Missing Mama’s Cookin’

When the thermometer strikes bottom, Cambridge restaurants start heating up. If you can brave a five-minute walk across the Square—scarves and gloves encouraged—or a one-stop trip on the T, several local spots will provide tastier alternatives to HUDS meatloaf. In an effort to discourage the bah humbugs of wintry weather, FM has braved the elements to give you the low-down on affordable comfort food in the area. Button up your peacoat and get moving.

Cambridge Common

(Between Harvard and Porter)

1667 Mass. Ave.

Price range: $6-13

The traditional comfort food at Cambridge Common more than makes up for the cold trek up Mass Ave. The Common serves up a baked meatloaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and a seasonal vegetable, the perfect combination to combat arctic temperatures. To spice up a traditional beef stew, the chef stirs in a thick Guinness draft. Homemade gravy-drenched chicken pot pies far outclass their frozen counterparts, and the restaurant’s generous helpings will keep you satiated as you prepare for a winter-long hibernation. There’s no hurry to rush back to campus, either—the restaurant’s cozy Lizard Lounge Music Club stays open until 2 a.m.

Half Shell

(Porter)

1760 Mass. Ave.

Price Range: $4-$9

Who needs clean laundry when a local pizza place accepts Crimson Cash? That could be the motto of pepporoni aficionados looking for a break from late night runs to Tommy’s. Half Shell is more of a walk for Yardlings and River-folk, but free delivery until 11 p.m. guarantees that you won’t have to leave your dorm for more than five minutes. Favorites include the pesto pizza, a reporteredly authentic Italian dish covered in spinach, tomatoes, onions and feta cheese. Meat-lovers can go for the grilled chicken pizza or choose from a list of hot calzones and sub sandwiches.

Leo’s

(Harvard)

35 JFK St.

Price Range: $5-$8

This burger joint has Ben Affleck’s stamp of approval. During a 2004 Oprah show, Affleck named Leo’s as the place to go in Cambridge for a quality cheeseburger. Forget about the blizzard outside—the charbroiled burgers will remind customers of summer barbeques by the pool. The shop makes over 300 soups over the course of the year, with chicken noodle being the fan favorite. And even vegetarians will have no problem warming up at Leo’s—head right for the soups, where artichoke, asparagus and lentil selections will afford you the opportunity to eat with your hamburger-munching pals.

1369 Coffee House

(Central, Inman)

757 Mass Ave.

1369 Cambridge St.

Price Range: $2-$7

When Au Bon Pain’s soups become a little redundant, head for a Central Square coffee shop with a funky rep. The 1369 Coffee House has the best lattes in Cambridge, but it’s the homemade soup menu that puts this place on the map. The weekly rotation includes chicken and rice, Mexican tomato lime and a spinach, garlic and chick pea soup made hearty with potatoes. After lunch, the coffee shop’s flavored hot chocolate and latte options turn it into a prime late afternoon date stop or a cozy post-dinner option. The Almond Joy hot chocolate and the Turtle Latte—flavored with hazelnut and thick caramel—are just two of the featured beverages. If neither is your thing, feel free to draw on the list of optional flavors and custom-order your own. The original 1369 is in Inman Square, at 1369 Cambridge St., duh. This cozy nook is worth the fifteen-minute walk from the River—for both the food and the change of pace.