Great places to Eat/Shop in Cambridge

I was a researcher-writer for the Unofficial Guide, which meant trekking all over Cambridge and Boston in search of menus, colorful details, and occasionally having strange run ins with the locals. (Ask me about the florist. I dare you.)

People often ask me for recommendations on where to eat around the Square, so here are some of my favorites!

VEGGIE PLANET (47 Palmer St. in Club Passim, near Church St and the Border Cafe)
http://veggieplanet.net

Even the carnivorous might temper their bloodthirsty ways for one of Veggie Planet's outrageously good flatbread pizzas with topping pairings like butternut squash and creamy goat cheese ("Lunch for Henry"). Another favorite is "Portabello Redhead": seared portabello mushrooms with caramelized onions and feta cheese. Portions are really big (split a large at dinner for the best value) or lunchtime also offers the tempting option of trying two on the same pizza. The best Caesar salad pizza in the world is served here, with fried tofu for croutons, kalamata olives, and cheese baked into the crust. Seriously. You can get the pizza toppings put on brown or coconut rice instead of bread, but pizza is by far the tastiest option. Add spinach for no extra charge. Vegan desserts rotate daily. A common sentiment: if I could eat Veggie Planet everyday, I would have no issue with being vegetarian.

GARMENT DISTRICT (200 Broadway, get off at Kendall Square, cross two streets, walk up Broadway for about 8-10 minutes)
http://www.garmentdistrict.com

Also home to Boston Costume (handcuffs ahoy) and Dollar a Pound Plus (only if you're brave), Garment District carries an incredible volume of contemporary, vintage, and new clothing. A must see - their selection of used designer clothing, which means snagging a pair of Seven jeans for $35 (if you can squeeze into the size that's available) or Miu Miu tops for $30. Little boy blazers (around $10) make perfect shrunken jackets. When the runways start to wax nostalgic, look for things like brocade shift dresses and floral print tunics in the vintage selection, all sorted by color.

CAFE ALGIERS (40 Brattle St)

Drink a powerful, muddy pot of Arabic coffee and ignore the overpriced everything - it's worth it just to sit in the lavishly decorated upstairs, perfect for first dates (or second or fifteenth). If you come during a slower weekday afternoon, bring some reading to do since the waitresses will let you sit there as long as you want, nursing your 5 dollar coffee drink. Best of all, it'll likely be topped by a dense cloud of whipped cream.

ZOE'S CHINESE RESTAURANT (289 Beacon St, get off at Porter T stop, turn onto Beacon St, walk until you cross the bridge, take the road on the left, and walk for about 10 min.)

Zoe's has genuine Szechuan offerings (spice so hot your tongue throbs) along with more generic dishes like sesame chicken for your less adventurous friends. Don't come here for the awesome decor or atmosphere, which reminds me of someone trying to decorate an ugly bathroom and then getting confused, but DO order up some jellyfish and beef steeped in an inch of spicy, orange oil, wondering how you ever survived the Kong.

POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (255 elm street, somerville, get off at Davis Square and walk down Elm for about 5min.)
http://www.shoppoorlittlerichgirl.com

This adorable store way out in Davis Square is at least twice the size of Second Time Around, more focused and organized than Garment District, and sells a very pretty selection of candy-hued cocktail dresses, last season's Calvin Klein pumps, and a Prada jacket or two ($98). Complete the look with a pair of oversized sunglasses ($10), a la every tabloid celebutante.

SAVENOR'S MARKET (92 Kirkland St., Walk up Kirklamd behind Annenberg for 10min. or take the #86 (or was it 68?) bus from Johnston Gate)

Pricy, but Savenor's carries the most delicious apples when apples aren't in season, gourmet cheeses, Kinder eggs (!), and exotic cuts of meat from animals like elk, alligators, and ostriches. Treat it as the equivalent of walking down Newbury St. with a maxed out credit card - just enjoy the sights even if you don't want to pay $6 for the best goddamn box of imported crackers you will ever taste.