Aside from the ubiquity of college students, the thing I most often hear locals complain about is how commercialized such and such neighborhood is. That "it used to be great to live here, until it sold out," is a common sentiment shared by our neighbors in Somerville.
When I poll locals as to what the root of this evil is, they go off on a never-ending tirade about the extension of the Red Line, which took place about a decade ago and brought soaring housing prices and too-cool-for-school hipsters who have completely mucked up what was once a humble blue-collar community.
With the announcement of the extension of the Green Line from Lechmere through Inman, Union and Medford Squares, it seems other hidden-gem communities are doomed to fall to the wayside of accessibility.
A topic which I once dismissed as local bane is now an issue of grave concern for me, as some of my favorite 'hoods and haunts' are in the Extended Green Line of Danger! One place that would be affected by the extension is Inman Square.
For some, the neighborhood is already over. It's full of young professionals with too much free time and disposable income to make the place affordable or true to its roots, but it is still a hive of quality local culture. A ten minute walk from the Central T station, it evades tourists, preserving its amazing food, drink and community for only those true to the area.
Here are a few of my favorite spots for eating, drinking and hanging out in Inman Square.
Whether you grab to-go at the bar or have a sit-down lunch at one of the cozy tables, All Star Sandwich Bar is only for the true sandwich lover, obviously. I recommend grabbing a table; even during the lunch rush the wait's at most 10 minutes. The menu has something for everyone, as long as you like sandwiches. My picks are the classics: a tuna melt or a BLT, washed down with the tried and true Narragansett draught. You won't spend more than $10, and there's a free jar of Oreos on your way out.
I heard about East Coast Grill from a friend who said it's the place she always goes when she can't think of where to eat. If you go to eat dinner at East Coast, you should be in the mood for seafood since it is their menu staple, but there are plenty of meat or vegetarian options to accommodate varying tastes and diet regimes. Although dinner at East Coast is a must, they make a mean Bloody Mary that promises to cure Sunday brunch-goers of their Saturday night sins.
Bukowski's is Inman's "dive" bar. It's a great place for a casual night of beer and friends (and perhaps a Traveling Lush sighting). If the name doesn't lure you in, Bukowski's is well known for its 99 bottles of beer on the wall. Once you've consumed all 99 bottles, Bukowski's engraves a mug with your name and favorite author to grace its Wall of Fame.
B-Sides Lounge is the place that turned me on to Inman. With a dark, 1930s retro atmosphere and a hot tin roof, a booth at the B-Sides is the perfect spot to hug a strong cocktail on the coldest of Boston nights. It's known for its bold beer cocktails and innovative spins on classic cocktails.
The other great thing about Inman is that it's sandwiched between so many great things. The Kendall cinema is a hop-skip from Inman, and so is the Garment District. And for late night, Central and all that it has to offer is a five-minute walk.
Robin Alberts-Marigza is a senior majoring in psychology. She can be reached at Robin.Alberts_Marigza@tufts.edu.
