Let's Go Boston: The Student Travel Guide

By Harvard Student Agencies, Inc.

Ask any Boston native, and they’ll all tell you the same thing: Bahston rahks. That pride and love is alive in Let’s Go Boston, the only travel guide brought to you by the students who know Boston best. Let’s Go balances the historic and the modern with panache, taking you down cobblestone streets, up the Freedom Trail, and right to Fenway’s cheapest seats. Our neighborhood-by-neighborhood organization means it’s easy to find that perfect trattoria in the North End or the boutique you’ve been dying to visit on Newbury Street. Whether you’re looking to grab a cold Sam Adams or a midday picnic in the Common, we’ve got you covered.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Let's Go
• Release date: Jan 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781598809138

Book preview

PAGES PACKED WITH ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Value-packed, unbeatable, accurate, and comprehensive.

—The Los Angeles Times

The guides are aimed not only at young budget travelers but at the independent traveler; a sort of streetwise cookbook for traveling alone.

—The New York Times

Unbeatable; good sight-seeing advice; up-to-date info on restaurants, hotels, and inns; a commitment to money-saving travel; and a wry style that brightens nearly every page.

—The Washington Post

THE BEST TRAVEL BARGAINS IN YOUR BUDGET

All the dirt, dirt cheap.

—People

Let’s Go follows the creed that you don’t have to toss your life’s savings to the wind to travel—unless you want to.

—The Salt Lake Tribune

REAL ADVICE FOR REAL EXPERIENCES

The writers seem to have experienced every rooster-packed bus and lunarsurfaced mattress about which they write.

—The New York Times

[Let’s Go’s] devoted updaters really walk the walk (and thumb the ride, and trek the trail). Learn how to fish, haggle, find work—anywhere.

—Food & Wine

A world-wise traveling companion—always ready with friendly advice and helpful hints, all sprinkled with a bit of wit.

—The Philadelphia Inquirer

A GUIDE WITH A SPIRIT AND A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE

Lighthearted and sophisticated, informative and fun to read. [Let’s Go] helps the novice traveler navigate like a knowledgeable old hand.

—Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The serious mission at the book’s core reveals itself in exhortations to respect the culture and the environment—and, if possible, to visit as a volunteer, a student, or a teacher rather than a tourist.

—San Francisco Chronicle

LET’S GO PUBLICATIONS

TRAVEL GUIDES

Australia

Austria & Switzerland

Brazil

Britain

California

Central America

Chile

China

Costa Rica

Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Panama

Eastern Europe

Ecuador

Egypt

Europe

France

Germany

Greece

Guatemala & Belize

Hawaii

India & Nepal

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Mexico

New Zealand

Peru

Puerto Rico

Southeast Asia

Spain & Portugal with Morocco

Thailand

USA

Vietnam

Western Europe

Yucatan Peninsula

ROADTRIP GUIDE

Roadtripping USA

ADVENTURE GUIDES

Alaska

Pacific Northwest

Southwest USA

CITY GUIDES

Amsterdam

Barcelona

Berlin, Prague & Budapest

Boston

Buenos Aires

Florence

London

London, Oxford, Cambridge & Edinburgh

New York City

Paris

Rome

San Francisco

Washington, DC

POCKET CITY GUIDES

Amsterdam

Berlin

Boston

Chicago

London

New York City

Paris

San Francisco

Venice

Washington, DC

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Attention please, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park. It’s a beautiful day for baseball, and Let’s Go is ready to take the field. Let’s take a look at today’s lineup, starting with the umpiring crew: these introductory chapters will orient you to what’s safe and what’s out in Boston. At first base, the Discover chapter contains highlights of Beantown, including neighborhood overviews. Most chapters are organized by neighborhood roughly as Boston is laid out, radiating out in a spiral from the site of Boston’s original settlement, Beacon Hill. In the rare cases when a listing is outside this metro area, we’ll introduce it with the header Greater Boston and specify its exact (far-flung) location. At second base, the Essentials section contains hard information on health, transportation, and other useful topics. At third base, the Life and Times chapter covers the history and culture of the Cradle of Liberty. And, at home plate, Beyond Tourism is all you need for striking out into volunteer, work, study, and other opportunities’and having a ball with them.

And now for the starting lineup, the coverage chapters, for this Let’s Go team. Leading off, in center field, Practical Information lists local services such as banks and libraries. Batting second, at second base, Accommodations provides temporary visitors with hotel listings. Batting third, it’s the designated hitter, the meat of the lineup: the Food chapter, organized by neighborhood and focusing on the local. In the cleanup spot and playing first base, Sights is your go-to for a day of touring. Batting fifth, in right field, Entertainment is organized not by neighborhood, but by genre, such as theater, movies, and sports; ditto with the left fielder, Shopping, in the six hole. Nightlife, the number-seven hitter and third baseman, returns to a neighborhood organization scheme. Today’s catcher and eighth batsman, Daytrips, can guide you to any number of nearby New England destinations; maps provide helpful location reminders, and the transportation information (trip duration, frequency, and price, provided in parentheses) can get you there. Finally, playing shortstop, the Appendix, complete with climate information and maps of Boston itself, is batting ninth.

For those attempting to place a call from Fenway Park, Let’s Go lists phone numbers’including area code’after a . In Daytrips, a given city’s area code appears opposite its name and is also denoted by a ; the area code for Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville is 617. For fans’ convenience, Let’s Go also mentions the nearest public-transportation station or line to as many establishments as possible, though sometimes this is understood by the neighborhood the establishment is in. Similarly, when a city is implied by neighborhood, we leave out the city name.

A NOTE TO OUR READERS. The information for this book was mostly gathered by Unofficial Guide researchers from January through May of 2010; some information was collected from January through May of 2009. Each listing is based on one researcher’s opinion, formed during his or her visit at a particular time. Those traveling at other times may have different experiences, since prices, dates, hours, and conditions are always subject to change. You are urged to check the facts presented in this book beforehand to avoid inconvenience and surprises.

CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

DISCOVER BOSTON

ESSENTIALS

LIFE AND TIMES

BEYOND TOURISM

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATIONS

FOOD

SIGHTS

ENTERTAINMENT

SHOPPING

NIGHTLIFE

DAYTRIPS

APPENDIX

MAP INDEX

INDEX

COPYRIGHT PAGE

RESEARCHER-WRITERS

Dogged in the pursuit of truth, justice, and the accurate prices at North End bakeries, or the right word to describe a hopping bar. Her real strength was in the field, where she spent every minute needed to get her copy right. Her assignments often took her to the fringes of Boston—but she went the distance every time.

Lillian took time out from her busy freshman year to research for the Let’s Go bringing a Colorado sensibility to the high streets of Harvard and the gritty corners of Fenway. During the spring, her good cheer and ready smile made her unforgettable back at the office. We wish her the best.

