Recs for right near Charles St T station

[Wanda]

We have recs for dining all over Boston but very few right near where we are staying, which is right near the Charles St T stop. We're looking for less expensive, ethnic great (love Latin/Mexican, Far Eastern--except not sushi, Indian/Central Asian, Mideastern, Greek, E European, Spanish, Caribbean), also love BBQ, lobster roll--really, except for sushi, we love everything. But so far the only places I have listed that seem close to where we are staying are those below. So thanks for your help in suggesting a few more, especially open at dinnertime (we often eat a liter ethnic dinner at nite)--and please include address & phone if you have it. Thanks again.

Annas Taqueria, 242 Cambrdge, 617-227-8822
Artu, 89 Charles btw Mt Vernon & Pinckney, 617-227-9023. Country Italian. Not sure what prices here are like.
Paramount, 44 Charles nr 711 store, but this is mainly a breakfast place.
Villa Mexico, 296 Cambridge btw Grove & Anderson, part of Grampys Gas Sta, 617-227-2919.

[elbev]

Beacon Hill and thereabouts is not the best place for inexpensive or ethnic foods, being a high rent fairly homogeneous area. Artu is great; not super cheap for dinner (entrees incl pasta maybe $12-20), but worth it. The real bargain there are the excellent sandwiches, which I think are only take-out during dinner time. If you are feeling like a light dinner their antipasti tend to be excellent. Antonio's has good deals on lunch specials. Anna's is generic steam table taco/burrito joint, Phoenicia is decent and reliable Lebanese but nothing special, and Paramount is good diner food. People rave about Grampy's Villa Mex, but I was not overly impressed. I find Fig's and Upper Crust to be overpriced and inconsistent, and all of the Asian options (Thai, Japanese, Chinese) in the area are horrible. More or less everything else around is pricey bistro food (Lala Rokh, x# Chestnut, Pierrot, etc) or mediocre pub fare (Harvard Gardens, Sevens, etc). Your best bet is to follow the recs for eating in other area and keep Beacon Hill meals to a minimum. I am sure many on the list will disagree, but if cheap and ethnic is what you want Charles/MGH is the last place to look.

[Delhiwala]

This seems a bit harsh to me - but it is true that Harvard Square (which has many wonderful places to eat) is only 3 stops away on the easy to use, cheap, and safe, MBTA Red Line.

[elbev]

Harsh, perhaps. But I can think of few T stops with *fewer* inexpensive and interesting places to eat in their environs than the one in question (okay... that is a mild exaggeration).

[CreativeFoodie42]

Of your choices, I would definitely hit up Villa Mexico before going to Anna's Taqueria for more authentic (and tasty) Mexican food.

Also, Paramount is popular for their breakfast but they also have a surprisingly great dinner service.

My other favorite places in the area include:

Antonio's at 288 Cambridge Street - they have a great red sauce and I enjoy their mussels in white wine sauce

Bin 26 Enoteca at 26 Charles Street for a good wine and cheese selection

75 Chestnut at 75 Chestnut Street for hearty American fare

Toscano Restaurant at 47 Charles Street for delicious Tuscan food - especially their tomato bread soup!

Scampo at the Liberty Hotel for delicious mozzarella and pasta.

Hope this helps!

[Niblet]

Lala Rokh, on Mt Vernon street (heading uphill off Charles St.) Persian food. I esp love the spinach with yogurt & walnuts, and green beans with jalapeno cubes in dill cream sauce. Also the meat stuffed eggplant.

[emilief]

Pierrot Bistro on Cambridge Street is close to T Station- good French food, reasonable (but not cheap) prices.

[C. Hamster]

Antonio's on Cambridge Street is very good red sauce Italian

[nsenada]

I really like Figs' pizza, especially the fig and proscuitto one:

Figs, 42 Charles Street, Beacon Hill 742-3347

[rlove]

Figs was going to be my rec. I'm no Todd English fan, but their pizza is quite good, especially the fig and prosciutto as noted.

I also like Upper Crust--although they can be inconsistent--and their original location is on 20 Charles St. 617-723-9600. Any pie, one or two toppings, "well done" is my rec.

[GretchenS]

Phoenicia, 240 Charles St, fits your "inexpensive ethnic" category perfectly. Not much ambience but good Middle Eastern food. http://boston.menupages.com/restauran...