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CAMBRIDGE & BEYOND

Central Square | Harvard Square | Inman Square | Porter Square | Somerville | Medford

Central Square

The Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub

472 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-864-3278

Website: www.mideastclub.com

Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-12am, Thurs-Sat 11am-1am

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: This bar/restaurant/nightclub offers live music 7 nights a week. But don’t worry, the restaurant has it’s own room (and entrance), so you can dine in peace. Their Middle Eastern cuisine is delicious, reasonably priced, and very vegan-friendly. All of the vegetarian items are clearly marked. If you’re looking for something a little fancier, try ZuZu, their more upscale bistro located right next door.

India Pavilion Restaurant

17 Central Square

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-547-7463

Website: n/a

Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, 5pm-11pm; Sat & Sun 12pm-11pm

Price Range: $$$

My Rating: ****

Review: This casual Indian restaurant in the heart of Central Square serves delicious Indian food. This casual restaurant has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, pleasant service, and won’t break the bank. (10/04/06)

New Asia

1105 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-491-1167

Website: n/a

Hours:

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ***1/2

Review: New Asia offers a wide range of vegetarian dishes on their menu, including plenty of bean curd & vegetable entrees, faux meat dishes, and vegetarian Pad Thai. Not the most exciting dining atmosphere, but good nonetheless. On weekdays they serve a buffet lunch from 11:30-2:00 for only $6.50. On weekends, it’s $6.95. Delivery is available, with a minimum $20 order. The last time I ate there, I got the best fortune (but the fortune cookie wasn’t vegan so I didn’t eat it), it said “You will always posses a charm and a sense of humor that attracts others”. Well, duh.

Click here to see New Asia’s menu online at Amazon.com!

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Harvard Square

9 Tastes

50 JFK Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-547-6666

Website: www.9taste.com

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-10pm; Fri 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-10:30pm; Sat 12pm- 10:30pm; Sun 12pm-10pm.

Price Range: $$-$$$

My Rating: *****

Review: Located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, 9 Tastes serves up delicious Thai food in their cozy basement location. All of their curry and rice plates allow you to select tofu or vegetables instead of meat, making more than half of the menu vegan friendly. In addition, they have a vegetarian section on the menu that offers up some pretty delicious options – my choice being the Tofu Teriyaki. For appetizers, check out the Veggie Puff. The food here is beautifully prepared, and even the fried stuff doesn’t taste too heavy. 9 Tastes will deliver within a limited area for a $2 charge. Visit their website to receive a printable coupon for 10% off your next meal. Take-out orders can also be placed online. Corporate specials are offered. For a more casual dining experience, check out their other Cambridge restaurant, Spice, located at 34 Holyoke Street.

Boloco

71 Mount Auburn Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-354-5838

Website: www.thewrap.com

Hours: 10am-11pm, 7 days

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ***1/2

Review: Formerly known as The Wrap, Boloco serves up a variety of burritos that run from basic (beans & rice,) to inventive (Asian slaw, peanut sauce, cucumbers). All burritos are available with tofu instead of meat. The Bangkok and Teriyaki burritos are vegan, and several others can easily be made vegan by leaving off the cheese. There’s also the option to “build your own” if you’re feeling extra fussy. Everything is made to order, so your food won’t be sad and soggy. Not bad for a chain restaurant. 8/04/07

Darwin’s Limited

148 Mount Auburn Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-354-5233

Website: n/a

Hours: Mon-Sat 6:30am-9pm, Sun 7am-9pm

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: Darwin’s is a cute little sandwich shop/café in Harvard Sq. that is vegan and dog-friendly (treats are available for your furry friends). My friend/former roommate Kate worked there over the summer and this is what she has to say about their vegan offerings: “Darwin's has two vegan sandwiches, both are very yummy. They also usually have a vegan salad, frequent ones are couscous with good stuff in it, wild rice with apples and walnuts, grilled veggies. The cafe side offers all drinks with soy for a small extra charge. Tofutti is available for bagels or toast, and there is also a really good vegan chocolate-chocolate chip muffin”.

Click here to see the Darwin’s Limited menu online at Amazon.com!

Finagle-A-Bagel

14 JFK Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-349-0060

Website: www.finagleabagel.com

Hours: 6:30am-9pm, 7 days

Prince Range:

My Rating: ***1/2

Review: This local chain is based in Newton, MA and has numerous locations in and around Boston. Sadly, you won’t find soy cream cheese or margarine to spread on their delicious bagels, but with flavors like Chunky Vegetable and Wildberry, is a spread really necessary? In addition to bagels, vegetarians and vegans can enjoy a variety of soups from Moosewood. All of the Moosewood soups are organic and vegetarian, and many of them are vegan. Check out the Finagle-A-Bagel website to see which menu items are vegan friendly.