Let’s Go veteran veteran and model researcher in every way, Julia returned from the sunlit fields of Italy to the brick streets of Boston to write for the Let’s Go: Boston. The only way to describe Julia’s copy is invaluable: her eloquence. memory, and attention to detail were a godsend. Her professional unflappability in the face of danger and recalcitrant software will be sorely missed.

Unforgettable from the beginning, Katherine proved to be a star of the 2011 Let’s Go: Boston. Her editors were always eager to read the next of her well-written submissions, which reflected her energy and ability to go beyond the required, adding listings and descriptions that could only come from her. Perfectly at home in Beacon Hill but equally adept in the odd army supply shop or restaurant, she left her own mark on the book.

A true adventurer, Cindy, a graduating senior, took her assignments with determination and dedication, trekking from the bars of Somerville to the skyscrapers of Downtown, getting to know Cambridge and Boston like no other—all while finishing a thesis. Cindy has continued her travel-writing voyages this summer, and will be taking on grad school after that.

Sara Joe came to the Let’s Go: Boston with a photographer’s eye for the hidden detail and a journalist’s eye for the scoop. Trained at The Harvard Crimson and in the cutthroat world of pet publications, Sara Joe was intrepid whether in Roxbury or Central, and never failed to tell it like it was in her copy and in her marginalia. Her humor and down-to-earth writing set a standard for the guide.

STAFF WRITERS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

DANIEL THANKS. It’s been a long journey, one with twists, turns, and rewards I could never have predicted eight months ago. The short attributions on the title page tell part of the story, but there are many other people who must be called to the stage.

Thanks to the ladies of the RW team, who deserve high honors for their ability to get the work done, and superbly, through midterms, reading period, and all the challenges of the job: well done. Colleen, thanks for starting them off right. Dwight, thanks for saving our bacon like it wasn’t no thing. Julia, thanks for finishing the job.

Thanks to Nathaniel, for his ancient wisdom from the year of the Let’s Go that remains the greatest story ever told. Thanks to Ashley for being sound and silly in turn; thanks to Sara and Alex for infinite patience with the technological travails of an editor and his researchers. Marykate, thank you for your saintly devotion to the cause, Chamber of Commerce clerks and complicated wharf schedules be damned. Thanks to Stephanie, Tracy, and Meghan for selling the book before it even existed.

Thanks to the RMs of the 2011 office. You pulled off Boston Copy with great results. Editors, you will not go unremembered; this book would not exist without those long June days of editing and formatting that you completed without complaint. Thanks to all my friends at the office, past and present. I wouldn’t have come here without you.

Reader, I started this guide knowing practically nothing about this city on a hill. Like Basil Ransom, I had only a vague notion of what and who Boston was, but I soon came to love this city like no other. Get out there and get to know Boston. It’s been time well spent.

Research Managers

Colleen O’Brien

Dwight Livingstone Curtis

Julia S. Chen

Managing Editor

Daniel C. Barbero

Typesetter

Rebecca Cooper

Director of Publishing

Ashley R. Laporte

Executive Editor

Nathaniel Rakich

Production and Design Director

Sara Plana

Publicity and Marketing Director

Joseph Molimock

Managing Editors

Charlotte Alter, Daniel C. Barbero, Marykate Jasper, Iya Megre

Technology Project Managers

Daniel J. Choi, C. Alexander Tremblay

Production Associates

Rebecca Cooper, Melissa Niu

Financial Associate

Louis Caputo

Director of IT

Yasha Iravantchi

President

Meagan Hill

General Manager

Jim McKellar

Our researchers list establishments in order of value from best to worst, honoring our favorites with the Let’s Go thumbs-up ( ). Because the best value is not always the cheapest price, we have incorporated a system of price ranges based on a rough expectation of what you will spend. For accommodations, we base our range on the cheapest price for which a single traveler can stay for one night. For restaurants, we estimate the average amount one diner will spend in one sitting. The table below tells you what you’ll typically find in Boston at the corresponding price range, but keep in mind that no system can allow for the quirks of individual establishments.

ABOUT LET’S GO

NOT YOUR PARENTS’ TRAVEL GUIDE

At Let’s Go, we see every trip as the chance of a lifetime. If your dream is to grab a machete and forge through the jungles of Costa Rica, we can take you there. If you’d rather bask in the Riviera sun at a beachside cafe, we’ll set you a table. We write for readers who know that there’s more to travel than sharing double deckers with tourists and who believe that travel can change both themselves and the world—whether they plan to spend six days in Bangkok or six months in Europe. We’ll show you just how far your money can go, and prove that the greatest limitation on your adventures is not your wallet but your imagination.

BEYOND THE TOURIST EXPERIENCE

To help you gain a deeper connection with the places you travel, our fearless researchers scour the globe to give you the heads-up on both world-renowned and off-the-beaten-track attractions, sights, and destinations. They dive into the local culture only to emerge with the freshest insights on everything from festivals to regional cuisine. We’ve also opened our pages to respected writers and scholars to hear their takes on the countries and regions we cover, and asked travelers who have worked, studied, or volunteered abroad to contribute first-person accounts of their experiences. In addition, each guide’s Beyond Tourism chapter shares ideas about responsible travel, study abroad, and how to give back while on the road.

FIFTY YEARS OF WISDOM

Let’s Go got its start in 1960, when a group of creative and well-traveled students compiled their experience and advice into a 20-page mimeographed pamphlet, which they gave to travelers on charter flights to Europe. Five decades later, we’ve expanded to cover six continents and all kinds of travel—while retaining our founders’ adventurous attitude. Laced with witty prose and total candor, our guides are still researched and written entirely by students on shoestring budgets, experienced travelers who know that train strikes, stolen luggage, food poisoning, and marriage proposals are all part of a day’s work.

THE LET’S GO COMMUNITY

More than just a travel-guide company, Let’s Go is a community. Our small staff comes together because of our shared passion for travel and our desire to help other travelers see the world the way it was meant to be seen. We love it when our readers become part of the Let’s Go community as well—when you travel, drop us a postcard (67 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA), send us an email ([e-mail]), or sign up online (http://www.letsgo.com) to tell us about your adventures and discoveries.

For more information, visit us online: www.letsgo.com.

DISCOVER BOSTON

When to Go

Neighborhood Overviews

Colleges and Universities

For a long time, Boston was the United States. In the 17th and 18th centuries—America’s formative years—the city played a starring role in the country’s fight for independence. In the 19th century, some of America’s most influential doers and thinkers called Boston home, justifiably dubbing it the Hub of the Universe. In the 20th century, Beantown experienced—writ large—the same growing pains sweeping the rest of the nation, including immigration booms, civil-rights battles, and problems with urban expansion and renewal.

