Great shops where you least expect them...in your own backyard

Colorful awnings and storefronts, cheap movies, pubs, diners, Mike's "Almost New York" pizza, coffee shops, bakeries, murals, and herds of students combine to create the essence of Davis Square. In this place, which many publications have compared to Paris and locals have deemed an up-and-coming area, Tufts students can experience just about anything. In comparison to its neighboring squares, "Davis provides a more relaxed and less commercialized atmosphere," said Lauren Muchan, an employee at Carberry's bakery in Davis Square.