Le’s

36 JFK Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-864-4100

Website: n/a

Hours: Thurs-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun-Wed 11am-10pm

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: Formerly known as Pho Pasteur (not to be confused with another chain of restaurants by the same name), Le’s serves delicious and affordable Vietnamese food in a casual setting. There are plenty of vegetarian dishes to chose from, many of them vegan. Located inside Harvard Square’s Garage shopping center, this place can get very busy during lunch time. However, service is prompt and polite even at the busiest of times. Also check out their other locations, in Allston and Chestnut Hill.

Lizzy’s Ice Cream Parlor

29 Church Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-354-2911

Website: www.lizzysicecream.com

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri 11am-11:30pm, Sat 12pm-11:30pm, Sun 12pm-11pm

Price Range: $

My Rating: ****

Review: This take-out ice cream shop is the sister store to Lizzy’s Ice Cream in Waltham. This independently owned shop serves an interesting selection of homemade ice cream. Vegans will be happy to know that Tofutti is served here, and can be used instead of regular ice cream in any of the sundaes. Lizzy’s also serves “light meals” that are vegan friendly, including a garden salad, hummus salad, and vegetarian chili. Open year round, I’ve seen a line form down the block on summer days. Expect to get your Tofutti to go, since this shop is pretty tiny.

Sabra Grill

20 Eliot Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-868-5777

Website: www.sabrafoods.com

Hours: 10am-10pm

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: This small Middle Eastern eatery has a small and cheaper menu that its sister restaurant in Newton. There are a number of sandwiches and vegetarian plates to chose from, giving vegans plenty of fast, cheap options. Also make sure your check out their larger, sit-down restaurant in Newton.

Tamirand Bay

75 Winthrop Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-491-4552

Website: www.tamarind-bay.com

Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-2:30pm (Lunch), 5pm-10:30pm (Dinner); Sat & Sun 12pm-3pm (Lunch), 5pm-10:30pm (Dinner)

Price Range: $$$

My Rating: ****

Review: This cozy downstairs Indian restaurant in Harvard Square serves delicious, flavorful food that is anything but ordinary. It’s a little more expensive that most of the places I tend to frequent, however the food and atmosphere make this an excellent place to have a quiet dinner. Not all of the ingredients are listed on the menu, so ask your server if there’s any dairy in your dish. Most things are made with butter, but if you let them know that you cannot eat dairy, they will be accommodating.

Tanjore

18 Eliot Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-868-1900

Website: www.tanjoreharvardsq.com

Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-11pm, 7 days

Price Range: $$$

Rating: ****

Review: This Harvard Square Indian restaurant serves Southern, Northern, and Eastern Indian cuisine. As is often the case at Indian restaurants, there are a fair number of vegetarian dishes which are vegan friendly. Diners here will enjoy good Indian food in a casual atmosphere. Like many Harvard Square establishments, this place can get quite crowded and noisy during peak hours. A small lunch buffet is served daily, although vegan options are usually limited to only one or two dishes.

Veggie Planet *Exclusively Vegetarian*

47 Palmer Street

Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: 617-661-113

Website: www.veggieplanet.net

Hours: 11:30am-10:30pm, 7 days

Price Range: $$$

My Rating: ****1/2

Review: This small, bohemian restaurant serves a delightful menu of vegetarian and vegan options, including non-traditional pizzas, noodle, tofu, and vegetable dishes. My favorite is the Vegan Peanut Curry on pizza dough…this dish makes my eyes roll back in my head with delight! For waffles, tofu scramble, and other breakfast items, make sure you check out their brunch menu, served from 11am-3pm on Sundays. Since this place is small, it can sometimes feel cramped, and I’m not sure that more conservative diners would feel comfortable here, but don’t let that stop you from partaking in Veggie Planet’s delicious fare!

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Inman Square

Bukowski’s Tavern

1281 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-497-7077

Website: n/a

Hours: 11:30am-1am, 7 days

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: I haven’t actually been to this Bukowski’s, only the Dalton Street location in Back Bay (above). However, I’m assuming the menu and pricing are pretty much the same.

Café Dilara *New Listing*

645 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02141

Tel: 617-661-4555

Website: n/a

Hours: 10:30am-11pm, 7 days

Price Range: $$

My Rating: ****

Review: This East Cambridge take-out place offers a small but tasty selection of veg options, including a grilled veggie sub, and roll-ups filled with veggies, hummus, grape leaves, or falafel. Their portions are generous, and the food is great for the price.

