Harvard students aren’t always inclined to look beyond campus parties, but Cambridge is hopping with bars and restaurants excited to serve of-age students. FM spoke to bartenders working in Harvard Square and near the Quad to get advice for students looking to break out of the college scene’s beer and liquor offerings.
Whether you’re looking for a sit down meal, getting drinks with friends, or craving a rich glass of red, here are the restaurateurs’ thoughts on the best wine deals in town.
UNO'S (22 JFK St.)
Manager: John D. Barisano
His favorite: The Tilia Malbec is “sweeter, not as dry.” $8.29/glass
House wine: $5/glass
Best deal: Get four glasses for the price of three when you buy a bottle.
GRENDEL’S DEN (89 Winthrop St.)
Bartender: Dianna Goodenough
Her suggestions: House red (Cabernet) and house white (Pinot Grigio), $5/glass
SHAY'S PUB & WINE BAR (58 JFK St.)
Bartender: Dave A. Iacolucci
His favorites: The Zinfandel, $8/glass, is “heavy, sweet, good to have with meat, the boldest wine we have.”
The Côtes du Rhône, $7/glass, is “very mild, smooth.”
House wines: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Pinot Grigio, $6/glass
THE BOATHOUSE (49 Mt. Auburn St.)
Bartender: Cory M. Templehof
His favorite: Vinho Verde: “It’s our version of Riesling—sparkly, kind of like Champagne but with a sweet wine taste.” $6/glass, $20/bottle
Best deal: Alias Cabernet Sauvignon, $6/glass, $20/bottle
RUSSELL HOUSE TAVERN (14 JFK St.)
Bartender: Frederic R. Yarm
His favorite: The Rosé is “popular for the summer, a touch sweeter and more casual.” $10/glass
Wines on tap: Riesling and Chardonnay, $6/glass
CHARLIE'S KITCHEN (10 Eliot St.)
Bartender: Allison T. Connolly
Her favorite: Côtes du Rhône. $7/glass
House wines: White Wine Pinot Grigio and Uncle Charlie’s Merlot, $5/glass
MAHARAJA (57 JFK St.)
Waiter: Uttam Limbu
His suggestions: Angeline Pinot Noir, $8/glass: “The ladies love this one… Perfect for the fall and when it’s snowing.”
CAMBRIDGE COMMON (1667 Mass. Ave.)
General Manager: Nicholas W. Emmons
His suggestion: Pinot Grigio, $8/glass. “Popular in the summer if you’re of legal age.”
His favorite: Fish Eye’s Pinot Grigio, $5.95/glass, is “really fruity, floral” and an “amazing line for that price.”
House wines: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, $4.95/glass
(And for the real cheapskates, Charlie’s Beer Garden bartender Ganessa Moreno suggests cheap Pinot Grigio “for after a bar when you’re already shitfaced.” Connolly of Charlie’s Kitchen noted the infamous Three Buck Chuck sold at Trader Joe’s: It “doesn’t taste fantastic but it’s drinkable.”)
