Cambridge's best-kept culinary secret
Inman Square may be off the T line, but food lovers know it's worth the walk. This residential neighborhood is home to some of Cambridge's most acclaimed restaurants, including James Beard Award winners and beloved local institutions.
Best Restaurants in Inman Square
Inman Square may be off the T line, but food lovers know it's worth the walk. Our top picks include Oleana, Puritan & Company, Oak Bistro.
Mezze platters
Farm-to-Table
European Cuisine
Mezze
Homemade Ice Cream
Selected based on local favorites, authentic offerings, and community reputation.
Mediterranean · Inman Square
Award-winning Mediterranean restaurant with Turkish and Arabic influences. Chef Ana Sortun's seasonal menu features creative mezze, grilled meats, and vegetarian options.
New American · Inman Square
Chef Will Gilson's original Inman Square restaurant. Named for the Puritan Cake Company that occupied the space mid-century. Seasonal New England cooking, whole-animal butchery, a serious cocktail program, and an urban-farmhouse dining room furnished with Gilson family heirlooms (the host stand is a 1920 Glenwood oven).
Bistro · Inman Square
Elegant bistro with seasonal menu featuring European-inspired cuisine. Beautiful outdoor patio perfect for warm weather, excellent wine selection. Inman Square destination.
Middle Eastern · Inman Square
Beloved Middle Eastern restaurant serving Levantine-inspired mezze and hearty entrees. Owner Mohamad El Zein's personal stamp on traditional dishes with a mostly Lebanese wine list. Now expanded to a larger Central Square location.
Ice Cream · Inman Square
Inman Square ice cream institution since 1983. Extremely broad house-made flavor rotation — adzuki bean, burnt sugar, grape sorbet, carrot cake, honey lavender, green tea, ginger — from owner Raymond Ford.
Irish Pub · Inman Square
Authentic Irish pub in Cambridge's oldest wooden mercantile building. Perfectly poured Guinness, homemade Irish fare and American pub classics, and live Irish music three nights a week.
Deli · Inman Square
Inman Square institution since 1919. Jewish-style deli: Reubens, matzo ball soup, blintzes, knishes, and a 100+-year-old pastrami recipe. Weekend brunch is packed.
Coffee Shop · Inman Square
Inman Square coffee institution, named for its street number at 1369 Cambridge St. The quintessential Cambridge 'third place' — living-room feel, strong iced coffee, a steady population of readers and writers.
Indian · Inman Square
Authentic North Indian street food at prices that make no sense (in a good way). The chole bhature is perfect. The thali platters are generous. No frills, strip mall location, incredible food. This is what dhaba-style should taste like. Best value Indian in Cambridge.
Mexican · Inman Square
Lively Inman Square Mexican restaurant with tableside guacamole, creative fare, and assorted margaritas. Local favorite for Tex-Mex comfort food and generous portions.
Mexican · Inman Square
Texas-style taco bar between Inman Square and Lechmere. Strong tequila and mezcal list, margaritas, and a taco menu that runs from al pastor and barbacoa to battered-cod Baja.
Inman Square punches far above its weight in Cambridge's culinary scene, hosting multiple acclaimed restaurants in a compact, walkable area. Oleana, helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Ana Sortun, is the crown jewel—her Turkish and Arabic-influenced cuisine is considered among the best in New England. Just down the street, Puritan & Company offers seasonal American cooking in a warm, exposed-brick space that feels like dining in a friend's beautiful home. The area also features Trina's Starlite Lounge for comfort food and craft cocktails, and several excellent Portuguese bakeries and neighborhood restaurants. Inman Square is a 15-minute walk from Central Square T station, making it slightly off the beaten path—which means easier reservations than Harvard Square.
Criteria: authenticity, local reputation, quality
Sources: community input • editorial review
“The only thing better than eating is eating in Cambridge.”
This guide is updated regularly to ensure accuracy.
← Browse All Guides