On this side of the millennium, Boston at times trumps up its illustrious past too aggressively. The Freedom Trail is undeniably well-trampled, but this most American of American cities didn’t earn the title of America’s Walking City for one measly 2½ mi. stroll. Boston is a restless stew of compact neighborhoods, a capital of high culture, and a forest of urban parks—and it’s all best sampled on foot. While the Freedom Trail is a nice place to start, wandering around Boston’s many different districts, its jumble of streets, and its (rarely square) squares will give you a glimpse of an evolving metropolis where history is a part of everyday life.

FACTS AND FIGURES

BOSTON’S AGE: 380 years old in 2010

CITY POPULATION: 620,535

METRO POPULATION: 4,522,858 (10th biggest in the US)

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Over 140

NUMBER OF DUNKIN’ DONUTS STORES WITHIN 2½ MI. OF DOWN-TOWN CROSSING: 50

STRETS NAMED CHARLES ST.: 4

PENGUINS AT THE AQUARIUM: Over 60

CAPACITY OF FENWAY PARK: 36,108.

NUMBER OF COLLEGE STUDENTS: 300,000

WHEN TO GO

Boston has a different personality for each calendar month. Temperate autumn begins with the attack of the minivans—when college students flood the city for another year of papers and parties. The Head of the Charles Regatta brings preppies past and present to the shores of the Charles River for a weekend of fun in the sun. Fall in New England is also synonymous with foliage, when the trees turn stunning shades of red, orange, and brown. The blustery, damp, and cold winter won’t show you Boston (or Bostonians) at their best. There is a brief flicker of light in late December, when crowds flock to the city to celebrate First Night, Boston’s fireworks-filled New Year’s Eve celebration. Though its slopes and powder are nothing like the Rockies or the Alps, New England’s copious snowfall and craggy terrain make for some great skiing. Celebrate Valentine’s Day the right way—with a classic date in the North End. Many mark the end of winter on March 17, better known as St. Patrick’s Day. There is a rumor that spring exists in Boston, but it passes by every year before anyone gets a chance to really enjoy it. However brief, the breezy, sunny pause between frigid winter and sweltering summer is one of the most exciting times to be in town: aside from Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum, there’s the Red Sox opening their season at Fenway Park and the world’s best runners enduring the Boston Marathon. Visitors be warned: finding a place to stay in Boston this time of year is next to impossible thanks to the area’s dozens of graduation ceremonies. The scorching summer months are the most heavily touristed time of the year, as hordes of visitors spend their days walking the city’s 300 years of history on the Freedom Trail and window-shopping along chic Newbury St. Don’t miss the season’s many free concerts and other outdoor events, such as the city’s July 4 extravaganza and Harborfest. This is also the best time to daytrip down to the beaches of nearby Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. For specific meteorological information by season.

NEIGHBORHOOD OVERVIEWS

Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England—but it’s the small parts of it that matter. The city’s well-defined, proud, and independent neighborhoods make up a patchwork quilt that is easily navigated. On what used to be a peninsula jutting into Massachusetts Bay, Beacon Hill, the West End, the North End, Downtown, Chinatown, and the Theater District make up the core of Boston—the only part that was originally dry land. Over time, city officials filled in the surrounding wetlands to create neighborhoods like the South End, Back Bay, Fenway, and Kenmore, today all vital parts of central Boston. Across the river in the bohemian city of Cambridge, known as the Left Bank—like the one in Paris, as much for its politics as for its position—is a succession of squares: Kendall, Central, Inman, Harvard, Porter, and Davis (which is actually mostly in Somerville). The Boston area also has several less frequented outer neighborhoods: going counter-clockwise from Cambridge, they consist of Fresh Pond, Allston-Brighton, Brookline (its own city), Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester, South Boston, East Boston, Charlestown, and Somerville (also its own city).

BEACON HILL

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You know the quote,a city upon a hill? This is the hill. Amid elm trees, gas lanterns, and winding cobblestone streets, the wealthiest families in Boston live in the brick townhouses of Beacon Hill, the most Bostonian of Boston’s neighborhoods. Thanks to strict architectural regulations, this residential neighborhood is filled with historic homes and quiet streets dating back to the 1790s. Winding brick-lined alleyways alternate with Federal-, Greek Revival-, Federal, Victorian-, and more Federal-style buildings (the Boston look), often including courtyards and miniature gardens. Also the birthplace of Christmas caroling, Beacon Hill is renowned for its flower boxes, which are the focus of an annual neighborhood competition.

Beacon Hill’s quaint center is Charles Street, lined with antique shops and conservative clothiers. The golden-domed State House and the Shaw Memorial face off at the foot of Beacon Hill, while the Nichols House—frozen in time at the turn of the century—crowns the hill’s summit. On the south end of Beacon Hill sprawls Boston Common, the nation’s oldest public park. Legally, it still functions in its original capacity as a public pasture for grazing cows, but you are likelier to see people out for a picnic than you are livestock. Come July 4, all eyes are on the riverside Hatch Shell, where a concert of patriotic tunes by the Boston Pops culminates in a dazzling display of fireworks and live cannon fire.

Beacon Hill occupies less than 1 sq. mi. of central Boston, bordered on the north by Cambridge St., on the east by Tremont St., on the south by Boston Common, and on the west by the Charles River. Everywhere in the neighborhood is within walking distance of Charles/MGH.

WEST END

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The least known of Boston’s Ends, the West End may not be tourist-central, but Boston sports fans know that it’s the best place in town to watch the Celtics dominate. Historically, the tiny West End has packed in a lot of diversity—African-Americans during the Civil War, a turn-of-the-century Jewish population, and (of course) a plentiful helping of Irishmen. However, in the 1950s, the Boston Redevelopment Authority decided to renew the neighborhood in the most loving of ways: the city demolished the whole thing, leaving thousands homeless and just as many bitter. Since then, the West End has struggled to make a name for itself, though several noteworthy sites do sit on its edges. Should the gigantic dinosaur at the Museum of Science come alive, tend to your wounds at nearby Massachusetts General Hospital, while the dinosaur will be carted off to the landmark Charles Street Jail (except that it’s now a luxury hotel). Speaking of luxury, the West End houses North Station and the TD Banknorth Garden above it. As a result, the neighborhood boasts some of the highest concentrations of sports bars and Bruins-slash-Celtics-paraphernalia surface area in the city.

The West End occupies the northern tip of Boston: New Sudbury and Cambridge St. divide it from the richer parts of the city to the south, N. Washington St. (to the east) keeps the North End crowds out, and the Charles River forms the northern and western boundaries. Many stops provide access to the West End, most importantly North Station, Charles/MGH, and the recently renamed Science Park/West End.

