Porter Square Books
Can your Kindle feed you while you browse? Porter Square Books does, at its on-site cafթ serving delicious Iggy's pastries. Does your Kindle help out with the kids? Porter Square Books will, with reading groups for teenagers and preschool story hours. This place is constantly reminding us why bookstores still matter. 25 White St., Cambridge, MA 02140, portersquarebooks.com.
Barefoot Books
Is Junior grappling with the moral implications of a carnivorous diet? Take him to Porter Square to read Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon. Barefoot Books' sunny little children's nook, stocked by its own locally based international publishing company of the same name, also boasts plenty of other creative, beautifully illustrated multicultural, and often idiosyncratic, choices. One book of the month was written by a professional faerie, and the world religions section boasts a book about the Hindu goddess Divaali. (There are also plenty of creative but basically apolitical fairy tales and stories about animals.) Community is as important as storytelling here: There are regular story hours—some bilingual—author events, and an adult evening series on topics such as "Creating a Place for Your Child to Grow and Thrive." 1771 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Sporter's
Since there's no dancing, this smoke-filled room is a cruiser's paradise—as long as you're male. Cambridge St., MA .
Kikuko Zutrau Miyazaki
If needles make you nervous, try shiatsu. This technique applies the principles of acupuncture with gentle pressure and massage. The director of Porter Square's Boston Shiatsu School and Clinic, Kikuko Zutrau Miyazaki, is a whiz. Porter Exchange Building, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Harvard Square Eye Care
Since a world-class education calls for plenty of high-caliber peering and scrutinizing, we weren't surprised to find our winner within a tome's throw of Harvard and MIT. Expanded last year to a second location, the doctor-owned Harvard Square Eye Care has been honing the vision of area academics for more than 40 years. Employees are notably agile when it comes to untangling insurance plans, and a full lab at the Porter Square shop means speedy turnaround on orders. Scouting trips to Europe keep the frame selection ultrafashionable, from the industrial cool of Germany's Axel S. to the French flair of Lafont. Even nonbrainiacs will appreciate the ever-so-smart-looking results. 19 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA 2138, harvardsquareeyecare.com.
Zachariah Porter
If we needed any more proof that celebrities (and hugely viral TikTok stars) really are just like us, Zachariah Porter, a.k.a. @zzzachariah, is it. He’s shopping at Target a little too frequently, imagining the reality shows he would be really good on, and above all else, drinking iced coffee from Dunkin’ (medium with a splash of almond milk) in his car. His 60-second clips — including his spot-on impression of every mom at HomeGoods — manage to make every day entertaining, and have snagged the loyal viewership of 2.1 million followers in two quick years. tiktok.com/@zzzachariah.
Harvard Square Eye Care
Since a world-class education calls for plenty of high-caliber peering and scrutinizing, we weren't surprised to find our winner within a tome's throw of Harvard and MIT. Expanded last year to a second location, the doctor-owned Harvard Square Eye Care has been honing the vision of area academics for more than 40 years. Employees are notably agile when it comes to untangling insurance plans, and a full lab at the Porter Square shop means speedy turnaround on orders. Scouting trips to Europe keep the frame selection ultrafashionable, from the industrial cool of Germany's Axel S. to the French flair of Lafont. Even nonbrainiacs will appreciate the ever-so-smart-looking results. 19 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA 2138, harvardsquareeyecare.com.
Twinkle Star
Hey, we have no quibbles with Winnie the Pooh's red belly shirt or Corduroy's hobo-chic overalls. Our storybook buds have long proven they can work the one-piece look. Kids need more head-to-toe options, though. To outfit your own little character, look to Twinkle Star. Recently relocated to Porter Square from Somerville, this boutique covering infants to age seven now features a broader mix of big names (Le Top, Zutano) and love-at-first-sight labels (Beary Basics, Revo Baby) than the hipster-kid boutiques you'll find in the Back Bay. Twinkle Star's prices are friendlier, too. Owners (and parents of three) Kerri and Lucas Friedlaender have an eye for eco-friendly wares, like Kicky Pants' silky bamboo separates, and modern colors. Cambridge, MA 2140,
Evelyn and Angel's
Crystal-shaped Piedmont-hazelnut bonbons. Chunky walnut-caramel clusters. Star-anise truffles. The chocolates at this new Porter Square shop, displayed like delicate china, are as pretty as they are decadent. The Wonka-like environs, meanwhile (one wall is lined with pastel-taffy-filled dispensers), make it all the more fun. 1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Tacos Lupita
Many local burritos suffer from soggy tortillas, poor cheese distribution, and subpar meats and vegetables. But Tacos Lupita near Porter Square serves its burritos literally bursting with lemon-marinated steak, pinto beans, and pico de gallo. A steal at less than $5. 13 Elm St., Somerville, MA .
Giulia
This lovable Porter Square trattoria specializes in subtlety, right down to its dim lighting, intimate ambiance, and exposed-brick walls. The straightforward dishes—delicate house-made gelato and hand-rolled pastas with simple sauces, almost all available with a dusting of shaved truffles—are best accompanied by one of the restaurant’s dozens of regional wines. 1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, giuliarestaurant.com.
Trillium Brewing Company
Sam Adams and Harpoon used to be the lone faces of craft beer in Boston, but times change. The most exciting brews in town now emanate from this minute waterfront mecca, which carries a range of wild ales, barrel-aged stouts, cold-brew-spiked porters, and hop-forward IPAs, most named after streets in the Fort Point neighborhood. Up next? A 16,000-square-foot facility in Canton that will allow them to produce upward of 10,000 barrels per year. 369 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, trilliumbrewing.com.
Barefoot Books
Kids? Reading? Ha. Pass the remote. Fortunately this Porter Square independent publisher and bookshop still emphasizes literacy and creative storytelling, matching up unequaled illustrations with cross-cultural tales to create award-winning titles such as The Gigantic Turnip and the celebrated My Daddy Is a Pretzel. In-store craft sessions, sing-alongs, and community store hours further the case for imagination—no batteries required. 1771 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA barefootbooks.com.
Paper Source
Located just a few blocks from the Porter Square T stop, this store beckons with a welcoming allure. Once inside, the right side of your brain is in overdrive. You may find yourself suddenly wanting to throw a party or wishing you were moving to a new address, just as an excuse to buy the unique invitations and announcement cards. In the back of the store is a separate room filled with a huge selection of stationery and in every possible shade and paperweight. An added plus: Workshops in bookbinding and paper-making are offered. 1810 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA paper-source.com.