Where To Eat Lunch

Where to grab a bite near the conference and training locations.

We'll be serving morning and afternoon snacks during the conference, but you'll be on your own for lunch. There are lots of eateries close by, for sit down or take out meals. Scroll down for suggestions for training days, when you might need to grab a quick lunch while on your way from one venue to another - or you may not be in a rush if you're staying in the same spot.

Near MIT and NERD

A subset of lunch, dinner, breakfast, and coffee spots is shown on the conference map. Here's a more complete list.

On Main Street, starting across from NERD and walking away from the river:

  • Tatte Bakery & Cafe (minimal breakfast, salads and sandwiches)
  • Firebrand Saints (good night spot with burgers, open for lunch)
  • Au Bon Pain (pastry, soup, and sandwich chain)
  • Cosi (sandwich and salad chain with hearth baked flatbreads)
  • Chipotle Mexican Food (Mexican fast food chain)
  • Bailey & Sage (decent soups, salads, sandwiches)
  • Clover Food Lab (really good rosemary fries and ginger beer and other eclectic and quick dishes)
  • Black Sheep Restaurant (upscale eating in a converted fire house, wins the prize for best flower boxes)
  • Legal Seafood (more of a dinner place, but the clam chowder is good and can be ordered to-go)
  • Sebastian's (cafeteria style breakfast and lunch)
  • Catalyst (more upscale and sit down)
  • Area Four (best pizza)
  • Beijing Tokyo (Chinese standbys and sushi)
  • Royal East (Asian fusion)
  • Bertucci's (kid-friendly Italian chain)
  • Toscanini's (far away but worth a brisk walk for the best ice cream around)

Going North on Third Street:

  • Za (hipster pizza)
  • Turn right at Za on Broad Canal Way for these sit-down places:
    • Evoo Restaurant
    • Kika Tapas
    • Shanti Restaurant
    • Commonwealth Market & Restaurant
    • MexiCali Burrito Cabana (take-out California-style Mexican food on the plaza near the canal)
  • Abigail's Restaurant (more of a late night spot but they are open for lunch)
  • Aceituna Grill (down Athanaeum Street, Mediterranean and Lebanese quick eats)
  • Squeaky Beaker Cafe (behind Aceituna on West Kendall Street, weekdays only)
  • Fuji at Kendall (upscale Japanese and Korean)

Going out Broadway from Firebrand Saints:

  • Starbucks (not 1 but 2)
  • Meadhall (extensive selection of craft beers, more of a night spot but they are open for lunch)
  • Kendall Kitchen (breakfast and lunch and pizza)
  • Amelia's Trattoria (turn left onto Portland Street at Kendall Kitchen, rustic Italian)

Going out Hampshire Street from its intersection with Broadway:

  • Mamaleh's Delicatessen (hip Jewish deli, take out)
  • Bon Me (Vietnamese street food chain)
  • State Park (more of a late night place, cocktails, beer and pinball, but they are open for lunch)
  • The Friendly Toast (retro diner-style restaurant chain serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and soda fountain drinks)
  • Bean Town Coffee House and Cafe (breakfast, lunch, and late afternoon snacks)
  • (BELLY Wine Bar and The Blue Room are not lunch spots)
  • Cambridge Brewing Company (they brew beer and they serve lunch and dinner)
  • The Smoke Shop (barbecue)
  • Emma's (tiny place, thin crust pizza, dinner-only on weekends)

Near District Hall

On Northern Ave:

  • Brew (coffee and sandwiches inside District Hall)
  • Gather (night spot inside District Hall, serves lunch)
  • Strega Waterfront (upscale Italian)
  • Committee (big night spot with Greek meze, open for lunch)
  • Starbucks
  • The Daily Catch Seaport (harbor views, Sicilian food, a branch of the North End Restaurant)
  • Babbo Pizzeria (turn right onto Fan Pier Boulevard, owned by Mario Battali)
  • Barking Crab (turn left onto Sleeper Street, fun seafood spot)

On Seaport Boulevard:

  • Ocean Prime (upscale steak and seafood chain)
  • Atlantic Beer Garden (harbor views)
  • Rosa Mexicano (Mexican chain)
  • Dunkin Donuts
  • Tamo Bistro & Bar (in the Seaport Hotel)

Further south, see the Zipcar listings.

Near Zipcar

 District Hall restaurants are to the north of the Zipcar offices. To the south on Congress Street:

  • Row 34 (upscale oysters, craft beers)
  • sweetgreen (salad and soup chain)
  • Lucky's Lounge (comfort food and cocktails, open for lunch)
  • Sportello (trattoria-inspired, counters and stools but not cheap)
  • Pastoral (pizza)
  • Tavern Road (street food inspired small plates, take out available)
  • Turn north on Farnsworth St (right if you are coming from Zipcar) for Flour Bakery, on your left (breakfast pastries, coffee, and excellent cookies)
  • Dunkin Donuts
  • Bon Me (Vietnamese street food chain)
  • Au Bon Pain (pastry, soup, and sandwich chain)

Near Landmark Center

On Brookline Ave:

  • Panera Bread (in Landmark Center)
  • Starbucks (across the street from Landmark Center)
  • Emack & Bolio's (ice cream chain)
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill (Mexican fast food chain)
  • sweetgreen (salad and soup chain)
  • Saloniki Greek (salads and pitas, behind sweetgreen on Van Ness)
  • Wahlburgers (burgers and milkshakes)
  • Yard House (upscale sports bar)
  • Bar Louie (pub grub)

On Boylston Street:

  • Sweet Cheeks Q (sit down barbecue behind the Brookline Ave Starbucks - there's another Starbucks across the street)
  • Dunkin Donuts (between a parking lot and a Gulf station, near the southern tip of the Landmark Center)
  • Basho Japanese Brasserie (sushi)
  • Tasty Burger (retro burger chain)
  • The Baseball Tavern (roof deck Fenway Park views)

 

Share |