Explore Boston: A Community Guide
Curated by students, faculty, and staff at Berklee, this guide was created to help you discover local businesses and creative spaces throughout Boston.
Moving to a new city for college is exciting—but it can also be overwhelming. Finding places that feel familiar or welcoming can make a big difference in feeling at home.
This guide highlights restaurants, shops, services, and artistic spaces across Boston that reflect the richness and creativity of the community. We invite you to explore, connect, and support the people and places that make the city vibrant.
Have a recommendation to add? Email us at ibp@berklee.edu
Restaurants
Addis Red Sea(Opens in a new window) | 544 Tremont St., Boston /Ethiopian Cuisine
Alex’s Chimis(Opens in a new window) | 358 Centre St., Jamaica Plain /Dominican
Amelia's Taqueria(Opens in a new window) | 1076 Boylston St., Boston /Mexican
Ashur Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 291 Roxbury St., Roxbury /African and Somali
Asmara Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 739 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge /African and Ethiopian
Banana Samba(Opens in a new window) | Online /Brazilian
Carolicious Venezuelan Food(Opens in a new window) | 14 Tyler St., Somerville /Venezuelan
Celeste(Opens in a new window) | 21 Bow St., Somerville /Peruvian
Clarke’s Cakes & Cookies (Opens in a new window)| Online /A black woman-owned business that makes desserts entirely out of plant-based ingredients
Darryl’s Corner Bar and Kitchen(Opens in a new window) | 604 Columbus Ave., Boston /Southern American
Discover Vegans(Opens in a new window) | 1906 Dorchester Ave., Boston /Haitian
Dona Habana(Opens in a new window) | 811 Massachusetts Ave., Boston /Cuban
El Jefe’s Taqueria (Opens in a new window)| 269 Huntington Ave., Boston /Mexican
El Peñol(Opens in a new window) | 54 Bennington St., Boston /Colombian
Flames Caribbean Restaurant (Opens in a new window)| 746-748 Huntington Ave. /Caribbean and Jamaican
Fort Hill Bar & Grille(Opens in a new window) | 2805 Washington St., Boston /Dominican and American
Fresh Food Generation(Opens in a new window) | 185 Talbot Ave., Dorchester /Caribbean and Southern flavors
La Catrina(Opens in a new window) | 1620 Commonwealth Ave., Boston /Mexican food with a Caribbean twist
La Fabrica(Opens in a new window) | 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge /Fusion of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican
La Parada(Opens in a new window) | 3094 Washington St., Boston /Dominican
La Reina Cafeteria(Opens in a new window) | 80 Bennington St., Boston /Salvadorian
LaFabrica Central(Opens in a new window) | 450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge /Latin Caribbean
Larry J's BBQ(Opens in a new window) | 600 D Street, Boston /Southern
Los Paisanos(Opens in a new window) | 62 Broadway, Somerville /Mexican and Central American
Lucy Ethiopian Cafe(Opens in a new window) | 334 Massachusetts Ave. /Ethiopian
Maya Sol Mexican Grill(Opens in a new window) | 179 Broadway, Somerville /Mexican classics and Salvadoran pupusas
Merengue Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 156 Blue Hill Ave., Boston /Dominican
MIDA Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 782, Tremont St., Boston / Black-owned Italian cuisine
P&R(Opens in a new window) | 208 Dudley St., Boston /Jamaican
Pancho’s Taqueria(Opens in a new window) | Multiple locations /Mexican
Pollos a la Brasa Beto’s(Opens in a new window) | 294 Bennington St., Boston /Peruvian
Recreo Coffee and Roasterie(Opens in a new window) | 1 City Hall Square, Boston /Nicaraguan
RED Gourmet(Opens in a new window) | 2255 Dorchester Ave., Boston /Burgers, Caribbean-inspired
Restaurante Cesaria(Opens in a new window) | 266 Bowdoin St., Boston /African and Cape Verdean
Rincon Mexicano(Opens in a new window) | 99 Broadway, Somerville /Mexican
Savvor Restaurant & Lounge(Opens in a new window) | 180 Lincoln St., Boston /Caribbean and Haitian
Slades Bar and Grille(Opens in a new window) | 958 Tremont St., Boston /Southern American Comfort Food
Suya Joint(Opens in a new window) | 185 Dudley St. #2, Roxbury /African and Nigerian
Teranga Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 1746 Washington Street, Boston /African and Senegalese
Tex Mex Eats(Opens in a new window) (Multiple locations) /Mexican
The Coast Cafe(Opens in a new window) | 233 River St., Cambridge /Southern American
Tres Latinas LLC Food Truck(Opens in a new window) /Venezuelan arepas
Vejigantes Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 57 West Dedham St., Boston /Puerto Rican
Villa Mexico Cafe(Opens in a new window) | 121 Water St., Boston /Mexican
Viva Mi Arepa(Opens in a new window) | 5197 Washington St., West Roxbury /Venezuelan
ZAZ Restaurant(Opens in a new window) | 1238 River St., Hyde Park /Caribbean
Grocery Stores
Açougue Brasil II (Vitória) | 192, Brighton Ave., Allston
Divine Tropical Foods | 133 4th St., Medford
Don Quijote Market | 1639 Washington St., South End
Ethiopian Market | 43 Roxbury St., Roxbury
Freetown African Market |173 Dudley St.
Frio Rico | 360 Bennington St., East Boston
Kaba African Market |29 Roxbury St.
La Favorita Market | 166 Harvard Ave., Allston
La Union | 105 Chelsea St., East Boston
Los paisanos | 11 Meridian St., East Boston
Mayfair Foods | 506 Cambridge St., Allston
Nubian Markets | 2565 Washington St., Boston
Ramzo African Market | 2 Washington St.
Royal African Caribbean Supermarket | Hyde Park, MA
The Blessing of God African Market| Hyde Park, MA
Tropical Foods Grocery Store | 450 Melnea Cass Blvd., Roxbury
Tropical Market | 371 Centre St., Jamaica Plain
Goods And Services
1 More Rep Athletics(Opens in a new window) | 14-16 Partridge Place, Boston /Gym
Afro Flow Yoga(Opens in a new window) | Online /Wellness
Brown and Coconut(Opens in a new window) | Online /Skincare
Frugal(Opens in a new window) | 57 Warren Street, Roxbury /Bookstore
Hive Soul Yoga (Opens in a new window)| Online /Wellness
In the Cut Boston Barbershop(Opens in a new window) | 1437 Tremont St., Boston /Barbershop
Isle de Nature(Opens in a new window) | Online /Candle Company
Lil’ Labmates(Opens in a new window) | Online /Toys
Mr. Suazo’s Barbershop(Opens in a new window) | 16 Lebanon St., Malden /Barbershop
Paper Fiesta(Opens in a new window) | 1 Main St., Natick /Stationery
Styled by Gilda(Opens in a new window) | Online / Personal stylist
Susanitas Fiestas(Opens in a new window) | 91 Broadway, Somerville /Party supplies
TRILLFIT(Opens in a new window) | Online /Wellness