NORTH END

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Boston’s most romantic neighborhood, the historic North End evokes a European flavor just (you guessed it) north of downtown. Here in Boston’s Italian-American enclave, a leisurely trip through winding, narrow streets—lined with rustic trattorie, Old World bakeries, and cramped salumerie (corner grocers)—will make you forget the traffic snarls and tourist hordes of, well, life. The quarter’s central artery, Hanover Street, is a tourist-filled strip that feels more like Times Sq. when the post-dinner crowds let out. The surrounding streets and alleys are filled with dozens of wonderful family-owned Italian restaurants and cafes; it’s not uncommon for the garrulous owners to invite you inside to eat as you walk by. The North End’s red-sauce-slinging spots differ little in quality and atmosphere, so it’s best to let your wallet—not your nose—be your guide. Our favorites include the homestyle classics at Terramia and the mouthwatering Peruvian/Italian delights at Taranta.

With such famous residents as Patriot leader Paul Revere, it’s only appropriate that most North End sights are on the Freedom Trail. Minuscule Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, created in 1659, is one of the oldest cemeteries in the country and holds the remains of the unfortunately named Mathers (Increase and Cotton). Most majestically, the famous Old North Church’s spire and attendant lanterns—you know, one if by land, two if by sea—dwarf those annoying tourists. In summer, the largely Catholic North End hosts many saints’ feast days, marked by parades, dancing, and carnivals.

The North End is so quaint (read: cramped) that the MBTA has given up trying to penetrate it. Don’t even think about parking here; unless otherwise noted, the closest stop to all North End establishments in this book is Haymarket. Walk through the Rose Kennedy Greenway and enter via Salem or Hanover St. One of Boston’s best-defined neighborhoods, the North End occupies the entire area between the water (on the north and east) and N. Washington St. and the Greenway (on the west and south).

DOWNTOWN

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With Boston’s shopping hub, Downtown Crossing, and her historic heart, the Freedom Trail (which starts here and runs through most of the neighborhood), Downtown is usually the first (and often only) place visitors to Boston get to see—which is a shame, because the shiny skyscrapers and countless shops peddling ye olde tourist dreck are not at all typical of this intimate city. In the northwest corner of this multifaceted neighborhood, Government Center hosts two popular all-you-can-eat summertime foodfests—the Scooper Bowl (ice cream) and Chowderfest (take a wild guess). Near Boston Common, the newly hip Ladder District (the parallel ladder-like streets between Tremont and Washington) was once a prim residential area; it’s now home to some of the most unusual nightspots and most Brahmin restaurants in Boston, as well as the students of Suffolk University.

Although it doesn’t cater to anyone but commuting Boston suits, the urban-jungle Financial District sure has brought capitalism to its neighbors in the heart of Downtown. Nearby Downtown Crossing, best known as the site of the legendary (but now defunct) Filene’s Basement and Jordan Marsh department stores, vies for tourist dollars with Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, a giant chain mall and food court. A snow-and-gas-lights theme park in winter dedicated to the fine art of hardcore holiday shopping, Faneuil Hall is also one of Boston’s best-known historic sites. The inspiring speeches given here by Samuel Adams and other Patriots gave Faneuil Hall the title the Cradle of Liberty. The informative Old State House (a museum chronicling the history of Boston), the chaotic Haymarket (a multi-block farmers’ market), and the haunting Holocaust Memorial are also not to be missed. Beyond the verdant new Rose Kennedy Greenway, a refreshing string of parks above I-93, the squeal-inducing New England Aquarium and inconvenience-inducing South Station punctuate all that Downtown has to offer.

Downtown Boston is anchored by Park St., America’s first subway station, but any of the big four— Park St., Government Center, State, and Downtown Crossing—will get you where you need to go. The neighborhood itself is bounded by Essex St. on the south, Tremont St. on the west, New Sudbury St. and the Rose Kennedy Greenway on the north, and Boston Harbor and Fort Point Channel on the east. Tremont, State, Congress, Washington, and Summer Streets all hold legitimate claims to the title of Downtown’s main drag.

CLICK TO SEE PLACES TO COME TO TERMS WITH ADULTHOD IN BOSTON

CHINATOWN

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Overshadowed by Financial District skyscrapers is the nation’s first Chinatown, where some of the cheapest and tastiest food in Boston can be found well into the wee hours of the night. The colorful signs and storefront displays of the shops and restaurants crammed into this tiny, bustling district reflect its multitude of cultures. The ornate Imperial Gate on Beach Street, the main thoroughfare, is Chinatown’s most recognizable icon; another sight worth seeing is the alleyway off Oxford Pl., which houses Chinatown’s oldest tenements. The district’s restaurants and bakeries are inexpensive and tasty; one dim sum Sunday brunch here might make you ditch scrambled eggs for good. The sleek cuisine at Montien, some of the city’s best sushi at Ginza, or fin-flapping-fresh Chinese at East Ocean City combine to make Chinatown Nirvana for East Asian food lovers. The neighborhood’s shopping selection, too, is as chaotic as its streets, with countless Asian grocers, bulk fabric stores, and gift and toy shops selling the wackiest imported trinkets.

Home to a diverse population of Laotians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Chinese, Chinatown is a dense maze of narrow streets and aging buildings wedged between Tremont St., Essex St., I-93, and the Mass Pike. Unless otherwise stated, the most convenient subway stop for all of Chinatown’s establishments is (drumroll, please) Chinatown, which lets out onto Essex St. at Washington St., one block north of the action.

THEATER DISTRICT

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After the Puritans (who thought theater was sinful) faded from prominence in Boston, the city’s minuscule Theater District grew into the preeminent pre-Broadway tryout spot. The district was once the site of over 30 theaters that saw countless major American premieres. Now, only the most prestigious theaters remain, but they feature only the best touring productions (Spamalot, anyone?) and small-scale premieres. The giant Citi Performing Arts Center hosts Broadway blockbusters year-round and the country’s most visited production of The Nutcracker in the winter, while the smaller Charles Playhouse is home to the fun but freaky Blue Man Group. The neighborhood has also blossomed into an entertainment district of a whole other sort: it’s now one of the chicest, sleekest nightlife areas in the city, with well-dressed, well-funded cosmopolitans crowding its many upscale bars and dance clubs. In fact, the recent closure of many of the clubs near Fenway, farther west, has left the Theater District Boston’s top (only?) choice for a night of twisting and shouting. Conspicuous consumption abounds at the Encore Lounge, Boston’s only piano bar. For when you’re not out painting the town, the Theater District boasts some very ooh-la-la restaurants for a pre-show meal, as well as Boston’s ritziest hotels. This is also the go-to neighborhood for all things Emerson College, though students there may also find our Downtown and Chinatown listings helpful.

