Neighborhood Guide – Central Square – Boston

Cambridge is one of our favorite spots around Boston. From a hidden bar in the freezer of a grilled cheese joint, to high-class dining there is something here for everyone. Today, we are going to give you a neighborhood guide to Central Square. This is the ideal guide for a great date night or for a night out with friends.

Roxy’s Grilled Cheese/A4cade

From food truck to brick and mortar, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese is a favorite for those around Boston. They have been cranking out the cheesiest of grilled cheeses and decadent poutines. The Central Square location has more than just bacon and cheese in their fridge. Behind a hidden door through the fridge opens up A4cade, an adult arcade with all of the hits.

A4cade has a robust drink menu with tons of delicious concoctions like Princess Peach’s Downfall and Morty’s Mind Blower. If you always wanted to drink a giant cocktail from Tina’s (Bob’s Burgers) head or from R2D2, then you are in luck, because they have a number of unique novelty glasses. On top of that, they have a great beer selection that is constantly rotating and will feature Trillium and other great local breweries on tap. When it comes to games they have everything your high school heart desires, and some new ones as well. Our personal favorite is going head-to-head on their Mario Kart racing machines. If you get a seat at the bar you can play console games on the TVs for everyone to watch free of charge. A4cade is a great stop for any night out.

Little Donkey

Little Donkey is hands down one of our favorite spots in the city. We have raved about them before in our date night guide to Boston and could not leave them out when putting together this article. The chef is a James Beard award winner and his brilliance shines through in the food. We would describe their menu as “upscale international tapas.”

We love tapas because that means we can try a bunch of different plates. The menu is constantly being updated, but there are always a few staples, one of which is the dry-aged burger with onion soup mayo, buffalo pickles, and spicy chips on top. This burger might be a small package, but it packs a ton of flavor. If you have never had dry-aged beef, then is a great introduction to it. Not to get too meta, but the depth and flavors of the meat are magnified from the dry-aging process. Another regular order is their cookie dough, served on the mixing beater. The only thing better than raw cookie dough is raw cookie dough from Little Donkey. With such a dynamic menu, there is always a reason to go back for more.

La Fabrica Central

Central Square is loaded with great restaurants and bars, but it also has one of the hottest clubs in Boston. A Latin restaurant by day and a popping club by night, La Fabrica features classics like ceviche and empanadas, but also fusion items like their Latin sushi rolls.

If you are coming for the club, line up early because by 9 PM you can expect a line down the street. A pro-tip: If you don’t want to spend time in line and pay a big cover, just check out the bar area in the front. There is still a DJ and dancing out there– but without the wait and the extra cover cost. When it comes to letting loose, La Fabrica Central brings all the good vibes.