A whole cross-section of the city can be found at this South End institution, at all hours, drinking strong martinis and eating red sauce staples. It’s like a joke setup IRL: A politician, a construction worker, a drag queen, and a tech bro walk into a bar…

Delicious weirdness and wonderfulness are the order of the day at this cafe and restaurant in Jamaica Plain, serving up house-made hot sauces, fermented ingredients, and all kinds of fun drinky-drinks. You might have Brussels sprouts with maple umeboshi and miso, koji risotto, or crab fra diavolo with black gnocchi and parsnip — or you might just have that incredible fried chicken again, and again.

Tucked away in a quiet part of this mostly residential Boston Charlestown, Brewer’s Fork is your consummate local hangout, and one known in part for its extraordinary wood-fired pizza with toppings including clams, salami, and smoked chicken. In the warmer months, regulars can be found in its private-feeling beer garden, enjoying pizza, and wood-fired meatballs, and mussels while also perusing one of Boston’s better beer lists.

In a former comfort station (a.k.a. public bathroom) in Dorchester, Comfort Kitchen explores and expands upon the African diaspora through dishes and drinks. Plates such as brown butter okra, jerk jackfruit sliders, and goat ragu with cassava gnudi trace maritime spice routes, bringing together cultural influences and the personal stories of its chefs and owners.

In this kitschy, kaleidoscopic jewel box of a bar, ’50s and ’60s paraphernalia adorn the walls and a jukebox emits a soft glow from the corner. But for a restaurant that resembles an Elvis impersonator’s fever dream (in a good way), the food is shockingly great. We would bribe someone to give us the recipe for the honey-thyme vinaigrette adorning a simple green salad, and the fresh pasta rivals that of the North End.

Date night, out-of-town visitors, solo drink, and dinner at the bar — whatever the occasion, this Irish pub in Inman Square is the real deal. The lightly battered, tender cod heaped on newsprint is hands down the best fish and chips around. We also love the flavorful beef stew, and oxtail soup, offered seasonally, is a local favorite. To set the mood, you're often greeted by lively Irish songs performed by musicians seated at a corner table.

Some old-school style can be found in this second iteration of a beloved hangout once on Comm Ave.: Waitstaff in white collared shirts are friendly and attentive, tables aren’t atop one another in the deceptively large space, and the popular marble bar has seating to spare. The bavette-cut steak frites delivers, the roasted bone marrow is almost Flintstones-sized, and the Niçoise salad with seared tuna slices is inviting. The brasserie classics didn’t get lost in the move.

A thoughtful, seasonal menu from owners Andrew Brady and Sara Markey draws date-night couples, family celebrations, and clusters of friends for fish carpaccio, house pickles, kale salad, or chilled beets. At the end of an alley, enter an inviting space with twisted hanging branches interwoven with tiny lights and inviting aromas from a wood oven. It’s all extremely charming. Vegetarian and shared-plates friendly.

Join the party on the patio or in the dining room decorated with vintage Cuban movie posters and swelling with laughter and the sounds of Latin jazz. “Gustazo” means “great pleasure,” and it is indeed, to be at this Cambridge restaurant tucking into chef-owner Patricia Estorino’s soulful modern Cuban dishes. Enjoy bright ceviches, vegetable small plates, and re-created classics such as ropa vieja and arroz con pollo alongside rummy cocktails.

On a freezing cold night, when you’re tired and don’t want to cook, there is no better balm for the soul than the bubbling soft tofu stews at this welcoming Allston restaurant. Other tasty Korean dishes — pajeon, irresistible kimchi-scallion pancakes; sweet and spicy pork — round out the meal. Take home leftovers and some house-made kimchi. Now you don’t have to cook tomorrow, either.

Everybody wins with this upstairs-downstairs setup. On the third floor, with a view of the city, Mooncusser’s tasting menus combine world flavors and seasonal New England ingredients in unexpected, delicious ways. At the street-level, Moon Bar brings casual, a la carte excitement via curry fries, Jamaican beef patties, and black bass wrapped in banana leaves. The playful cocktails are made with ingredients from curry leaf to golden raisins. A meal at either is an occasion.

It’s striking how busy Myers + Chang remains on any given night. Christopher Myers and Joanne Chang (of Flour fame) opened their South End dim sum diner nearly 20 years ago, and so much cooking talent has passed through its kitchen. Some secrets of its success: a fun time, reasonable prices, and a steady stream of tasty classics, from Mama Chang’s pork and chive dumplings and tea-smoked ribs to wok-charred udon and nasi goreng.

This is essentially the perfect Brookline restaurant, with something delicious for everyone: oysters and salads and excellent sourdough from sister bakery Steel & Rye, squid ink pasta and fennel-sausage pizza from the wood-fired oven, elegant fish dishes and juicy cheeseburgers. Kids get crayons and paper; adults get cocktails and glasses of wine. In warm weather, the outdoor beer garden beckons.

Given our server’s rapturous description of the stewed goat with yucca, we were sad it wasn’t available when we visited this Cape Verdean gem. But the katchupada, a creamy, comforting bowl of hominy, beans, collard greens, and pork, lifted our spirits, as did the grilled octopus in a tangy vinaigrette and a whole branzino with salty, crackling skin. Live music on the weekends, a fruit-forward cocktail list — and goat! — add to the many reasons we’ll be back.

A Mediterranean-meets-Marrakesh revelation on the edges of Somerville’s last ungentrified corner: From an unassuming storefront, star chefs Ana Sortun and Cassie Piuma serve jewel upon jewel, from electric-pink beet tahini to honey-kissed corn bread designed for sharing (but you won’t want to). Dinner reservations are justifiably hard to secure, but a vibrant walk-in bar scene — with joyous noise levels to match — brings this transformative mezze parlor back down to earth.

This wonderfully quirky and comfortable Jamaica Plain tapas bar/book and music store has been around since 2011, long before the listening bar trend arrived. Come for the vinyl and great reads, stay for the blue cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in ham and the grilled prawns, lamb bocadillos, and sangria. Or is it the other way around? Either way, Tres Gatos is a local gem.

Blocks from the fast-casual bustle of Davis Square, Tu Y Yo is a sit-down staple with dishes you won’t spot at trendy taquerias: chopped cactus in rich green mole; grasshopper tacos; a poblano pepper smothered in a cinnamon-walnut sauce that subtly marries sweet and savory. These flavors push boundaries, but the service draws you in: warm, unhurried, soothing. Pass the sangria.