With an area of four city blocks, the affluent Theater District is more expensive than expansive. The neighborhood proper is a quadrilateral delineated by Tremont St., Boylston St., Arlington St., and the Mass Pike, although its characteristic high-end establishments also leak into the surrounding areas. This is especially true around Boylston, the subway stop of choice for Emerson, the clubs, and the theaters on Tremont Street, the center of the artsy action. Arlington will let you in the Back (Bay) door.

SOUTH END

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Boston Neck, the narrow strip of land that connected Shawmut Peninsula to Roxbury and the mainland, was expanded by landfill and developed into the South End in the mid-19th century. Briefly popular with Boston’s upper classes during their perpetual migrations throughout the city, the neighborhood soon fell into disrepair. Immigrants and working-class families of diverse ethnic backgrounds settled here in the vacated townhouses-turned-apartments, and in the early 20th century the area became a thriving center of African-American culture. Gentrification has hit this area hard in the last few decades, and herds of young professionals, artists, writers, and musicians have renovated the old brownstone and Victorian buildings. Though parts of the area remain rough around the edges, the South End is now well established as an arts community, a 20-something hangout, and Boston’s most gay-friendly, all-inclusive neighborhood. Home to the voguish boutiques and boisterous bars of Tremont St., the ultra-experimental galleries south of Washington St., and the best restaurants within 300 mi., this is the place to shop, drink, eat, and explore.

The neighborhood’s dynamic energy finds its source in its legendary art galleries. The SoWa Artists’ Guild displays the latest and greatest in contemporary art, and the studios at the Boston Center for the Arts share the block with Tremont St.’s eclectic shopping and modish food. It’s hard to go wrong with the amazing lineup of gourmet eateries here: standouts include Addis Red Sea’s unforgettable Ethiopian, Sister Sorel’s full-blown gourmet at deflated prices, and Flour’s otherworldly pastries. For nightlife, the South End is where the boys (who love boys) are, though most bars feature a mixed crowd. Whether it’s free live jazz at down-home Wally’s, divey decor at the Delux Café, or sexy mixed drinks at Tremont 647, you’re guaranteed a good time.

The South End begins to materialize at Huntington Ave. and Northeastern University on the west, while the Mass Pike marks its northern boundary. As you get closer to the neighborhood’s eastern and southern edges (I-93 and Melnea Cass Blvd., respectively), the area grows increasingly unsavory, so use caution, particularly at night. The South End is home to three main streets, all running north-south. Back Bay, the most convenient subway stop to the neighborhood (which isn’t saying much), sits at the north end of residential Columbus Avenue. The better public-transit option, the Silver Line bus, runs up and down Washington Street. Sandwiched between the two, popular Tremont Street is Newbury St.’s hipper, more laid-back cousin.

TGIFF. Of all the brilliant artistic innovations pioneered by South End gallerists, First Fridays might just be the coolest. On the first Friday of each month (5-9pm), several art galleries and studios throw open their doors and offer a chance for the average joe to mingle with local artists over (free!) wine and cheese—and, of course, all the fine (and not so fine) art on the walls. Participating galleries include SoWa and the Boston Center for the Arts.

BACK BAY

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Boston’s elegant Back Bay did not exist until 1857, when developers filled in the brackish and smelly tidal basin that stretched from the foot of Beacon Hill to Sewall’s Point in Brookline. Combined with a number of other land-reclamation projects that would be highly illegal under modern environmental regulations, the Back Bay project helped double the size of Boston. As new land crept westward, developers kept up, laying out a Parisian system of boulevards with atypical foresight. The 450 new acres of central Boston were lined with alphabetical cross streets in a departure from the old devil-may-care system. The district was posh from the start and is still one of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods.

The Back Bay is arguably Boston’s most walkable and scenic district—and there is quite a lot to see. Normally, we’d suggest starting at the Public Garden, but its stunning flora and loveable fowl—feathered, bronze, and boat-shaped—may keep you from ever leaving. If you can tear yourself away, you’ll find yourself on the cusp of Boston’s answer to Rodeo Drive—gloriously touristy Newbury Street. The heart and soul of the Back Bay, Newbury embodies everything high-end about Boston—posh bars, expensive restaurants, and (of course) shopping like you’ve never seen before. Choose from not-so-campy shoes at Camper, prêt-à-partay designer duds at Players of Newbury, or museum-worthy goods (at museum-worthy prices) at Louis Boston. You may not find any deals, but at least Newbury has some charm.

Parallel to Newbury St. is trendy Boylston Street and 220 ft. wide Commonwealth Avenue. Check out the wrought-iron balconies and gargoyles on some of the older apartments on your way to Copley Square, home to Boston’s architectural and civic trademarks. The beauty of the Boston Public Library (a museum disguised as a book repository) is matched only by HH Richardson’s austere Trinity Church. Towering over both buildings is IM Pei’s John Hancock Tower, the tallest building in New England, which looks like only a sliver of glass from certain parts of the city. Down Boylston, rub elbows at night with Back Bay’s endless parade of scenesters at Bukowski’s or toast them at Vox Populi, once voted Boston’s Best Place to Find a Relationship of Limited Duration. Conveniently, some of the city’s standout hotels are also right here in the heart of the action. The urban malls of Copley Place and the less exclusive Prudential Center loom nearby.

Boston’s biggest neighborhood, Back Bay stretches from the Public Garden and Arlington St. in the east to the Charlesgate overpass and the Fens in the west. Its southern border is roughly the Mass Pike, though it bulges south of the highway to incorporate the malls as well as Back Bay. The river, of course, cuts things off in the north. Despite the existence of Back Bay, the Green Line is your public-transportation key to the area: use Hynes for the west end, Copley for the middle, and Arlington for the east.

FENWAY

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The thrill of the pennant race and the glory of a 60 ft. gasoline advertisement mean as much to Bostonians as the delicate sound of a world-class orchestra and the world’s largest Monet collection outside of France, and it can all be found here. Split in half by the Back Bay Fens park, the West and East Fenway can feel like two different neighborhoods at times, but they both came into this world the same way: as the filled-in swampy basin of the Muddy River. Frederick Law Olmsted engineered the transformation of the smelly, unsanitary Fens into a waterside park that drew developers and institutions to the surrounding blocks. The Fens forms the linchpin of Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, a series of connected parks running as far south as Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.

The statelier East Fenway emerges from the Back Bay as you walk south on Huntington Avenue, also known as Boston’s Avenue of the Arts. Just before Symphony Hall, behold the striking expanse of grass and concrete known as Christian Science Plaza—dominated by the ornate Mother Church, centered on a dramatic reflecting pool, and home to the fascinating Mary Baker Eddy Library. Farther south, this neighborhood is the epicenter of student life at Northeastern University, though students there should also pay special attention to the guide’s Back Bay and South End listings. In their backyard are two of the best museums anywhere (take that, New York City): the epic Museum of Fine Arts and the delightful Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

The West Fenway is a much more humble middle-class neighborhood—professional, but hardly flashy. There’s some good, cheap food in this part of town as well as other resources for students at the colleges of the Fenway, including Emmanuel, Simmons, and Wheelock. Lansdowne Street used to be the undisputed king of Boston’s club scene, but standbys like Avalon and Axis have bitten the dust in recent years. Still, with a plethora of sports bars and entertainment complexes like the House of Blues and Jillian’s, the nightlife culture remains, albeit a bit muted.

