style on sweet dough and lighter Brussels-style on yeasted batter. A Harvard Square fixture since 2011, with a Boston-area food truck that grew out of the brick-and-mortar.

Harvard Square location of the Boston-area homemade ice cream chain. Kosher-certified scoop shop with frozen yogurt, house-roasted coffee, and baked goods. Open late, especially in summer.

Candle-lit bar at the Charles Hotel with a 1940s film-noir atmosphere. French-inspired cocktails built on premium spirits and house-made ingredients. Part of the Charles Hotel dining collection alongside Henrietta's Table.

Above Alden & Harlow in historic Café Algiers space. Craft cocktails with house-made infusions, syrups, and bitters. The famous secret burger available all night.

Upscale Thai in Harvard Square with dim lighting and romantic vibes. More refined than your typical Thai joint. The drunken noodles are legitimately spicy if you ask for Thai hot. Good date spot if you're in the Square.

Late night pizza institution. Sicilian-style squares with thick, crispy edges. Open until 2am. This is where you end up after the bars close. The upstairs seating is prime people-watching. Cash only for slices. A Harvard Square rite of passage.

Neo-trattoria at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square. Handmade pastas, fresh seafood, seasonal entrees. The current kitchen is led by Tony Susi (Sulmona; Amelia's Trattoria), who took over from Michelin-rated chef Mark Ladner.

Chef Michael Scelfo's coastally-inspired restaurant at the gateway to Harvard Square. Sister to Alden & Harlow, Waypoint serves creative seafood with unexpected twists. The raw bar and crudo are standouts.

Harvard Square raw bar and oyster house from the Grafton Group. New England oysters, lobster rolls, chowder, and seasonal seafood. Named for the 1826 hourly horse-drawn wagons that departed Dunster Street for Boston on the hour.

The first New England outpost of the iconic NYC-slice shop from Greenwich Village. Thin-crust cheese and pepperoni by the slice; consistently has a line stretching down Brattle Street.

525-capacity live music venue and American gastropub in Harvard Square, booked by Bowery Presents. Consulting chef Michael Schlow built the food program. Three bars, a full kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the stage.

Second-floor North Indian restaurant above the Galeria on JFK Street, with one of the best elevated views of Harvard Square. Lunch buffet, tandoor, and an extensive vegetarian program.

Harvard Square basement pub on JFK Street — curated wine list, strong beer rotation, from-scratch pub food built on local grass-fed beef and hand-cut fries. The heated outdoor patio is one of the most coveted spots in the Square in warm weather.

New American tavern in Harvard Square since 2010. Seasonally-changing menu, craft cocktails, weekend brunch. Steps from Harvard T station. Patio dining available.

Harvard Square seafood spot in former Boathouse space. English pub meets coastal charm. Connected to Grendel's Den ownership. Sustainable seafood, grass-fed beef, weekend brunch.

Neighborhood restaurant and lounge at the Sheraton Commander Hotel, just off the Cambridge Common. Seasonal New England menu, a strong breakfast program for Harvard Square visitors, and a quiet lounge that locals use as a civilized escape from the Square's crowds.

Three-floor fast-casual Mexican spot in Harvard Square with the Square's signature rooftop bar (260-person capacity). Late-night burritos, frozen margaritas, and a daytime breakfast burrito that has carried many students through midterms.

Fast-casual Greek from Rialto alum Jody Adams. Build-your-own pita or bowl; the chicken is the sleeper order. The Harvard Square location is the brand's flagship and test kitchen, with a full bar that other outposts don't have.

Farm-to-table New England cooking at the Charles Hotel — in continuous operation since 1995 under the same chef. Weekend brunch buffet has become a Harvard Square ritual. Chef Peter Davis maintains direct sourcing relationships with farms and fisheries across New England.

The original Grafton Group restaurant, now in the former PARK Restaurant space at the corner of JFK and Winthrop. Full-service pub food, extensive beer list, late-night kitchen, outdoor patio. Named after the cobblestone shopping street in Dublin.

Two-level Harvard Square institution: a diner downstairs and a college dive bar upstairs, with a beer garden added in recent years. Famous for the double cheeseburger and the unchanged fifties-meets-seventies décor.

Harvard Square bar and bistro in a converted greenhouse, with one of the Square's best rooftop decks. New American menu with Irish influences, craft cocktails, and seasonal patio service.