COVER STORY
Off-campus Boston
Under-21 fun
By Amy Graves and Carol Beggy
Classes have only started, and already you're sick of the student center, the library, and most of all, your room (and roommate). But you're not 21 yet, so that rules out most of the hot clubs in town. Just because you can't drink doesn't mean you can't have fun.
Every concert and sporting event at the FleetCenter is all ages, with IDs required only to purchase alcohol. You can dance right along with the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, or Elton John.
Here are some of the clubs that put on 18+ events, and a laundry list of other places to hang out, read, watch people, wait for a movie, or enjoy the restorative benefits of coffee and junk food.
DAVIS SQUARE
A mecca for students, Davis Square in Somerville has a ton of cafes, pubs, pizza joints, at least one real diner, an ice cream place, a cheap movie theater, and benches galore for soaking in the sun. No wonder it's eclipsing Harvard Square.
A low-key place to start is Mike's Restaurant for pizza and the usual fare, soda in cans, and beer (if you're legal or if you're taking your folks). Fill up fast in this no-nonsense self-service joint, which is across the street from the Somerville Theatre, where you can catch a $5 movie or an all-ages concert.
A great place to spend a few hours - and a few bucks - is Disc Diggers used CD store, which is open until 9 p.m. (except Sunday until 7 p.m.)
There's also the Someday Cafe, where the coffee is so strong they ought to card people, and the Diesel Cafe, with its funky, modern trappings. Or try the Blue Shirt Cafe, where you can have breakfast, a salad rollup, or a freshly made fruit drink. The perfect "nightcap" is Denise's for fresh ice cream and frozen yogurt.
Dolly's is the place for a late (or is it very early) bite, whether you're craving burgers or breakfast. You can nurse a potential hangover, but can't add to it: Dolly's is non-alcoholic. It opens at 11 p.m., closes 4 or 5 a.m. (closed Sundays).
CENTRAL SQUARE
There's a wealth of choices in this emerging hangout scene in Cambridge, starting with 1369 Coffee House on Mass. Ave. and Carberry's around the corner on Prospect. Both are relaxing places to pull up a chair and plow through a book. Tables outside in nice weather are more social; Carberry's sandwiches are just as good as their muffins and pastries.
Central Square doesn't stop when night comes: Phoenix Landing on Mass. Ave., The Middle East, and T.T. the Bear's Place have 18-plus shows and the music is live and in your face. The House of Blues in Harvard Square is generally 18-plus during the first half of the week.
HARVARD SQUARE
The problem here is that the options aren't what they used to be. The Tasty is gone, Grendel's has been closed for renovation for seemingly forever (but may reopen). College-age people already seem to know about Bartley's Burger Cottage, and for good reasons, namely the variety of burgers and excellent sweet potato fries.
Otherwise it's hard to find a place to sit for hours, besides the Au Bon Pain - although many college students have honed their chess skills here. In cold months, the smell of fresh tea brewing may lure you into Tealuxe, a pretty spot with 140 varieties of tea, plus scones and pastries to go with them; it's open until midnight weekends, 11 p.m. weekdays.
KENDALL SQUARE
Cambridge's little old Kendall Square is all grown up now. Want proof, MIT? Besides the standby, the Kendall Cafe, now there's Beantown Coffee House, 1 Kendall Square, next to Flat Top Johnny's - expanding your options for before or after a movie at the Kendall Cinema. Beantown is a little hole in the wall. Johnny's has dining tables outside, pool tables inside, 10 beers on tap, and good nachos; it closes 1 a.m.
BACK BAY
Beacon Hill doesn't offer many cheap options. Good thing there's Curious Liquids, across from the State House, a comfy place to sip coffee late into the night. It's open until 2 a.m.
The end of Newbury Street is as funky as ever, and at Trident Booksellers and Cafe you can drink cafe au lait, dine, read, and watch the daily parade; it's open until midnight. The Other Side (so named because it's on the overlooked end of Newbury past Mass. Ave.), has more than 40 varieties of fresh juice to go with your meal; it's open until midnight, too.
KENMORE SQUARE
For its variety of distractions sure to lure you off campus, Kenmore Square is to Boston what Davis Square is to Cambridge. It's hard to go wrong here. Check out Angora Cafe for their sandwiches and frozen yogurt. Espresso Royale is good for coffee and espresso bean candy before that long history lecture. Deli-Haus has good burgers, breakfast all day, and it's open until 3 a.m.
Jillian's near Fenway Park morphs from all-ages game room to 19-plus billiards lounge. But there's always a mix of ages. Just up Lansdowne Street, Axis saves Thursdays and Fridays for 19-plus dancing on both floors, and both Bill's Bar and Karma Club set aside nights for those not yet 21.
Previous page | Next page
| 