Click here to view their menu or order online from Foodler.com

Café Kiraz

119 Hampshire Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-868-2233

Website: n/a

Hours:

Price Range: $

My Rating: *****

Review: This great little deli in Cambridge’s Inman Square serves a few wraps and sandwiches that vegans will find to their liking. However, the real reason to go here is their frozen tofu – you can blend in any flavor you like to create a delicious vegan soft serve.

Click here to see their menu or place an order online at Foodler.com

River Gods

125 River Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-576-1881

Website: www.rivergodsonline.com

Hours: 3pm-1am, 7 days

Price Range: $$

My Rating: *****

Review: This small bar/restaurant offers a full dinner menu until 10pm, and small plates until closing. Minors are allowed until 8pm if accompanied by an adult, otherwise this place is strictly 21+. During dinner time, tables are reserved for people ordering food. They have an eclectic vegetarian menu that specifies vegan options and allows for substitutions. Nightly DJ events add to the funky atmosphere, but don’t expect to do any dancing in this tiny space. Thanks again to Rachel in Cambridge for the suggestion! (02/17/06)

Click here to see their menu online at MenuPages.com.

Punjabi Dhaba

225 Hampshire Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-547-8272

Website: n/a

Hours: 11am-11pm, 7 days

Price Range: $

My Rating: *****

Review: I love this place. It fast, cheap, and delicious. Not all of the vegetarian items are vegan (they may contain milk), so ask if you are unsure. Punjabi Dhaba can get pretty crowded, but if you are a fan of authentic, delicious Indian food, it’s worth the line. Not only is the food here great, it’s cheap. If the downstairs is too crowded/noisy for you, there is additional seating on the second floor. Just thinking about this place is making me hungry…mmmm…vegetable samosa.

Click here to see their menu online at MenuPages.com

Spice & Rice

1172-1178 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617-864-4500

Website: www.spice-rice.com

Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11:30am-11pm

Price Range: $$$

My Rating: ****

Review: While this Inman Square restaurant bills itself as a Thai Restaurant and cocktail bar, they also serve Japanese and Korean cuisines, and have an ample sushi menu. Spice & Rice’s menu includes a vegetarian section that has plenty of vegan options. In addition, anything on the menu can be made vegetarian by substituting tofu (just check with your waiter to make sure there’s no fish in the sauce). The food here is presented beautifully and is full of subtle flavors. The hip, laid back atmosphere of this restaurant is perfect for a date or quiet evening out. Delivery is available for a $2 surcharge. Orders can be placed online via their website. Thanks to Rachel from Cambridge for the recommendation! (12/02/06)

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Porter Square

Addis Red Sea *New Listing*

1755 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02140

Tel: 617-441-8727

Website: www.addisredsea.com

Price Range: $$

Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat & Sun 12pm-11pm

My Rating: ****1/2

Review: If you’re looking for a unique ethnic dining experience in, Addis Red Sea is it. One of only a few Ethiopian restaurants in the area, diners here will be treated to a tasty vegetarian menu that is entirely vegan (there is one dish that can use either butter or oil). I’d never had Ethiopian food before, so I can’t attest to the authenticity of this restaurant’s cuisine, however I can say that I did experience a good, filling meal in an interesting setting. Those unaccustomed to Ethiopian fare might feel uncomfortable eating with your hands from a shared plate, but more adventurous souls should revel in this great cultural and culinary experience. If you’re interested in sampling a variety of dishes, try the Vegetable Combination, which lets you choose four vegetarian meals and includes a house salad (for one or two persons). Addis Red Sea’s Porter Square location is cozy and casual, perfect for a date or a night out with friends. Also check out their original location in the Boston’s South End. (8/30/07)

Christopher’s Restaurant and Bar

1920 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02140

Tel: 617-876-9180

Website: n/a

Hours: Mon-Wed 4pm-1am, Thurs & Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 12pm-2am, Sun 10:30am-1am

Price Range: $$

My Rating: *****

Review: Located in Cambridge’s Porter Square, Christopher’s serves unusual bar menu of American, Mexican, Asian, and vegetarian food. While it might sound hard to do all of these foods, and to do them well (and at a bar nonetheless), the chefs at Christopher’s clearly know what they’re doing. Vegans will be extremely pleased if they opt for the Buffalo Tofu appetizer - this vegan version of Buffalo Wings is hot, spicy, and absolutely amazing. Other vegan option include vegetarian chili, a grilled portabella mushroom sandwich, Asian stir-fry with vegetables or tofu, and fajitas made with vegetables or tofu (and no sour cream). This popular bar offers good service and great food at a fair price.

Click here to see their menu online at MenuPages.com.

The Elephant Walk

2067 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02140

Tel: 617-492-6900

Website: www.elephantwalk.com

Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm, Fri & Sat 5pm-11pm

Price