Of course, we all know there’s really just one reason you’re here. You haven’t truly seen Boston until you’ve been to a baseball game at storied Fenway Park, where the best team in the major leagues plays every summer. (Yankees suck!) Fenway-frank-eating contests with your best bud are a fun way to test the limits of your gastrointestinal tract.

Fenway is bounded on the north by the Mass Pike, on the east by Mass. Ave. and the Northeastern campus, on the south by Ruggles St., Huntington Ave., and Longwood Ave., and on the west by the Green Line tracks and Boston city limits. Although the West Fenway is awkwardly placed subway-wise, everywhere should be walkable from Kenmore or Fenway. To reach the East Fenway, Prudential, Symphony, and Northeastern, all on the Green Line’s E branch, are your best bets. Museum of Fine Arts can help you get anywhere.

KENMORE

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Every car in Boston seems to converge on Kenmore Sq., causing traffic problems that aren’t helped by perpetual construction efforts, kamikaze student pedestrians, and the most complicated crosswalks in the city. Still, there’s a reason everyone comes: Kenmore is a gold mine of student-oriented restaurants, bars, and clubs. The 1965 landmark pop-art Citgo sign presides over this aesthetically grim neighborhood of stumbling, drunk 20-somethings and disgruntled fans making their way back to the .

Commonwealth Avenue, known as Comm. Ave., is the backbone of the Kenmore neighborhood, which exists almost entirely to contain and service the quintessentially urban campus that is Boston University (BU). Students and visitors to the neighborhood’s townhouses and academic buildings will find all they need in our coverage here, in Allston, and in the Fenway. For great food within shouting distance of a BU dorm, try student hangout T. Anthony’s or Brown Sugar, the city’s best Thai.

An outline of the Kenmore neighborhood basically looks like an outline of the BU campus. In the east, the dividing line is the Charlesgate overpass; in the north, the river does the job; in the west, the neighborhood (but not the fun!) stops at Packard’s Corner. The southern border is fuzzier: generally, it goes until the Brookline town line, but the Kenmore sphere of influence does extend down Beacon St. as far as Amory St. Although Kenmore is mostly inside Boston, the neighborhood includes a sliver of Brookline, so note addresses carefully. If it has to BU, hop the Green Line’s B branch and get off at any stop between Kenmore and Packard’s Corner.

KENDALL

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Thanks to the close contact the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has with the booming computer industry and the arrival of new biotech and IT companies, Kendall Sq. has undergone one of the most astonishing transformations of any neighborhood in the past few years. What had been a decaying district of industrial parks and low-income housing is now filled with large warehouse-style buildings, some stellar restaurants, and an independent movie theater. The area doesn’t burst with things to do like some of Cambridge’s other squares, but the Kendall district does have the Cambridgeside Galleria on its side. With this gigantic shopping mall, as well as the jewel of Boston’s used-clothing crown (the Garment District), you’ll come here mostly to shop. Of course, students at brainy MIT have to live here, too, but they may find that off-campus life usually involves a trip up or down the Red Line to Boston or Central Sq. For visitors, though, MIT does boast a unique campus and a fascinating museum.

Kendall is the first neighborhood in this book that’s located in Cambridge, the city just north of Boston, across the Charles River. The area encompasses all the land abutting the river from the BU Bridge to I-93 and the Zakim Bridge. Albany St., Portland St., and Cardinal Medeiros Ave. separate it from the rest of Cambridge. Kendall serves Kendall Sq. proper (Main St. and Broadway), west of which the MIT campus dominates the district. However, it’s a bit of a walk from this part of the neighborhood to the East Cambridge part (where the mall is), so use Lechmere, a bus, or the free shuttle for that.

CENTRAL

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Sandwiched between Harvard and MIT, Central Sq. was formerly framed by a NECCO factory on one side and Cambridge City Hall on the other. The factory has since moved to Revere, though the logo and a giant stylized roll of wafers can be seen on the smokestacks of the Novartis building. New apartment complexes, pharmaceutical companies, and the omnipresent Wendy’s and Starbucks have aided in quadrupling rent rates in the grittiest of Cambridge’s squares. Offbeat coffee shops, seedy thrift stores, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and communist education centers are slowly losing their spaces, as are their outlandish patrons. Never fear, though: the people in Central Sq. are still crazy, and that isn’t changing any time soon.

The people flock to Central for the nightlife. The area’s hopping, bountiful bars are perfect for that memorable occasion that you don’t want to recall the next morning. Live music is also a staple here, with unbeatable venues like The Middle East and T.T. the Bear’s Place populating Massachusetts Avenue, the main drag, almost always referred to as Mass. Ave. Realistically, you’ll rarely come here during the day, but great restaurants like Café Luna and Craigie on Main make that a real shame.

When people say Central Sq., they’re referring to the crush of city life emanating from the intersection of River St., Western Ave., Prospect St., and Mass. Ave. For our purposes, though, the Central neighborhood extends as far as Broadway in the north, Windsor St. in the east, and Albany St. in the southeast. An invisible line from Dana St. to the Charles River separates it from Harvard in the northwest. Finally, the neighborhood also engulfs the residential Cambridgeport, to the southwest, all the way to the river. Unless otherwise stated, all Central listings are best accessed via Central on the Red Line.

INMAN

Inman Sq. is Harvard Square’s antithesis. Happy—there’s no other word for it—Inman brims with coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, and hipster bars free of made-up women searching for readymade husbands. You’d be hard-pressed to find a chain restaurant or store anywhere in Inman, and it is Cambridge’s only Starbucks-free zone. The neighborhood has narrowly avoided the gentrification characterizing Harvard and Central: Portuguese signs, billboards, and restaurants cater to a large Brazilian population, but fixed-gear bicycles roam the streets in Boston’s answer to Williamsburg.

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You’ll want to make three square trips a day to Inman, where an all-star lineup of restaurants—starting with the All Star Sandwich Bar—is 90% of the draw. Brazilian barbecue? Cambridge’s best Indian, Mexican, and seafood? Christina’s Homemade Ice Cream? Yeah, Inman has that. Not much else is packed into this tiniest of neighborhoods, but Ryles is one of the most fun, least conceited nighttime spots in the Boston area. Suffice it to say that this foodie’s paradise has the highest thumbpick density in this book—it might just be our favorite neighborhood. (Don’t tell Harvard Sq.)

