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Off-Campus Dining:

A

(explain this grade)

Comparable Schools'
Off-Campus Dining Grades:

Quick Stats

Best Pizza

  • Cinderella's

Best Breakfast

  • IHOP

Best Chinese

  • Mary Chung's

Best Wings

  • The Pour House

Best Place to Take Your Parents

  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • Vinny Testa's

College Prowler Take

No matter what you want to eat, you can find it in Boston. Restaurants range from cheap fast food joints to expensive fine dining. But don't worry: If you’re working on a tight budget, you don’t need to eat at fast food restaurants every time you eat out. Some restaurants, such as the Pour House on Boylston, have specials on certain nights that make meals less than $5 per person.

Another great thing about off-campus dining in Boston and Cambridge is the variety of ethnic foods that you can find. From authentic Italian dining and historic restaurants, such as the Union Oyster House in the North End, to Asmara Café for Ethopian in Central Square, you can find anything you’re craving. You can also try something new that you’ve never eaten before. Given all the hard work that students do during the week, going out on the weekends is a fun break. And because of the erratic hours of campus dining, going out can be the most convenient. If you don’t want to go off campus to eat, a lot of restaurants have delivery services. For example, Thailand Café on Massachusetts Avenue offers cheap meals and fast delivery. But be sure to check the menus because some restaurants have minimums for delivery, and others charge a delivery fee. And remember that almost everything in Boston shuts down at 2 a.m., so if you’re hungry late at night, you’re out of luck.

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

MITEW says:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2016

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Boston is a great place to explore...

Boston is a great place to explore different restaurants. There are a lot of different places, some cheap and some expensive. Mary Chung's and Café Luna are both good nearby places, and Tosci's is a great place to go for ice cream and coffee.

Off-Campus Dining: February 22, 2009
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Anonymous says:

It’s Boston. The quality varies,...

It’s Boston. The quality varies, but quantity never fails. Le's in Harvard Square is terrific and cheap if you like Vietnamese. There are several good Mexican places if you don’t have friends who are allergic, and there are dozens of nice places that you can take your parents to.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

There are a lot of good...

There are a lot of good restaurants in Boston and in Harvard Square. I go into Boston more often, but there’s a lot of good places within walking distance such as the Pour House, Vinny Testas, and the Cheesecake Factory.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Restaurants are great in Boston...

Restaurants are great in Boston and Cambridge. There are tons of places, and there is a lot of variety. Both Vinny Testas and the Pour House are great. It’s all good.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

There are tons of great...

There are tons of great restaurants close to campus. The closest ones (that deliver!) include Thailand Café, Ankara’s (deli style), and Cinderella’s (authentic Italian). Harvard Square is also just a few T stops away with a great pizza place, Crazy Dough’s, and Le's, an awesome Vietnamese restaurant. Boston is also right across the bridge with cute restaurants on Newbury where you can shop and eat at the same time.

Off-Campus Dining
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Facts

Student Favorites

  • Fresco's Café and Grille
  • Mary Chung's
  • Sunny's Diner
  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • The Pour House

Other Places to Check Out

  • Crazy Dough's (Pizza)
  • Domino's (Pizza)
  • Hi-Fi (American)
  • IHOP (Breakfast)
  • Larry Burdick's (Chocolate)
  • Quan's Kitchen (Chinese)
  • Thailand Café (Thai)
  • The Middle East (Middle Eastern)
  • Union Oyster House (Seafood, Fine Dining)

24-Hour Dining

  • IHOP

Grocery Stores

Haymarket
Blackstone Street

LaVerde's Market
The Student Center

Shaw's Market
26 Sidney St., Central Square
(617) 494-5250

Restaurant Listing

Ankara Café
Italian, deli sandwiches
472 Commonwealth Ave.
(617) 437-0404
www.ankaracafé.com
Price: $10-$15
Inexpensive, bang for the buck
Hours: Daily 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m.

Cinderella's
Pizza, Italian
901 Main St.
(617) 576-0280
Price: $8-$15
Open late
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–1 a.m.

Finale
Dessert, coffee
1 Columbus Ave.
(617) 423-3184
www.finaledesserts.com
Price: $8-$15
Lipstick-red banquettes and black furniture
Hours: Monday 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Tuesday–Wedensday 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Thursday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m., Saturday 6 p.m.–12 a.m., Sunday 4 p.m.–11 p.m.

Fresco's Café &Grille
Breakfast, salads, sandwiches
134 Massachusetts Ave.
(617) 491-8866
Price: $5-$15

IHOP
Breakfast
1850 Soldiers Field Rd.
(617) 787-0533
www.ihop.com
Price: $5-$10
Stuffed French toast, pancakes galore
Hours: Daily 24 hours

Island Hopper
Asian
91 Massachusetts Ave.
(617) 266-1618
Price: $10-$20
Child-friendly
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m.

Le's
Vietnamese
36 JFK St.
(617) 864-4100
Price: $15-$25
Soft lighting, multi-level dining area
Hours: Daily 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Mary Chung's
Chinese
464 Massachusetts Ave.
(617) 864-1991
Price: $5-$10
Cheap, convenient, good service
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Sunny's Diner
American
7 Landsdowne St.
(617) 491-9550
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

The Cheesecake Factory
American
100 Cambridgeside Pl.
(617) 252-3810
www.thecheesecakefactory.com
Price: $10-$20
Great atmosphere, over 200 menu items
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–11p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

The Pour House Bar and Grill
American
909 Boylston St.
(617) 236-1767
www.pourhouseboston.com
Price: $10-$20
Relaxed restaurant by day, rowdy bar by night
Hours: Daily 8 a.m.–2 a.m.

Vinny Testa's
Italian, American
867 Boylston St
(617) 262-6699
www.vinnytsofboston.com
Price: $8-$15
Great nocci
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–10 p.m.

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