Quick cheap bites in Harvard Square [Cambridge, MA]

[GretchenS]

Sometimes you want a real lunch, sometimes you want to grab a quick, hopefully not-too-expensive bite. When I want the latter my 3 go-to’s (in order of speed) are:

1. Otto Pizza for a slice or two. Love their combinations, love that when I tell them that I want it hot enough to burn the crap out of the roof of my mouth they laugh and give it to me that way.
2. Flat Patties. Love the juicy burger and being able to apply my own pickles, onions and pickled onions.
3. Cambridge 1. I can nearly always snag a seat at the bar and a half pizza usually comes pretty quick. Love the one with Bolognese topping.

What are your go-to’s and what do you love about them?

[fooddabbler]

Fueled, no doubt, by bagel-energy you’re churning these posts out faster than anybody can respond to them. Good for you!

I like Otto’s, too. Didn’t care for flat patties on my two visits there soon after they opened, but am willing to give them another try. Don’t care for the Shake Shack in Harvard Square, either, although I’m a fan of some of their NYC locations. I know that their food ought to be standardized across locations, but the H² location does seem to have worse burgers, fries and shakes.

I sometimes grab a savory pastry from Crema, or a small sandwich from Cardullo’s, but on the whole I avoid quick bites in the square. The options are too few.

[fooddabbler]

Oh, I like Cambridge 1, too. I’ve also done a Just Crust slice, on occasion. (They have pastas, etc., too, but they may not qualify as a quick bites.)

[BurgerBob]

Pinnochio’s has good Sicilian-style pizza and is pretty fast when it’s not crowded.