Inman Sq. is the triangle formed by Cambridge, Hampshire, and Prospect St., but its sphere of influence extends for a few blocks in any direction—north to the Somerville line, south to Broadway, west to Ellsworth Ave., east to Windsor St. Many credit Inman’s unspoiled charm to its lack of subway accessibility, but the MBTA’s buses will get you there just as easily. Specifically, the 69, 83, or 91 buses will transport you to any listing in the Inman neighborhood.

HARVARD

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Harvard Sq. is Cambridge’s gold standard. Halfway between comfortable Porter and urban Central (both geographically and characteristically), it is also home to the world’s most superlative university. Currently dominated by students from all walks of life and all latitudes of the globe, Harvard Sq. boasts a diverse character. Although corporate America and cookie-cutter chains have replaced many family-run shops and cafes, the heart of Cambridge somehow manages to fuse some of its old charm with a 21st-century type of punk-rocking, Shakespeare-reading, tourist-breeding, Spare Change-hawking flair that never ceases to entertain.

Prestigious Harvard University, the oldest and wealthiest university in the US, has a historic campus, several world-class museums (highlighted by the unreal glass flowers), and 6700 perfectly collegey students. Just like anyone else, they need cheap food and beer to survive, and Harvard delivers with great watering holes like divey Charlie’s Kitchen and the raucous Border Cafe. As for eats—where to begin? If the area’s infinite Indian eateries and cozy cafes aren’t your style, there’s always exemplary fro-yo at BerryLine, Cambridge’s best brunch at Henrietta’s Table, celebrity burgers at Bartley’s, unbeatable pizza at Pinocchio’s, spicy Mexican at Felipe’s, and of course Sweet’s otherworldly frosted cupcakes. Naturally, though, this is still Harvard, so the neighborhood also has some of the city’s—and the nation’s—best bookstores, from the creative Curious George to the Harvard Book Store, a must for readaholics.

Harvard Sq. proper is the chaotic intersection of Mass. Ave., Brattle St., JFK St., and Dunster St. Plenty of smaller side streets, though, hold legitimate claims to being a part of the Square, so we’ve made the neighborhood extend about half a mile farther, a circle edged by Sparks St., Craigie St., Shepard St., Sacramento St., the Somerville border, Dana St., Putnam Ave., Western Ave., and the Charles River. Unless the listing says otherwise, Harvard is where to get off for anywhere in this corner of Cambridge.

PORTER

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About 1 mi. north of Harvard Sq. on Mass. Ave., Porter Sq. makes up for what it lacks in charm with a gentle suburban feel. Porter shares the origin of its name with a delicious cut of steak: both were named after the long-closed Porter House Hotel. Porter has changed dramatically since the extension of the Red Line past Harvard over two decades ago, which created Boston’s deepest subway station. (The endless escalators strewn with creepy bronzed gloves are the stuff of transportation-related nightmares.) Formerly a working-class neighborhood, Porter is now known for its shiny strip mall and as a prime location for cheap Asian eats at the Porter Exchange. Mass. Ave., the center of the action as usual, tucks in some cute storefronts—get your goods from Tibet, Ireland, and everywhere in between. Porter’s underrated restaurants include branches of some of the city’s best local chains—mask the spice from savory Anna’s Taqueria or The Elephant Walk with Emack and Bolio’s ice cream. Students at nearby Lesley University in particular will live by the listings in the Porter area, though Harvard students might also find them useful.

The intersection of Somerville and Mass. Ave., Porter Sq. anchors a neighborhood stretching from Sacramento St. in the south to Rindge Ave. in the north. It abuts Somerville rather abruptly on the east (ending at Oxford and Elm St.), but it also reaches into residential North Cambridge as deep as Raymond St. Porter is the implied subway stop for any listing in this neighborhood.

DAVIS

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Davis Sq. stands out as the most vibrant of Somerville’s squares. Voted one of the 15 hippest neighborhoods in North America, Davis is alive day and night: the superb and surreal public art, outdoor hangouts, and funky music joints make for a welcome change from franchise-filled Boston. Once a mixture of working-class families and students, Davis has become one of Boston’s up- and coming districts and an enclave of gay and lesbian couples.

Perfect for a refreshing afternoon, Davis allows you to wander through quirky thrift stores and boutiques (buy jeans at Black and Blues), sample food at a delicious array of ethnic eateries (Bosnian Sabur is across the street from House of Tibet Kitchen), and chill at enough far-out cafes to make your head spin. Pop into the historic Somerville Theatre, a vaudeville venue turned art-house cinema that regularly hosts indie music acts like the Magnetic Fields and Aimee Mann. A night out in Davis never disappoints: Irish eyes are smiling thanks to the thick pints and traditional music at The Burren, world-famous Southern barbecue joint Redbones is open late, and Johnny D’s Uptown hosts jazzy jams to rival anyone’s. Students at nearby Tufts University are sure to love their home away from home.

Davis Sq. sits in Somerville at the confluence of Day St., Holland Ave., College Ave., Highland Ave., and Elm St.; its associated neighborhood, though, encompasses parts of both Somerville and Cambridge. Mass. Ave. and the Alewife Brook Pkwy. constitute its western boundary, while the eastern border runs through West St. and Powder House Sq. The southern border is an imaginary line between the intersection of Rindge and Mass. Ave. and Elm and West St.; the Tufts campus is the neighborhood’s northernmost point. A Davis listing will indicate whether an establishment is in Somerville or Cambridge, but assume Davis is the stop, unless otherwise noted.

FRESH POND

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This neighborhood is unabashedly suburban, with stately colonial homes (with lawns!) separated from a sprawling commercial area by the most infamous bit of road in Boston: the Fresh Pond rotaries. The strip mall in North Cambridge will come in handy for a night at the bowling alley or a far-flung errand, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s pretty darn ugly. In contrast, residential West Cambridge is pure aesthetics. Huron Avenue is a beautiful street with more than its share of upscale shops and eateries. Down Huron is the Fresh Pond Reservoir, which is surrounded by a 2¼ mi. course beloved by local joggers and bicyclists; the grassy hill is a good place to make friends with dogs (watch your step!). Parallel to Mt. Auburn St., Brattle Street leads out of Harvard Sq. into a wide, tree-lined avenue graced with the most dignified old houses in Cambridge. The street was once known as Tory Row after the wealthy Loyalists (including Mr. William Brattle) who lived in its mansions before the Revolution. Some of these mansions are now open to the public, including the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House, also home to the Cambridge Historical Society. A self-guided walking tour pamphlet is available at the Harvard Square Information Booth. Close by is historic Mount Auburn Cemetery, at the intersection of Brattle and Mt. Auburn St. Not only is this 170-acre botanical garden a peaceful place to walk, but the cemetery’s headstones provide a record of Boston history. The tower in the middle of the cemetery affords one of the best views of Boston and Cambridge.

