The Many Tastes of The Square

Within a month of being at Harvard, you’ll be fed up with Chickwiches. You’ll have had one too many bowls of cereal. And yes, you’ll have run out of ideas on how to make a sandwich at the ’Berg taste good.

True, each semester you’re given $50 to spend at the Greenhouse Cafe, but you’ll run out of that faster than you can say “sushi platter.”

At that critical juncture of your freshman year, it will be time for you to venture forth and discover the many cheap(ish) food options Cambridge has to offer. Harvard Square has countless restaurants to discover hidden in its small streets, but here are a few fast options to start your culinary journey.

You’ll have to start out at Pinocchio’s (74 Winthrop Street), more commonly known as ’Nochs, for a good slice of Sicilian pizza. Their tomato and basil pizza is unbeatable and their subs are also fantastic, particularly the steak and cheese sub with grilled onions. A popular late night stop for the sober and inebriated alike, you can’t go wrong with ’Nochs pizza.

If you prefer the more typical “New York pizza” and a cheaper price tag, try Tommy’s (49 Mt. Auburn Street), which also serves spicy chicken fingers and chicken Parm subs.

If you’re into healthier food you can check out Boloco (71 Mt. Auburn Street) for some tasty wraps, including my favorite: the chicken Caesar wrap. For a lighter meal, try the steak and cheese snack wraps. Boloco also offers a variety of smoothies to bring refreshment to those (few) warm months in Cambridge.

As a college student, you will undoubtedly experience those late night cravings for greasy food. That’s when you’ll want to head to the uber-popular Mexican joint, Felipe’s (83 Mt. Auburn Street). Here you’ll likely run into half the people who were at the party you just left 20 minutes ago.

If you’re willing to risk the consequences, try the somewhat questionable chicken quesadilla or the super burrito. For a safer choice, your best bet is the chips and guacamole.

But no night would be complete without a not-so-sober stop at the Hong Kong (1236 Massachusetts Avenue), referred to as simply “The Kong”. Good choices here include the scallion pancakes, the Pu Pu platter and the chicken lo-mein. For the 21 and over crowd (or at least for all those whose IDs say they’re over 21), try the Scorpion Bowl, a delightful choice you’ll no doubt regret the next morning.

Though you won’t find a McDonald’s nearby, you can come pretty close with a meal at Flat Patties (81 Mt. Auburn Street), a fast food restaurant in the Garage owned by the same people who run Felipe’s. The meat will fall apart as you try to eat it, but the burgers are nonetheless delectable. The fries are small and crispy, just how I like them.

If you want a “healthier” burger option than you can find at Flat Patties, cross the street to b.good (24 Dunster Street). The meat is hand-packed and mostly served on whole wheat buns. For a less beefy option, sample the BBQ chicken sandwich.

b.good provides a nice family atmosphere as well—when it opened up in Harvard Square last fall, football player Carl D. Ehrlich ’09 won free burgers for life as part of a contest to celebrate the restaurant’s opening.

For a few more bucks, you can experience the crème de la crème of Harvard Square burgers at Bartley’s Burger Cottage (1246 Massachusetts Avenue). The place is crowded, noisy, and only accepts cash, but if you’re willing to brave these inconveniences, the food is definitely worth it. Though not the most romantic spot, many dates head to Bartley’s. Every burger on the menu is good, as are their onion rings and fries. For dessert, drink an Oreo milkshake; it’s expensive, but extremely delicious.

For a sure way to seduce your love interest, take them to Finale (30 Dunster Street) to share a molten chocolate cake or crème brulee. If you’re in a rush, grab a tiramisu to go. Though you will have to shell out some cash, at the end of the night you can hope for the real finale to be in your bed. Chocolate is a natural aphrodisiac.

But I’ve saved my favorite spot in the Square for last. If you travel towards Central Square on Massachusetts Ave, you’ll find La Creperie (1154 Massachusetts Avenue), a hidden gem. Though the crepes are by no means cheap, they’re tasty and original. Start with the “Jambon” crepe, followed by a Nutella crepe for dessert. The staff is not particularly friendly, so make sure to insist on your student discount by showing your Crimson ID. It will save you, on average, a full 50 cents.

—Staff writer Claire M. Guehenno can be reached at guehenno@fas.harvard.edu.