I don't claim to have eaten my way through every Somerville square — but the Green Line Extension redrew this map, and the picks below are the ones I'd ride out for. What this guide buys you is the honest version: which line gets you there, which square to use, and the one thing to order once you sit down. No tour bus, no parking, no guesswork.
How to Ride In
Somerville is the rare neighborhood with two ways in. Davis Square sits on the Red Line; the rest of the squares opened up when the Green Line Extension — the GLX — arrived. Pick your stop by what you're eating:
- Davis (Red) — Davis Square. Dave's Fresh Pasta, a few minutes from the platform.
- Union Square (Green · GLX) — Hot Tomatoes for pizza, with Bow Market next door.
- Gilman Square (Green · GLX) — Sarma, the meze kitchen, a short walk away.
- Magoun Square (Green · GLX) — Olde Magoun's Saloon for a burger and a strong beer list.
The GLX strung these squares together only recently — half of Somerville's best eating is newly a short walk from a platform.
Where I'd Get Off and Eat
Green Sarma ★ Pick
The Black Sea Cornbread is non-negotiable — order it first. After that the menu rotates with the seasons and the kitchen's obsessions, so ask your server what's new; that's half the point of coming. Chef Cassie Piuma's meze kitchen was named Boston Magazine's #1 restaurant in the city in 2025. It's dinner only from 5:30pm — reserve ahead, though walk-ins are always welcome at the bar. Order broadly and share everything.
Red Dave's Fresh Pasta ★ Pick
The focaccia sandwich — whatever they're building on house-made bread that day; the prosciutto and fig turns up often and is worth it. Locals also stop in for fresh pasta to take home: ravioli and sheets made that morning. It's a working fresh counter and a Davis Square institution, open Tuesday through Saturday only (closed Sunday and Monday).
Green Hot Tomatoes
Start with the garlic knots — order them before anything else. Then the Bomba: house sauce, a cheese trio, sweet and hot sausage, broccoli rabe, and hot cherry peppers on a thin, crispy crust that holds even when it's loaded. Steps from the Union Square GLX platform, open lunch and dinner daily, with Bow Market right next door.
Green Olde Magoun's Saloon 🍽 Great If Nearby
The move if you're around Magoun Square — the Clubhouse Burger (smoked bacon, American, cilantro mayo on griddled sourdough) or the house-marinated steak tips, with a strong craft-beer list to go with them. Weekend brunch from 10am to 2pm is one of the better ones in Somerville; the Full Irish is the order if you're hungry.
That's Somerville — Here's the Rest of the City
These four picks are a free taste of one of Greater Boston's best food cities. The full guide covers stop-by-stop notes across all 4 MBTA lines, 10 curated food routes, and a printable 18-page PDF — instant access for $20. A guided food tour costs more than the lunch you'll buy with it.
Better than Yelp. Cheaper than a tour.