Downtown

This Greek spot has a pretty short menu—they stick to gyros and an excellent Mediterranean salad. The pork loin for the traditional gyro is marinated and stacked on a rotisserie (no horrifying cone in sight), and then sliced on to fresh pita to-order. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to black-book for your next craving. There’s a second location on the North End.

Flour Bakery is best known for their pastries and desserts (owner Joanne Chang famously beat Bobby Flay when he tried to take on her sticky buns in Throwdown), which are more than enough to justify a visit. Less famous but equally good are her lunchtime sandwiches and salads, which can be ordered at the counter and taken to go. Needless to say, the bread on the sandwiches is game-changing—we’re partial to the focaccia—and it’s kind of sinful to leave without taking dessert to-go, also. Locations in the South End, Cambridge, and Back Bay.

Bon Me was started by Boston natives Patrick Lynch and Ali Fong, who ran it as a food truck in the early years. Now, their Asian-style cuisine is served at restaurants across the city. The Chipotle-style ordering system asks you to choose between a sandwich, noodle salad, rice bowl, and green salad—then, choose from fillings like tofu, pork, and chicken. Veggies are included no matter what, and it's worth noting that the sandwich is by far the most popular item. These guys are expanding fast, with more than ten food trucks scattered around the city, and locations in Cambridge (Fresh Pond and Kendall Square), Chestnut Hill, and the South End.

As its name suggests, this place feels like classic Boston. You won't find any fancy décor, but the coffee is really solid and the baked goods are famous in the neighborhood. Stop by on Thursdays, when they introduce new donut flavors (although if Boston Crème is an option, your decision's already made for you). It's really meant to be a place where people can meet and get work done, so you'll be grateful for the abundant seating options and reliable WiFi. P.S. How could you not love the coffee shop that made cookies shaped like deflated footballs after deflate-gate last year? There's a second location in Downtown along with one in the North End.

As its name suggests, this place feels like classic Boston. You won't find any fancy décor, but the coffee is really solid and the baked goods are famous in the neighborhood. Stop by on Thursdays, when they introduce new donut flavors (although if Boston Crème is an option, your decision's already made for you). It's really meant to be a place where people can meet and get work done, so you'll be grateful for the abundant seating options and reliable WiFi. P.S. How could you not love the coffee shop that made cookies shaped like deflated footballs after deflate-gate last year? There's also a location in the North End as well as a second outpost downtown on Washington Street.