One of the best things about living off-campus this year is that I no longer have to eat food from the dining hall. With so many amazing restaurants at my fingertips, it’s easy to find new favorites beyond Emerson’s campus. One of my most recent discoveries is Area Four (A4), located in Kendall Square in Cambridge. A4 is a unique combination of a morning and afternoon coffeehouse with a full-service restaurant and bar. The menu highlights local, organic, and sustainable ingredients, and with all of their student specials, you’re bound to find something delicious that you can also feel good about eating.
If you’re like me and love hotdogs even when baseball isn’t in season, A4 is the only East Coast restaurant that serves BN Ranch’s all-beef dogs from grass-fed cattle. They serve them boiled on griddled buns, and if you like more than the standard ketchup and mustard, try one of their distinct toppings like pickled banana pepper relish or jalapeno-pineapple relish. The updated “dirty water dogs” are available Monday-Friday for just $4 until the first snowfall, so keep your fingers crossed for a snow free October.
For a late night study (procrastination) session with friends, A4 is known for their amazing pizzas made in custom wood-fired ovens. Margarita pizza is my personal favorite but I also love adding A4’s pickled banana peppers to your classic cheese pizza. Show your student ID Monday-Thursday to get a margarita pizza and a pint of beer for $12. And if you’re craving pizza but just want to have a girl’s night in, you can grab two large pizzas to go for $10 off.
If you’re feeling a little fancy, head to A4 for date night. On Saturdays you can order oysters for $1 each from 4-6 PM. A4 also offers a deal on the classic dinner and a movie. You can purchase tickets to the Kendall Square Cinema for just $8! The cinema plays a variety of films, from independent and foreign films to Hollywood movies. They’re currently playing HCE staff pick, Perks of Being a Wallflower, among others.
As a breakfast fanatic, my personal favorite meal at A4 is their Hangover Brunch. Delicious whether you’ve had a rough night or not, The Hot Mess breakfast consists of farm fresh eggs, home fries, bacon, A4 breakfast sausage, caramelized onions, cheddar, scallions and banana pepper relish. Named “The Hot Mess” to make you feel less like one, it’s totally worth the T ride. And for those of you over 21, you can pair this with The Antidote cocktail. The Hangover Brunch special is only $15 on Saturdays with your student ID.
Photos taken by Melissa Ostrow.Â
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