In this book, the Fresh Pond neighborhood is anything in Cambridge that doesn’t fall under the purview of one of the squares—essentially, anything more than half a mile west of Mass. Ave. Alewife will deposit you in the more commercial area around the strip mall, but any bus in the 70s drives in this general direction, too. If you’re headed for the more peaceful residential areas, though, consider walking from Harvard.

ALLSTON - BRIGHTON

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Almost completely separated from the rest of Boston by Brookline, Allston-Brighton is one of the most integrated sections of Boston. Home to countless college students, tragic hipsters, and working-class families, Allston in particular is the place for visitors in the know. In recent history, the neighborhood has been Harvard’s Vietnam—a decades-long expansion into the area, including a massive science center, has been continually blocked by community intransigence and University mishaps. So far, nothing has been built. Allston remains a budget-friendly (though somewhat run-down) neighborhood and a great place to look for long-term accommodations. Popular (and populated) with college students from nearby BU, Allston is also a barfly’s dream, with cheap booze and wild young crowds most nights of the week. Brighton, Commonwealth, and Harvard Avenues, the main thoroughfares of this diverse community, pack in cheap ethnic eatery after cheap ethnic eatery. One deli may greet you with Russian gossip, while the neighboring establishment might be Chinese. Brighton, significantly larger and significantly more residential, doesn’t see nearly as much visitor traffic, though Cleveland Circle gives the area a heartbeat. Students at the adjacent Boston College (BC) call this neighborhood their own.

Allston-Brighton, formerly two independent municipalities, refers to the peninsula of Boston west of Packard’s Corner; its boundaries are political (and therefore arbitrary), but it’s safe to say that the neighborhood ends at BC (and, of course, the Charles River to the north). Brighton, to the west, is the bulk of the neighborhood, with Allston in the northeast. The B branch of the Green Line runs along the southern border of both Allston and Brighton, while only buses service the duller northern districts.

BROOKLINE

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Generally known as an upscale streetcar suburb for wealthy Boston professionals, Brookline is not as monochromatic as you might imagine. One of the town’s most famous residents, Frederick Law Olmsted, took time away from creating landmarks like New York City’s Central Park to design much of Brookline, including the widening of Beacon Street. A 19th-century influx of urban aristocrats gave Brookline a distinct, monied character: near the turn of the century, Harper’s wrote, Brookline is rich—very rich. It is the wealthiest town in the US. Its annual income is greater than that of the whole state of New Hampshire. Today, more than half of Brookline’s residents identify themselves as Jewish, making Brookline the center of much of Boston’s Jewish cultural life and home to Jewish institutions of international importance, including the Maimonides School. Brookline’s Harvard Street features a huge Jewish bookstore, kosher Chinese restaurants and delis, solemn synagogues, and terrific bakeries. It’s no surprise that Brookline has Boston’s best bagels and challah (try Kupel’s), but how to explain it being home to some of the city’s best sushi (at FuGaKyu)? Of most interest to visitors is bustling Coolidge Corner (at Harvard and Beacon St.), a popular dining and shopping destination presided over by a revival cinema, the Coolidge Corner Moviehouse, whose eclectic lineup of films, events, and author readings is hard to beat.

Brookline is actually its own self-contained town, so the boundaries of this neighborhood are merely the Brookline city limits, with a bit of the north chopped off and given to the Kenmore neighborhood. The Green Line’s C branch runs straight through Brookline down Beacon St.; 95% of the time, you’ll want to hop on one of those trains, as the D branch leads only to the much emptier southern sections of town.

JAMAICA PLAIN

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Jamaica Plain’s slew of vegetarian-friendly restaurants and expanses of green are perhaps Boston’s best-kept secrets. Arriving in JP, the unsuspecting Boston explorer is confronted by a row of housing projects, but a walk down Centre Street (JP’s central artery) proves that what would appear to be an awkward middle ground between Brookline and Roxbury is in fact a revitalized commercial and residential neighborhood. JP is full of character, with many working-class artists and a sizable hippie community lending themselves to a liberal environment of come-as-you-are food and nightlife spots. It’s a population that couldn’t care less about the Red Sox or Newbury St. shopping; they’re content just loving life, communing with nature, and riding their bikes everywhere. Of course, JP isn’t perfect—the mix of hipsters and lower-class families bring out some inevitable social tensions. Visiting students will definitely stick out like a sore thumb, but Jamaica Plain shouldn’t be considered a bad neighborhood—though we wouldn’t yet call it safe, either.

It takes an adventurer to stomach the long trip to JP, but daytrippers here are well rewarded with a unique scene: entrepreneurs sell vegetables out of the back of vans, bodegas hawk Goya products and images of the sagrado corazón, and coffee shops fry just-ripe Cuban plantains. Work up a sweat sailing on Jamaica Pond or running around the spacious Arnold Arboretum—where every May brings the aromatic Lilac Sunday—then quench your thirst with free beer (!) at the Sam Adams Brewery. Nightlife is as diverse and vibrant as JP’s terrain—from the traditional (Brendan Behan’s Pub) to the non-traditional (Dyke Night at the Milky Way Lounge). Heavenly Bella Luna stands out with cheap eats (delicious gourmet pizzas) and a side of entertainment, while ridiculously authentic El Oriental de Cuba celebrates JP’s status as the nexus of Boston’s Latino community.

Politically part of Boston, southwesterly Jamaica Plain is often treated as its own community (it was only annexed to the city in 1874). The neighborhood starts in the north at Mission Hill (around the Longwood Medical Area) and continues until the Arnold Arboretum in the south. On the west, its border is the Brookline-Boston line; on the east, Columbus Ave. and the edge of Franklin Park. The Orange Line (disembark at stops from Jackson Sq. to Forest Hills) runs through Jamaica Plain five or six blocks east of Centre St., which is more directly served by the 39 and 41 buses.

ROXBURY

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Not much awaits travelers to Roxbury, one of the original six villages of Boston founded in 1630. The ever-evolving neighborhood (it used to include the Back Bay) has always been a magnet for immigrants; after a revolving door of German, Jewish, and Irish settlers, African-Americans came to Roxbury seeking new opportunities. Unfortunately, Boston developed one of the ugliest racial records in the country after the events of the 1960s, and the race riots have always plagued Roxbury. As crime became a way of life, the poor neighborhood went into a steep decline from which it hasn’t yet truly recovered. African-Americans remain in the majority in this almost entirely residential district, though they share the space with many Puerto Ricans and other Latinos. With the exception of a few jewels, like Dominican restaurant Merengue and the Franklin Park Zoo, you shouldn’t be spending time at any place in Roxbury, and definitely not at night.