South End Specialty

FoMu (pronounced like “faux moo”) is made from a coconut milk base, making it completely vegan and allergy friendly in addition to being non-GMO. If you can't visit one of their three cozy shops, you’ll also find it on the menu at most of the vegan restaurants in town. Besides this new outpost, there are locations in Allston and Jamaica Plain.

Flour Bakery is best known for its 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 the 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. There are locations Downtown, in Cambridge, and in the 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 Downtown.

Walk all the way through this relaxed downtown coffee shop and you'll find a tiny patio that's enclosed in glass, like a greenhouse, so you can study outside no matter the weather. Aesthetic experience aside, the coffee here is undeniably good—each cup is made to order as a pour over, so while it can take a while, it's worth it.